Search Results

A newly developed fluorescent diagnostic system can measure the oil film thickness distribution through two-dimensional images with high sensitivity and quick response. This system consists of a filtered Xe-flash lamp, a filtered charge-coupled-device video camera, a personal-computer-based signal analyzer and lubricating oil with the fluorescent dye added. We have installed the system in a single cylinder research engine and measured the oil film thickness distribution around the piston under various operating conditions. One example of the results is that an oil spout from a gap in the first compression ring, which agrees with the measured oil consumption rate of the engine, was clearly observed at high engine speed.

An ultra-high speed shutter TV camera including an image intensifier which has a light magnification of 20,000, and an image analysis system have been developed and applied to knock research with a transparent piston engine. Irregularity in the flame configuration was observed just when the pressure vibration began. The causes of cycle to cycle variation of knock intesity were examined through the simultaneous recording of the pressure vibration and the image of the flame.

A direct injection (DI) gasoline engine having a new stratified charge combustion system has been developed. This new combustion process (NCP) was achieved by a fan-shaped fuel spray and a combustion chamber with a shell-shaped cavity in the piston. Compared with the current Toyota D-4 engine, wider engine operating area with stratified combustion and higher output performance were obtained without a swirl control valve (SCV) and a helical port. This report presents the results of combustion analyses to optimize fuel spray characteristics and piston cavity shapes. Two factors were found to be important for achieving stable stratified combustion. The first is to create a ball-shaped uniform mixture cloud in the vicinity of the spark plug. The optimum ball-shaped mixture cloud is produced with a fuel spray having early breakup characteristics and uniform distribution, and a suitable side wall shape in the piston cavity to avoid the dispersion of the mixture.

A new stratified charge combustion system has been developed for direct injection gasoline engines. The special feature of this system is employment of a thin fan-shaped fuel spray formed by a slit nozzle. The stratified mixture is produced by the combination of this fan-spray and a shell-shaped piston cavity. Both under-mixing and over-mixing of fuel in the stratified mixture is reduced by this system. This combustion system does not require distinct charge motion such as tumble or swirl, which enables intake port geometry to be simplified to improve full load performance. The effects of the new system on engine performance at part load are improved fuel consumption and reduced smoke, CO and HC emissions, obviously at medium load and medium engine speed. HC emissions at light load are also improved even with high EGR conditions.