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An experimental method for determining the Instantaneous Frictional Torque (IFT) using pressure transducers on every cylinder and speed measurements at both ends of the crankshaft is presented. The speed variation measured at one end of the crankshaft is distorted by torsional vibrations making it difficult to establish a simple and direct correlation between the acting torque and measured speed. Using a lumped mass model of the crankshaft and modal analysis techniques, the contributions of the different natural modes to the motion along the crankshaft axis are determined. Based on this model a method was devised to combine speed measurements made at both ends of the crankshaft in such a way as to eliminate the influence of torsional vibrations and obtain the equivalent rigid body motion of the crankshaft. This motion, the loading torque and the gas pressure torque are utilized to determine the IFT.

An experimental and numerical study was carried out to simulate the diesel spray behavior during cold starting conditions inside two single-cylinder optically accessible engines. One is an AVL single-cylinder research diesel engine converted for optical access; the other is a TACOM/LABECO engine retrofitted with mirror-coupled endoscope access. The first engine is suitable for sophisticated optical diagnostics but is constrained to limited consecutive fuel injections or firings. The second one is located inside a micro-processor controlled cold room; therefore it can be operated under a wide range of practical engine conditions and is ideal for cycle-to-cycle variation study. The intake and blow-by flow rates are carefully measured in order to clearly define the operation condition. In addition to cylinder pressure measurement, the experiment used 16-mm high-speed movie photography to directly visualize the global structures of the sprays and ignition process.

The UBHC emissions during cold starting need to be controlled in order to meet the future stringent standards. This requires a better understanding of the characteristics of the time resolved UBHC signal measured by a high frequency FID and its phasing with respect to the valve events. The computer program supplied with the instrument and currently used to compute the phase shift has many uncertainties due to the unsteady nature of engine operation during starting. A new technique is developed to measure the in-situ phase shift of the UBHC signal under the transient thermodynamic and dynamic conditions of the engine. The UBHC concentration is measured at two locations in the exhaust manifold of one cylinder in a multicylinder port injected gasoline engine. The two locations are 77 mm apart. The downstream probe is positioned opposite to a solenoid-operated injector which delivers a gaseous jet of hydrocarbon-free nitrogen upon command.

Several dynamic parameters for the diagnosis of reciprocating combustion engines are investigated. Emphasis is made on the effect of sampling. The dynamic parameters include the frequency analysis, autocorrelation function, the frequency analysis of the autocorrelation function, variation of the angular velocity peaks, variation of the angular velocity depressions, variation of the angular velocity from before to after top dead center, velocity index and acceleration index. Two sampling techniques are used to measure the instantaneous angular velocity of a six cylinder, four-stroke-cycle diesel engine, under healthy and faulty conditions. The most effective dynamic parameters for engine diagnostics are determined.

The instantaneous frictional torque (IFT) of the engine and the piston-ring assembly frictional force (PRAFF) were determined during cranking and starting of a direct injection single cylinder diesel engine. The measurements included the cylinder gas pressure, the instantaneous torque of the electric starter, the angular velocity of the crankshaft and the axial force on the connecting rod. The engine and piston friction were determined every crank angle degree for all the cycles from the time the starter was engaged to the time the engine reached the idling speed. The data was analyzed and a comparison was made between the friction in successive cycles.

Combustion instability is investigated during the cold starting of a single cylinder, direct injection, 4-stroke-cycle, air-cooled diesel engine. The experiments covered fuels of different properties at different ambient air temperatures and injection timings. The analysis showed that the pattern of misfiring (skipping) is not random but repeatable. The engine may skip once (8-stroke-cycle operation) or twice (12-stroke-cycle operation) or more times. The engine may shift from one mode of operation to another and finally run steadily on the 4-stroke cycle. All the fuels tested produced this type of operation at different degrees. The reasons for the combustion instability were analyzed and found to be related to speed, residual gas temperature and composition, accumulated fuel and ambient air temperature.

This paper describes the development and results of a mathematical model for a single cylinder, naturally-aspirated, direct-injection diesel engine, used to study the effect of compression ratio on the different performance parameters. The parameters investigated include; thermal and mechanical efficiency, ignition delay, mean effective pressure, maximum cylinder pressure, mechanical friction, and blowby. The model simulates a full thermodynamic cycle and considers the intake and exhaust processes, instantaneous heat transfer, instantaneous friction, and instantaneous blowby. Based on the model results, a prediction of an optimum CR for the engine is made.

A mathematical model Is developed to study the transient behavior of a four-stroke, single cylinder naturally-aspirated, DI diesel engine during cranking and starting. The model simulates the full thermodynamic cycle of the engine and includes detailed sub-models for the intake and exhaust gas flow processes, autoignition combustion, heat transfer, mechanical friction, blowby, and engine dynamics. The model considers the period of time from starter on until the engine reaches the idle speed. Experimental data and results obtained from the engine are used to calibrate and validate the model. A comparison of results from the model and the experiments generally show good agreement for the starting conditions investigated.

This paper identifies the original function of the Cetane Scale and examines some problem of concern to the technical community. The following six problems have been analyzed: i) inability of the ASTM D-613 method to rate low ignition quality fuels, ii) instability of the ignition delay meter, iii) inconformity of the CFR combustion system with actual diesel systems, iv) invalidity of Cetane number in correlating the I.D. for different fuels, engines and operating conditions, v) inaccuracy of Cetane number in ranking the overall performance and emission behaviour of fuels in diesel engines and vi) inability of Cetane number in rating the cold startability of diesel engines on different fuels. Possible solutions to the above problems have been examined.

This paper introduces a diagnostic technique for the detection of misfiring cylinders in internal combustion engines. The technique requires the analysis of the instantaneous angular velocity of an engine flywheel. The results show that the mean cyclic acceleration, maximum variation in angular velocity, and the cyclic period of acceleration can be used as a measure for the mean net torque and the mean net expansion pressure torque produced by each cylinder. The proposed technique has proven to be effective in identifying a faulty cylinder using efficient and simple computations.

Many problems can develop from the uncontrolled fuel injection during cranking and starting of diesel engines. Some of the problems are related to excessive wear as a result of the high peak pressures reached upon combustion after misfiring, the relatively low rotating speeds and the lack of formation of a lubricating oil film between the interacting surfaces. Another problem is the emission of high amounts of unburned hydrocarbons and white smoke. Experimental results are given for a single cylinder and a multicylinder diesel engine, for the instantaneous angular velocity and cylinder pressures from the starter-on point until the engine fires. The causes of misfiring during cranking are investigated. The role of the increased blow-by gases on the autoignition process at the low cranking speeds is analyzed both analytically and experimentally. The contribution of the instantaneous angular velocity at the time of injection, on the autoignition process is investigated.

The correlations between the physical properties and autoignition parameters of several alternate fuels have been examined. The fuels are DF-2 and its blends with petroleum derived fuels, coal derived fuels, shale derived fuels, high aromatic naphtha sun-flower oils, methanol and ethanol. A total of eighteen existing correlations are discussed. An emphasis is made on the suitability of each of the correlations for the development of electronic controls for diesel engines when run on alternate fuels. A new correlation has been developed between the cetane number of the fuels and its kinematic viscosity and specific gravity.

A study was conducted on a direct-injection, single-cylinder, research-type diesel engine to determine the effect of adding ethanol to diesel fuel on the ignition delay period. The tests covered the whole range of ethanol-DF2 blends: from 100% ethanol to 100% DF2. The test parameters were: the ethanol content, the intake-air properties, and the equivalence ratio. The ignition delay was measured by detecting the beginning of injection and the occurrence of a detectable pressure rise. The present results show that, for ethanol-DF2 blends, the pressure-rise delay decreases by increasing both the intake-air pressure and the intake-air temperature, and increases by increasing the ethanol content in the blend. Ignition delay correlations were developed in terms of air temperature, air pressure, and ethanol volumetric fraction. The global activation energy was determined and correlated with the cetane number for each blend.

A new approach referred to as (P-ω) method, has been developed at Wayne State University to determine the instantaneous friction and its components in internal combustion engines. The method is based on the fact that the instantaneous cylinder gas forces and the instantaneous frictional, inertia and load forces cause the instantaneous variation in the flywheel angular velocity. The instantaneous total friction forces have been computed for a single diesel engine, under idling conditions. A breakdown of the friction into its components and a formulation for each component has been made. By applying linear regression, correlations between the individual components of the friction losses and the different parameters have been developed. The components are classified into two categories: piston assembly losses and crankcase assembly losses.

Cycle-to-cycle cylinder pressure variation has been observed in a CFR prechamber diesel engine when low ignition quality (low cetane number) fuels are burned. A statistical analysis of this phenomenon for various fuels and blends with cetane numbers as low as zero has been made. Operating conditions used were those specified by the ASTM Cetane Method for rating diesel fuels, in which the inlet air temperature is 150°F. Additional analysis was made at increased inlet air temperatures of 250°F and 350°F. The cycle-to-cycle variation has been characterized by the variation in the ignition (or pressure rise) delay time. It has been found to increase sharply as fuel cetane number is decreased below 20. The variation in dynamic injection timing was also measured and correlated with that for ignition delay.

A detailed analysis has been made on the Cetane Scale presently used to rate the autoignition quality of fuels. The effect of the increase in temperature and pressure, as a result of increasing the compression ratio, on the ignition delay has been theoretically and experimentally analyzed. It has been found that the ignition delay is more sensitive to air temperature than air pressure. The sensitivity increases with the drop in the cetane number of the fuel. Many techniques have been examined to modify the present cetane scale. A modified scale has been developed by raising the inlet temperature from 150°F to 350°F without changing the rest of the rating technique. The modified scale is very effective in extending the scale to zero cetane number and is able to rate the low ignition quality fuels.

An evaluation has been made of the use of the diesel as an alternative engine in passenger cars. This includes the technological feasibility for meeting the different emission standards and the techniques for emission control. The emissions studied include both the presently regulated species--hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides--and the following nonregulated emissions: aldehydes, ammonia, smoke and particulates, polynuclear aromatics, and sulfur compounds. A comparison has been made between the emissions, performance and economy of currently produced diesel powered cars and gasoline powered cars. Other cars which are being developed and powered by the stratified charge, Wankel, and the gas turbine engines are also included in the comparison. Intrinsic problem areas in the diesel engine that need further research are also identified and discussed.