Numerical Investigation of Fuel Property Effects on Mixed-Mode Combustion in a Spark-Ignition Engine

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xu ◽  
Pinaki Pal ◽  
Xiao Ren ◽  
Sibendu Som ◽  
Magnus Sjöberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Flame Propagation ◽  
Heat Release Rate ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
Octane Number ◽  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Spark Ignition Engine ◽  
Chemical Effect ◽  
Auto Ignition

Abstract In the present study, mixed-mode combustion of an E30 fuel in a direct-injection spark-ignition engine is numerically investigated at a fuel-lean operating condition using multidimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A fuel surrogate matching Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor Octane Number (MON) of E30 is first developed using neural network based non-linear regression model. To enable efficient 3D engine simulations, a 164-species skeletal reaction mechanism incorporating NOx chemistry is reduced from a detailed chemical kinetic model. A hybrid approach that incorporates the G-equation model for tracking turbulent flame front, and the multi-zone well-stirred reactor model for predicting auto-ignition in the end gas, is employed to account for turbulent combustion interactions in the engine cylinder. Predicted in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate traces agree well with experimental measurements. The proposed modelling approach also captures moderated cyclic variability. Two different types of combustion cycles, corresponding to purely deflagrative and mixed-mode combustion, are observed. In contrast to the purely deflagrative cycles, mixed-mode combustion cycles feature early flame propagation followed by end-gas auto-ignition, leading to two distinctive peaks in heat release rate traces. The positive correlation between mixed-mode combustion cycles and early flame propagation is well captured by simulations. With the validated numerical setup, effects of NOx chemistry on mixed-mode combustion predictions are investigated. NOx chemistry is found to promote auto-ignition through residual gas recirculation, while the deflagrative flame propagation phase remains largely unaffected. Local sensitivity analysis is then performed to understand effects of physical and chemical properties of the fuel, i.e., heat of evaporation (HoV) and laminar flame speed (SL). An increased HoV tends to suppress end-gas auto-ignition due to increased vaporization cooling, while the impact of HoV on flame propagation is insignificant. In contrast, an increased SL is found to significantly promote both flame propagation and auto-ignition. The promoting effect of SL on auto-ignition is not a direct chemical effect; it is rather caused by an advancement of the combustion phasing, which increases compression heating of the end gas.

scholarly journals Numerical Investigation of Fuel Property Effects on Mixed-Mode Combustion in a Spark-Ignition Engine

2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xu ◽  
Pinaki Pal ◽  
Xiao Ren ◽  
Magnus Sjöberg ◽  
Noah Van Dam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flame Propagation ◽  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Spark Ignition Engine ◽  
Chemical Effect ◽  
Cfd Model ◽  
Auto Ignition ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In this study, lean mixed-mode combustion is numerically investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in a spark-ignition engine. A new E30 fuel surrogate is developed using a neural network model with matched octane numbers. A skeletal mechanism is also developed by automated mechanism reduction and by incorporating a NOx submechanism. A hybrid approach that couples the G-equation model and the well-stirred reactor model is employed for turbulent combustion modeling. The developed CFD model is shown to well predict pressure and apparent heat release rate (AHRR) traces compared with experiment. Two types of combustion cycles (deflagration-only and mixed-mode cycles) are observed. The mixed-mode cycles feature early flame propagation and subsequent end-gas auto-ignition, leading to two distinctive AHRR peaks. The validated CFD model is then employed to investigate the effects of NOx chemistry. The NOx chemistry is found to promote auto-ignition through the residual gas, while the deflagration phase remains largely unaffected. Sensitivity analysis is finally performed to understand effects of fuel properties, including heat of vaporization (HoV) and laminar flame speed (SL). An increased HoV tends to suppress auto-ignition through charge cooling, while the impact of HoV on flame propagation is insignificant. In contrast, an increased SL is found to significantly promote both flame propagation and end-gas auto-ignition. The promoting effect of SL on auto-ignition is not a direct chemical effect; it is rather caused by an advancement of the combustion phasing, which increases compression heating of the end-gas.

scholarly journals LARGE EDDY SIMULATION OF LEAN MIXED-MODE COMBUSTION ASSISTED BY PARTIAL FUEL STRATIFICATION IN A SPARK-IGNITION ENGINE

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Chao Xu ◽  
Sibendu Som ◽  
Magnus Sjoberg
Keyword(s):  
Large Eddy Simulation ◽  
Heat Release ◽  
Heat Release Rate ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Pilot Injection ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Fuel Stratification ◽  
Large Eddy

Abstract Partial fuel stratification (PFS) is a promising fuel injection strategy to improve the stability of lean combustion by applying a small pilot injection near spark timing. Mixed-mode combustion, which makes use of end-gas autoignition following conventional deflagration-based combustion, can be further utilized to speed up the overall combustion. In this study, PFS assisted mixed-mode combustion in a lean-burn direct injection spark-ignition (DISI) engine is numerically investigated using multi-cycle large eddy simulation (LES). A previously developed hybrid G-equation/well-stirred reactor combustion model is extended to the PFS condition. The experimental spray morphology is employed to derive spray model parameters for the pilot injection. The LES based model is validated against experimental data and is further compared with the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based model. Overall, both RANS and LES predict the mean pressure and heat release rate traces well, while LES outperforms RANS in capturing the CCV and the combustion phasing in the mass burned space. Liquid and vapor penetrations obtained from the simulations agree reasonably well with the experiment. Detailed flame structures predicted from the simulations reveal the transition from a sooting diffusion flame to a lean premixed flame, which is consistent with experimental findings. LES captures more wrinkled and stretched flames than RANS. Finally, the LES model is employed to investigate the impacts of fuel properties, including heat of vaporization (HoV) and laminar burning speed (SL). Combustion phasing is found more sensitive to SL than to HoV, with a larger fuel property sensitivity of the heat release rate from autoignition than that from deflagration. Moreover, the combustion phasing in the PFS-assisted operation is shown to be less sensitive to SL compared with the well-mixed operation.

scholarly journals Large Eddy Simulation of Lean Mixed-Mode Combustion Assisted by Partial Fuel Stratification in a Spark-Ignition Engine

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xu ◽  
Sibendu Som ◽  
Magnus Sjöberg
Keyword(s):  
Large Eddy Simulation ◽  
Heat Release ◽  
Heat Release Rate ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Pilot Injection ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Fuel Stratification ◽  
Large Eddy

Abstract Lean operation is beneficial to spark-ignition engines due to the high thermal efficiency compared with conventional stoichiometric operation. Lean combustion can be significantly stabilized by the partial fuel stratification (PFS) strategy, in which a small amount of pilot injection is applied near the spark energizing timing in addition to main injections during intake. Furthermore, mixed-mode combustion, which makes use of end-gas autoignition following conventional deflagration-based combustion, can be further utilized to speed up the overall combustion. In this study, PFS-assisted mixed-mode combustion in a lean-burn direct injection spark-ignition (DISI) engine is numerically investigated using multi-cycle large eddy simulation (LES). To accurately represent the pilot injection characteristics, experimentally-derived spray morphology parameters are employed for spray modeling. A previously developed hybrid G-equation/well-stirred reactor model is extended to PFS conditions, to capture interactions of pilot injection, turbulent flame propagation and end-gas autoignition. The LES-based engine model is compared with Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based model, allowing an investigation of both mean and cycle-to-cycle variation (CCV) of combustion characteristics. Instantaneous spray and flame structures from simulations are compared with experiments. The LES-based model is finally leveraged to investigate impacts of fuel properties including heat of vaporization (HoV) and laminar flame speed (SL). It is shown that overall, the predicted mean pressure and heat release rate traces from both RANS and LES agree well with the experiment, while LES captures the CCV and the combustion phasing in the mass burned space much better than RANS. Predicted liquid fuel penetrations agree reasonably well with the experiment, both for RANS and LES. Detailed flame structures in the simulations also reveal the transition from a sooting flame to a lean premixed flame, which is consistent with experimental findings. LES is shown to capture more wrinkled and stretched flame fronts than RANS. Local sensitivity analysis further identifies the stronger combustion phasing sensitivity to SL compared with that to HoV, and the stronger sensitivity of autoignition heat release rate than deflagration. The results from this study demonstrate the high fidelity of the developed computational model based on LES, enabling future investigation of PFS-assisted mixed-mode combustion for different fuels and a wider range of operating conditions.

Comparison Between Measured Radiance and a Radiation Model in a Spark-Ignition Engine

1990 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Yang ◽  
S. L. Plee ◽  
D. J. Remboski ◽  
J. K. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
Maximum Rate ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Spark Ignition Engine ◽  
Maximum Heat ◽  
Radiant Intensity ◽  
Maximum Heat Release

Measurements of the radiant emission in the near infrared have been obtained in a spark-ignition engine over a wide range of operating conditions. The system includes an in-cylinder optical sensor and associated detector. Prior work has shown correlations between the measured radiance and pressure quantities such as maximum cylinder pressure, crank angle of maximum pressure, and Indicated Mean Effective Pressure. Here are presented comparisons between the radiant intensity and a simplified model of the radiation emission, which demonstrate that the measured intensity is a function of the mass-burn fraction, mean burned-gas temperature, and the exposed combustion-chamber surface area. Further simplification leads to the conclusion that the time of the maximum rate of change of radiant intensity is the same as for the maximum heat-release rate, leading to the possibility of feedback control of spark timing. In addition, the magnitudes of the maximum rate of change of radiant emission and maximum heat-release rate have a linear relationship over a range of different operating conditions.

DNS on Autoignition and Flame Propagation of Inhomogeneous Methane–Air Mixtures in a Closed Vessel

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makito Katayama ◽  
Naoya Fukushima ◽  
Masayasu Shimura ◽  
Mamoru Tanahashi ◽  
Toshio Miyauchi
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Flame Propagation ◽  
Heat Release Rate ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
Equivalence Ratio ◽  
Kinetic Mechanism ◽  
Spatial Inhomogeneity ◽  
Closed Vessel ◽  
Isothermal Wall ◽  
Detailed Kinetic Mechanism

Direct numerical simulations (DNSs) on autoignition and flame propagation of inhomogeneous methane–air mixtures in a closed vessel are conducted with considering detailed kinetic mechanism and temperature dependence of transport and thermal properties. The mixtures with spatial inhomogeneity of temperature or equivalence ratio are investigated. Periodic condition for non-heatloss cases or isothermal wall condition for heatloss cases is imposed on the boundaries. From the DNS results without heatloss, effects of spatial inhomogeneity of temperature and equivalence ratio on mean heat release rate are clarified. Increase of spatial variations of temperature or equivalence ratio suppresses drastic rise of mean heat release rate and reduces its maximum value. Autoignition process is affected by temperature more strongly than equivalence ratio. In the cases with heatloss, ignition delay increases and the maximum mean heat release rate decreases. After autoignition process, propagating flame is formed along walls. Heat transfer characteristics in a closed vessel are also discussed with combustion mechanisms.

scholarly journals Control and optimization of spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion based on stratified flame ignition

2018 ◽  
Vol 233 (12) ◽  
pp. 3057-3073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Chen ◽  
Xinyan Wang ◽  
Hua Zhao ◽  
Hui Xie ◽  
Bangquan He
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Flame Propagation ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Direct Injection ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Release Process ◽  
Auto Ignition ◽  
Flame Ignition ◽  
Injection Ratio

Spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion, also known as spark assisted compression ignition, is of considerable interest in gasoline engines because of its potential to enlarge the operating range of gasoline diluted combustion. However, it was found that the spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion process was often characterized with large cycle-to-cycle variations. In this research, a new approach by combining the traditional second-order derivative method and Wiebe function fitting method was proposed to identify different heat release stages of spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion. The heat release characteristics of the spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion based on stratified flame ignition strategy and its control methods were investigated in detail. The effect of control parameters, including spark timing, direct injection ratio and dilution strategy, on improving the thermal efficiency and decreasing the variation of heat release trace in spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion based on stratified flame ignition strategy was analysed. The advance of flame propagation ending point and the increase in the average heat release rate in flame propagation stage benefitted the fuel economy and reduced the variations of heat release in spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion. Although the increase in direct injection ratio contributed to the stability of heat release in the spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion based on the stratified flame ignition strategy, the thermal efficiency of spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion cannot be effectively optimized due to the decrease in combustion efficiency. The application of exhaust gas recirculation and air dilution could decrease the variations of heat release process and increase the thermal efficiency of spark ignition–controlled auto-ignition hybrid combustion based on stratified flame ignition strategy.

The comparison between traditional spark ignition and micro flame ignition in gasoline high dilution combustion

2021 ◽  
pp. 095440702098316
Author(s):  
Yifang Feng ◽  
Tao Chen ◽  
Kang Xu ◽  
Xinyan Wang ◽  
Hui Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Flame Propagation ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
Spark Ignition ◽  
Low Temperature Combustion ◽  
Reaction Fronts ◽  
Auto Ignition ◽  
Flame Ignition ◽  
Operational Range

Gasoline spark ignition (SI) – Controlled auto-ignition (CAI) hybrid combustion had previously been shown to expanding the operational range of high-efficiency low-temperature combustion and reducing fuel consumption. However, the spark ignition became ineffective when the mixture became highly diluted and the large cyclic variation and even misfire would occur. To achieve high-efficiency combustion in extended engine operational range and overcome the limitation of SI-CAI hybrid combustion, Micro Flame Ignition (MFI) was proposed and researched as a mean to providing multiple auto-ignition sites to initiate the combustion process of the diluted mixture. In this research, both engine experiments and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were carried out to study the MFI combustion and SI-CAI hybrid combustion in a single-cylinder optical engine. Compared to the SI-CAI hybrid combustion, the flame propagation in MFI hybrid combustion was initiated by a large number of reaction fronts produced by the DME auto-ignition at multiple sites. MFI was found to deliver substantially more heat and ignition energy to the premixed mixture than the single spark ignition, enabling much faster initial heat release. However, the flame front expansion speed of MFI hybrid combustion dropped significantly to a similar value to that of the SI-CAI case because of the slower flame speed of diluted gasoline mixture. The MFI combustion exhibited three phases of autoignition stage, flame propagation stage and fast heat release stage. It is characterized by a higher peak heat release rate and shorter duration of the main combustion than those of the SI-CAI combustion. Besides, the use of spark ignition in the MFI operation promoted the autoignition of DME, leading to a shorter combustion duration and faster combustion than the MFI combustion without spark ignition. As a result, the spark assisted MFI strategy could be used to control the combustion phasing and optimize the MFI combustion process.

Diethyl Ether as an Ignition Enhancer for Naphtha Creating a Drop in Fuel for Diesel

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Vallinayagam ◽  
S. Vedharaj ◽  
S. Mani Sarathy ◽  
Robert W. Dibble
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Heat Release Rate ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
Ignition Delay ◽  
Cetane Number ◽  
Cylinder Pressure ◽  
Auto Ignition ◽  
Peak Heat Release Rate ◽  
Ignition Characteristics ◽  
Ci Engines

Direct use of naphtha in compression ignition (CI) engines is not advisable because its lower cetane number negatively impacts the auto ignition process. However, engine or fuel modifications can be made to operate naphtha in CI engines. Enhancing a fuel’s auto ignition characteristics presents an opportunity to use low cetane fuel, naphtha, in CI engines. In this research, Di-ethyl ether (DEE) derived from ethanol is used as an ignition enhancer for light naphtha. With this fuel modification, a “drop-in” fuel that is interchangeable with existing diesel fuel has been created. The ignition characteristics of DEE blended naphtha were studied in an ignition quality tester (IQT); the measured ignition delay time (IDT) for pure naphtha was 6.9 ms. When DEE was added to naphtha, IDT decreased and D30 (30% DEE + 70% naphtha) showed comparable IDT with US NO.2 diesel. The derived cetane number (DCN) of naphtha, D10 (10% DEE + 90% naphtha), D20% DEE + 80% naphtha) and D30 were measured to be 31, 37, 40 and 49, respectively. The addition of 30% DEE in naphtha achieved a DCN equivalent to US NO.2 diesel. Subsequent experiments in a CI engine exhibited longer ignition delay for naphtha compared to diesel. The peak in-cylinder pressure is higher for naphtha than diesel and other tested fuels. When DEE was added to naphtha, the ignition delay shortened and peak in-cylinder pressure is reduced. A 3.7% increase in peak in-cylinder pressure was observed for naphtha compared to US NO.2 diesel, while D30 showed comparable results with diesel. The pressure rise rate dropped with the addition of DEE to naphtha, thereby reducing the ringing intensity. Naphtha exhibited a peak heat release rate of 280 kJ/m3deg, while D30 showed a comparable peak heat release rate to US NO.2 diesel. The amount of energy released during the premixed combustion phase decreased with the increase of DEE in naphtha. Thus, this study demonstrates the suitability of DEE blended naphtha mixtures as a “drop-in” replacement fuel for diesel.

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