Predicting the Distribution of Combustion Timing Ensemble in an HCCI Engine

Author(s):  
Mahdi Shahbakhti ◽  
Ahmad Ghazimirsaied ◽  
Charles Robert Koch

Control of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engines to obtain the desirable operation requires understanding of how different charge variables influence the cyclic variations in HCCI combustion. Combustion timing for consecutive cycles at each operating point makes an ensemble of combustion timing which can exhibit different shapes of probability distributions depending on the random and physical patterns existing in the data. In this paper, a combined physical-statistical control-oriented model is developed to predict the distribution of HCCI combustion timing (CA50, crank angle of 50% fuel mass fraction burnt) for a range of operating conditions. The statistical model is based on the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution and the physical model embodies a modified knock integral model, a fuel burn rate model, a semi-empirical model for the gas exchange process and an empirical model to estimate the combustion timing dispersion. The resulting model is parameterized for the combustion of Primary Reference Fuel (PRF) blends using over 5000 simulations from a detailed thermo-kinetic model. Empirical correlations in the model are parameterized using the experimental data obtained from a single-cylinder engine. Once the model is parameterized it only needs five inputs: intake pressure, intake temperature, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) rate, equivalence ratio and engine speed. The main outputs of the model are CA50 and the Probability Density Function (PDF) metrics of CA50 distribution. Experimental CA50 is compared with predicted CA50 from the model and the results show a total average error of less than 1.5 degrees of crank angle for 213 steady-state operating points with four different PRF fuels at diversified operating conditions. Predicted PDF of the CA50 ensemble is compared with that of the experiments for PRF fuels at different running conditions. The results indicate a good agreement between simulation and the experiment.

Author(s):  
Mahdi Shahbakhti ◽  
Charles Robert Koch

Incorporating homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) into combustion engines for better fuel economy and lower emission requires understanding the dynamics influencing the combustion timing in HCCI engines. A control oriented model to dynamically predict cycle-to-cycle combustion timing of a HCCI engine is developed. The model is designed to work with parameters that are easy to measure and to have low computation time with sufficient accuracy for control applications. The model is a full-cycle model and consists of a residual gas model, a modified knock integral model, fuel burn rate model, and thermodynamic models. In addition, semi-empirical correlations are used to predict the gas exchange process, generated work and completeness of combustion. The developed model incorporates the thermal coupling dynamics caused by the residual gases from one cycle to the next cycle. The model is parameterized by over 5700 simulations from a detailed thermokinetic model and experimental data obtained from a single-cylinder engine. Cross-validation of the model with both steady-state and transient HCCI experiments for four different primary reference fuel blends is detailed. With seven model inputs, the combustion timing of over 150 different HCCI points is predicted to within an average error of less than 1.5 deg of crank angle. A narrow window of combustion timing is found to provide stable and efficient HCCI operation.


Author(s):  
Wenbo Sui ◽  
Carrie M. Hall

An optimal combustion phasing leads to a high combustion efficiency and low carbon emissions in diesel engines. With the increasing complexity of diesel engines, model-based control of combustion phasing is becoming indispensable, but precise prediction of combustion phasing is required for such strategies. Since cylinder-to-cylinder variations in combustion can be more significant with advanced combustion techniques, this work focuses on developing a control-oriented combustion phasing model that can be leveraged to provide cylinder-specific estimates. The pressure and temperature of the intake gas reaching each cylinder are predicted by a semi-empirical model and the coefficients of this intake pressure and temperature model are varied from cylinder-to-cylinder. A knock integral model is leveraged to estimate the SOC (start of combustion) and the burn duration is predicted as a function of EGR fraction, equivalence ratio of fuel and residual gas fraction in a burn duration model. After that, a Wiebe function is utilized to estimate CA50 (crank angle at 50% mass of fuel has burned). This cylinder-specific combustion phasing prediction model is calibrated and validated across a variety of operating conditions. A large range of EGR fraction and fuel equivalence ratio were tested in these simulations including EGR levels from 0 to 50%, and equivalence ratios from 0.5 to 0.9. The results show that the combustion phasing prediction model can estimate CA50 with an uncertainty of ±0.5 crank angle degree in all six cylinders. The impact of measurement errors on the accuracy of the prediction model is also discussed in this paper.


Author(s):  
Mahdi Shahbakhti ◽  
Ahmad Ghazimirsaied ◽  
Charles Robert Koch

The probability distribution shape of the ignition timing ensemble allows detection of unstable operation near misfire in Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engines. The acceptable range of cyclic variation in HCCI combustion timing is determined by linking the experimental measurements with the shape factors of Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) probability distribution. A combined physical-statistical model is incorporated to analyze the range of cyclic variability in CA50 (crank angle of 50% mass fraction fuel burnt) for two single-cylinder engines. The model is validated with the experimental data at 227 operating points with five different Primary Reference Fuels (PRF). Good agreement between simulation and the experiment with an average error of 0.36 crank angle degree for predicting standard deviation of CA50 is obtained. Low, medium and high cyclic variability zones are identified as a function of intake manifold pressure, equivalence ratio, and intake manifold temperature. This information can be integrated into the design of an engine controller strategy to maintain acceptable levels of cyclic variation during a commanded engine load change.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Alessandro Di Pretoro ◽  
Francesco D’Iglio ◽  
Flavio Manenti

Fouling is a substantial economic, energy, and safety issue for all the process industry applications, heat transfer units in particular. Although this phenomenon can be mitigated, it cannot be avoided and proper cleaning cycle scheduling is the best way to deal with it. After thorough literature research about the most reliable fouling model description, cleaning procedures have been optimized by minimizing the Time Average Losses (TAL) under nominal operating conditions according to the well-established procedure. For this purpose, different cleaning actions, namely chemical and mechanical, have been accounted for. However, this procedure is strictly related to nominal operating conditions therefore perturbations, when present, could considerably compromise the process profitability due to unexpected shutdown or extraordinary maintenance operations. After a preliminary sensitivity analysis, the uncertain variables and the corresponding disturbance likelihood were estimated. Hence, cleaning cycles were rescheduled on the basis of a stochastic flexibility index for different probability distributions to show how the uncertainty characterization affects the optimal time and economic losses. A decisional algorithm was finally conceived in order to assess the best number of chemical cleaning cycles included in a cleaning supercycle. In conclusion, this study highlights how optimal scheduling is affected by external perturbations and provides an important tool to the decision-maker in order to make a more conscious design choice based on a robust multi-criteria optimization.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Okafor ◽  
Patrick Verdin ◽  
Phill Hart

Abstract Downhole Natural Gas Separation Efficiency (NGSE) is flow regime dependent, and current analytical models in certain conditions lack accuracy. Downhole NGSE was investigated through 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) transient simulations for pumping wells in the Churn flow regime. The Volume of Fluid (VOF) multiphase model was considered along with the k – ε turbulence model for most simulations. A mesh independence study was performed, and the final model results validated against experimental data, showing an average error of less than 6 %. Numerical simulation results showed that the steady state assumption used by current mathematical models for churn flow can be inaccurate. Several key parameters affecting the NGSE were identified, and suggestions for key improvements to the widely used mathematical formulations for viscous flow provided. Sensitivity studies were conducted on fluid/geometric parameters and operating conditions, to gain a better understanding of the influence of each parameter on NGSE. These are important results as they equip the ESP engineer with additional knowledge to maximise the NGSE from design stage to pumping operations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Ingesson ◽  
Lianhao Yin ◽  
Rolf Johansson ◽  
Per Tunestål

The problem of designing robust and noise-insensitive proportional–integral (PI) controllers for pressure-sensor-based combustion-timing control was studied through simulation. Different primary reference fuels (PRF) and operating conditions were studied. The simulations were done using a physics-based, control-oriented model with an empirical ignition-delay correlation. It was found that the controllable region in between the zero-gain region for early injection timings and the misfire region for late injection timings is strongly PRF dependent. As a result, it was necessary to adjust intake temperature to compensate for the difference in fuel reactivity prior to the controller design. With adjusted intake temperature, PRF-dependent negative-temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior gave different system characteristics for the different fuels. The PI controller design was accomplished by solving the optimization problem of maximizing disturbance rejection and tracking performance subject to constraints on robustness and measurement-noise sensitivity. Optimal controller gains were found to be limited by the high system gain at late combustion timings and high-load conditions; furthermore, the measurement-noise sensitivity was found to be higher at the low-load operating points where the ignition delay is more sensitive to variations in load and intake conditions. The controller-gain restrictions were found to vary for the different PRFs; the optimal gains for higher PRFs were lower due to a higher system gain, whereas the measurement-noise sensitivity was found to be higher for lower PRFs.


Author(s):  
Müjdat Firat

The present study has been performed on heat transfer, fluid flow and formation of emissions in a diesel engine by different engine parameters. The analysis aims at an investigation of flow field, heat transfer, combustion pressure and formation of emission by means of numerical simulation which is using as parameter; hole number of injector and crank angle. Numerical simulations are performed using the AVL-FIRE commercial software depending on the crank angle. This software is successfully used in internal combustion engine applications, and its validity has been accepted. In this paper, k-zeta-f is preferred as turbulence model and SIMPLE/PISO used as algorithms. Thus, results are presented with pressure traces, temperature curves and NOx and soot levels for engine operating conditions. In addition, the relationship between the spray behaviors and combustion characteristics including NOx emissions, soot emissions, combustion pressure and temperature were illustrated through this analysis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 777 ◽  
pp. 238-244
Author(s):  
Serene Sow Mun Lock ◽  
Kok Keong Lau ◽  
Irene Sow Mei Lock ◽  
Azmi Mohd Shariff ◽  
Yin Fong Yeong ◽  
...  

Oxygen (O2) enriched air combustion via adaption of polymeric membranes has been proposed to be a feasible alternative to increase combustion proficiency while minimizing the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Nonetheless, majority of techno-economic assessment on the O2 enriched combustion evolving membrane separation process are confined to assumption of constant membrane permeance. In reality, it is well known that membrane permeance is highly dependent upon the temperature and pressure to which it is operated. Therefore, in this work, an empirical model, which includes the effect of temperature and pressure to permeance, has been evaluated based on own experimental work using polysulfone membrane. The empirical model has been further validated with published experimental results. It is found that the model is able to provide an excellent characterization of the membrane permeance across a wide range of operating conditions for both pure and binary gas with determination coefficient of minimally 0.99.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Rabah ◽  
Eero Immonen ◽  
Sajad Shahsavari ◽  
Mohammad-Hashem Haghbayan ◽  
Kirill Murashko ◽  
...  

Understanding battery capacity degradation is instrumental for designing modern electric vehicles. In this paper, a Semi-Empirical Model for predicting the Capacity Loss of Lithium-ion batteries during Cycling and Calendar Aging is developed. In order to redict the Capacity Loss with a high accuracy, battery operation data from different test conditions and different Lithium-ion batteries chemistries were obtained from literature for parameter optimization (fitting). The obtained models were then compared to experimental data for validation. Our results show that the average error between the estimated Capacity Loss and measured Capacity Loss is less than 1.5% during Cycling Aging, and less than 2% during Calendar Aging. An electric mining dumper, with simulated duty cycle data, is considered as an application example.


Author(s):  
Michael Flory ◽  
Joel Hiltner ◽  
Clay Hardenburger

Pipeline natural gas composition is monitored and controlled in order to deliver high quality, relatively consistent gas quality in terms of heating value and detonation characteristics to end users. The consistency of this fuel means gas-fired engines designed for electrical power generation (EPG) applications can be highly optimized. As new sources of high quality natural gas are found, the demand for these engines is growing. At the same time there is also an increasing need for EPG engines that can handle fuels that have wide swings in composition over a relatively short period of time. The application presented in this paper is an engine paired with an anaerobic digester that accepts an unpredictable and varying feedstock. As is typical in biogas applications, there are exhaust stream contaminants that preclude the use of an oxygen or NOx sensor for emissions feedback control. The difficulty with such a scenario is the ability to hold a given exhaust gas emission level as the fuel composition varies. One challenge is the design of the combustion system hardware. This design effort includes the proper selection of compression ratio, valve events, ignition timing, turbomachinery, etc. Often times simulation tools, such as a crank-angle resolved engine model, are used in the development of such systems in order to predict performance and reduce development time and hardware testing. The second challenge is the control system and how to implement a robust control capable of optimizing engine performance while maintaining emissions compliance. Currently there are limited options for an OEM control system capable of dealing with fuels that have wide swings in composition. Often times the solution for the engine packager is to adopt an aftermarket control system and apply this in place of the control system delivered on the engine. The disadvantage to this approach is that the aftermarket controller is not calibrated and so the packager is faced with the task of developing an entire engine calibration at a customer site. The controller must function well enough that it will run reliably during plant start-up and then eventually prove capable of holding emissions under typical operating conditions. This paper will describe the novel use of a crank-angle resolved four-stroke engine cycle model to develop an initial set of calibration values for an aftermarket control system. The paper will describe the plant operation, implementation of the aftermarket controller, the model-based calibration methodology and the commissioning of the engine.


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