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Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engines offer high fuel efficiency and some emissions benefits. However, it is difficult to control and stabilize combustion over a sufficient operating range because the critical compression ratio and intake temperature at which HCCI combustion can be achieved varies with operating conditions such as speed and load as well as with fuel octane number. Replacing part of the base fuel with reformer gas, (which can be produced from the base hydrocarbon fuel), alters HCCI combustion characteristics in varying ways depending on the replacement fraction and the base fuel auto-ignition characteristics. Injecting a blend of reformer gas and base fuel offers a potential HCCI combustion control mechanism because fuel injection quantities and ratios can be altered on a cycle-by-cycle basis.

This paper describes use of reformer gas (RG) to alter and control combustion in a CNG-fueled HCCI engine. Experimental work used a mixture of simulated RG (75% H2 and 25% CO) to supplement base CNG fueling in a CFR engine upgraded to achieve high compression ratios. RG was used to improve the engine's operating performance and to control combustion onset in experiments conducted at three different compression ratios. A combination of high compression ratio (18.5) and high intake temperature (140°C) was observed to be appropriate to run the CNG-fueled CFR engine in HCCI mode. RG replacement of CNG altered combustion characteristics and expanded the operating range on the lean side. Use of RG decreased knock severity and reduced NOx emission. At constant relative air/fuel ratio (λ) it advanced combustion timing, moving the maximum cylinder pressure earlier in the cycle and increasing maximum pressure.