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The objective of the study is to characterize combustion and performance of a multi-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection (DI) diesel engine at altitude conditions according to the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA). Experiments were performed on the 6.6-liter turbocharged DI diesel engine, a model similar to that of the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. The engine was installed in the US Army Research Laboratory Small Engine Altitude Research Facility. Outside air temperature (OAT) and outside air pressure were independently controlled to match the ISA-OAT at selected altitude conditions: sea level, 1524, 3048, and 4572 m. The test engine is equipped with a single-stage variable nozzle turbocharger and Bosch CRIN 3 common-rail injection system. Three load conditions (i.e., low, mid, and high) were selected at 1400 rpm to investigate combustion and performance of the engine using Jet Propellant-8 (JP-8) fuel.

Airborne compression-ignition engine operations differ significantly from those in ground vehicles, both in mission requirements and in operating conditions. Unique challenges exist in the aviation space, and electrification technologies originally developed for ground applications may be leveraged to address these considerations. One such technology, electrically assisted turbochargers (EATs), have the potential to address the following: increase the maximum system power output, directly control intake manifold air pressure, and reignite the engine at altitude conditions in the event of an engine flame-out. Sea-level experiments were carried out on a two-liter, four-cylinder compression-ignition engine with a commercial-off-the-shelf EAT that replaced the original turbocharger. The objective of these experiments was to demonstrate the technology, assess the performance, and evaluate control methods at sea level prior to altitude experimentation.