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Syngas (synthesis gas) aided combustion from various fuel reforming strategies is of increasing interest in boosted lean burn SI engines due to its impact on dilution tolerance and knock resistance. Due to the interest in reformed fuels, more concrete understanding of how to leverage syngas supplementation under various lean conditions is essential to optimize engine performance and derive the most benefit from the availability of syngas in the combustion process. While the impact of syngas supplementation on combustion stability has been studied adequately, detailed understanding of the impact of syngas on knocking is still limited. Hence, this study investigates the effect of syngas (H2/CO) addition on knock tendency under boosted EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and air diluted conditions. Syngas amount is controlled on an energy basis from 0% to 15% to compare the difference between EGR and air dilution.

The effects of injector targeting and fuel volatility on transient fuel dynamics were studied with a comprehensive quasi-dimensional model and compared with experimental results from Part I of this report (1). The model includes the transient, convective vaporization of four multi-component fuel films coupled with a transient thermal warm-up model for realistic valve, port and cylinder temperatures (2, 3). Two injector targetings were analyzed, first with the fuel impacting the intake valve and in addition, the fuel impacting the port floor directly in front of the intake valve. The model demonstrates the importance of both component temperature and fuel impaction area on fuel vaporization, transient air fuel ratio (AFR) response and the amount of liquid fuel entering the cylinder. Generally, a smaller injector footprint area will lead to more liquid fuel entering the cylinder even if the spray is targeted at the back of the intake valve.

This paper summarizes the first phase of an experimental effort focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of the in-cylinder air/fuel mixing and combustion processes in spark-ignition engines using laser-based fuel distribution and combustion measurements. As part of this first phase, a semi-quantitative, laser-induced fluorescence, fuel distribution measurement technique was developed and demonstrated. The calibration, correction, and image analysis processes associated with the technique were shown to be comparatively simple and effective (relative to other analytical and empirical methods). The error associated with the technique was shown to be 5 - 10 % under vapor phase conditions. This work was applied to a port fuel injected optical engine, which was designed for optical access through the piston and cylinder liner under firing conditions.

This study evaluates powertrain technologies capable of reducing light duty vehicle fuel consumption for compliance with 2025 CAFE standards. A fully integrated GT-Power engine model with physics based sub-models was developed to capture any positive or negative synergies between the technologies. The two zone multi-cylinder engine model included typical thermodynamic subroutines, with predictive combustion, flame quench and knock models, along with map-based turbocharger models to capture key combustion and efficiency behaviors. The engine model was calibrated to data from a boosted GDI engine and exercised through one series of current and production viable technology configurations for 2025 regulations.

This study investigates the use of a characteristic reaction time as a possible method to speed up automotive knock calculations. In an earlier study of HCCI combustion it was found that for ignition at TDC, the ignition delay time at TDC conditions was required to be approximately 10 crank angle degrees (CAD), regardless of engine speed. In this study the analysis has been applied to knock in SI engines over a wide range of engine operating conditions including boosted operation and retarded combustion phasing, typical of high load operation of turbocharged engines. Representative pressure curves were used as input to a detailed kinetics calculation for a gasoline surrogate fuel mechanism with 312 species. The same detailed mechanism was used to compile a data set with traditional constant volume ignition delays evaluated at the peak pressure conditions in the end gas assuming adiabatic compression.

Combined direct and port fuel injection (i.e., dual injection) in spark ignition engines is of increasing interest due to the advantages for fuel flexibility and the individual merits of each system for improving engine performance and reducing engine-out emissions. Greater understanding of the impact of dual injection will enable deriving the maximum benefit from the two injection systems. This study investigates the effects of dual injection on combustion, especially knock propensity and tolerance to exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) dilution at different levels of EGR. A baseline for comparison with dual injection results was made using direct injection fueling only. A splash blended E20 fuel was used for the direct injection only tests. For the dual injection tests, gasoline, representing 80% by volume of the total fuel, was injected using the direct injector, and ethanol, representing 20% by volume of the total fuel, was injected using the port fuel injector.