Economy and emission characteristics of the optimal dilution strategy in lean combustion based on GDI gasoline engine equipped with prechamber

EGR and excess-air dilution have been investigated in a 1.5 L four cylinders gasoline direct injection (GDI) turbocharged engine equipped with prechamber. The influences of the two different dilution technologies on the engine performance are explored. The results show that at 2400 rpm and 12 bar, EGR dilution can adopt more aggressive ignition advanced angle to achieve optimal combustion phasing. However, excess-air dilution has greater fuel economy than that of EGR dilution owing to larger in-cylinder polytropic exponent. As for prechamber, when dilution ratio is greater than 37.1%, the combustion phase is advanced, resulting in fuel economy improving. Meanwhile, only when the dilution ratio is under 36.2%, the HC emissions of excess-air dilution are lower than the original engine. With the increase of dilution ratio, the CO emissions decrease continuously. The NOX emissions of both dilution technologies are 11% of those of the original engine. Excess-air dilution has better fuel economy and very low CO emissions. EGR dilution can effectively reduce NOX emissions, but increase HC emissions. Compared with spark plug ignition, the pre chamber ignition has lower HC, CO emissions, and higher NO emissions. At part load, the pre-chamber ignition reduces NOX emissions to 49 ppm.

Development and Experimental Validation of an Adaptive, Piston-Damage-Based Combustion Control System for SI Engines: Part 1—Evaluating Open-Loop Chain Performance

This work is focused on the development and validation of a spark advance controller, based on a piston “damage” model and a predictive knock model. The algorithm represents an integrated and innovative way to manage both the knock intensity and combustion phase. It is characterized by a model-based open-loop algorithm with the capability of calculating with high accuracy the spark timing that achieves the desired piston damage in a certain period, for knock-limited engine operating conditions. Otherwise, it targets the maximum efficiency combustion phase. Such controller is primarily thought to be utilized under conditions in which feedback is not needed. In this paper, the main models and the structure of the open-loop controller are described and validated. The controller is implemented in a rapid control prototyping device and validated reproducing real driving maneuvers at the engine test bench. Results of the online validation process are presented at the end of the paper.

Development and Experimental Validation of an Adaptive, Piston-Damage-Based Combustion Control System for SI Engines: Part 2—Implementation of Adaptive Strategies

This work focuses on the implementation of innovative adaptive strategies and a closed-loop chain in a piston-damage-based combustion controller. In the previous paper (Part 1), implemented models and the open loop algorithm are described and validated by reproducing some vehicle maneuvers at the engine test cell. Such controller is further improved by implementing self-learning algorithms based on the analytical formulations of knock and the combustion model, to update the fuel Research Octane Number (RON) and the relationship between the combustion phase and the spark timing in real-time. These strategies are based on the availability of an on-board indicating system for the estimation of both the knock intensity and the combustion phase index. The equations used to develop the adaptive strategies are described in detail. A closed-loop chain is then added, and the complete controller is finally implemented in a Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) device. The controller is validated with specific tests defined to verify the robustness and the accuracy of the adaptive strategies. Results of the online validation process are presented in the last part of the paper and the accuracy of the complete controller is finally demonstrated. Indeed, error between the cyclic and the target combustion phase index is within the range ±0.5 Crank Angle degrees (°CA), while the error between the measured and the calculated maximum in-cylinder pressure is included in the range ±5 bar, even when fuel RON or spark advance map is changing.

Mechanism of thermal efficiency improvement in twin shaped semi-premixed diesel combustion

Improvements of the thermal efficiency in twin shaped semi-premixed diesel combustion mode with premixed combustion in the primary stage and spray diffusive combustion in the secondary stage with multi-stage fuel injection were investigated with experiments and 3D-CFD analysis. For a better understanding of the advantages of this combustion mode, the results were compared with conventional diesel combustion modes, mainly consisting of diffusive combustion. The semi-premixed mode has a higher thermal efficiency than the conventional mode at both the low and medium load conditions examined here. The heat release in the semi-premixed mode is more concentrated at the top dead center, resulting in a significant reduction in the exhaust loss. The increase in the cooling loss is suppressed to a level similar to the conventional mode. In the conventional mode the rate of heat release becomes more rapid and the combustion noise increases with advances in the combustion phase as the premixed combustion with pilot and pre injections and the diffusive combustion with the main combustion occurs simultaneously. In the semi-premixed mode, the premixed combustion with pilot and primary injections and the diffusive combustion with the secondary injection occurs separately in different phases, maintaining a gentler heat release with advances in the combustion phase. The mechanism of the cooling loss suppression with the semi-premixed mode at low load was investigated with 3D-CFD. In the semi-premixed mode, there is a reduction in the gas flow and quantity of the combustion gas near the piston wall due to the suppression of spray penetration and splitting of the injection, resulting in a smaller heat flux.

Development of the method of operational forecasting of fire in the premises of objects under real conditions

A method for operational forecasting of fires is proposed that enables the sequential implementation of five procedures. The method development is necessary to predict early fires in premises in order to take measures to prevent them from escalating into an uncontrolled combustion phase ‒ a fire. As a result of research, it was found that a short-term forecast of the recurrence of increments of the air conditions by one step, based on the current measure of recurrence, is an effective indicator of early fires in premises. At the same time, it was found that before the moment of ignition of the material, the state of the air environment is characterized by dynamic stability, which is described by an irregular and time-dependent random change in the recurrence of the states of the vector of current increments of the state of the air environment. The values of the indicated levels of recurrence of the state increments are determined by the probability levels of 0.67 and 0.1, respectively. The probability of recurrence of state increments of 0.67 is characteristic of a larger number of measured states. When the material is ignited, the dynamics of the probability of recurrence of state increments change abruptly. There is a transition from two to one level of recurrence, close to zero probability ‒ the loss of dynamic stability (in the region of count 250). Further dynamics are characterized by the appearance of separate random recurrent increments corresponding to the instability of the air environment in the premises. In the course of the experiment, it was found that the accuracy of predicting a fire by the proposed method ranges from 4.48 % to 12.79 %, which generally indicates its efficiency. The obtained data prove useful in the development of new systems that early warn of fire in premises, as well as in the modernization of existing systems and means of fire protection of premises

Effects of internal/external EGR and combustion phase on gasoline compression ignition at low-load condition

A single-cylinder test engine model was built by GT-Power software, and the effects of internal exhaust gas recirculation (i-EGR), external EGR (e-EGR), i-EGR/e-EGR coupling and the crank angle degree at which 50% of total heat loss has taken place (CA50) on combustion and emission characteristics of gasoline compression ignition at low-load condition were analysed. The results show that the ignition delay period with e-EGR was extended slightly with the increased EGR ratio, while that with i-EGR strategy first shortened and then extended, and that the optimised indicated thermal efficiency could be achieved using a small amount of i-EGR. With the same EGR ratio, nitrogen oxide (NO X ) emission is more likely to be suppressed by i-EGR, while soot emission was more deteriorated, and the superior trade-off relationship between carbon monoxide (CO)/hydrocarbon (HC) emissions and NO X emission was attained by the combination of lower i-EGR ratios and CA50 closed to top dead centre. When using i-EGR/e-EGR coupling with total EGR ratio being fixed, the indicated thermal efficiency was decreased by increasing i-EGR ratio, while the lower NO X , CO and HC emissions could be realised, but only with the consequence that soot emission increased.