Search Results

One of the main challenges with the Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition, HCCI, combustion system is to control the Start Of Combustion, SOC, for varying load and external conditions. A method to achieve this on a cycle-by-cycle basis is to vary the valve timing based on a feedback signal from the SOC of previous cycles. The control can be achieved with two basic valve-timing strategies named the Overlap- and the IVC-method. The Overlap-method works by trapping of residuals while the IVC-method affects the effective compression ratio. In an earlier paper it has been shown that if the two methods are incorporated into one controller, SOC can be controlled in a relatively large operating window although the transient performance was not sufficient. The reason is that a simple PI-controller cannot be made fast enough to cope with the transients without magnifying the cycle-to-cycle variations of the combustion into instability.

An experimental and computational study of the near-wall combustion in a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine has been conducted by applying laser based diagnostic techniques in combination with numerical modeling. Our major intent was to characterize the combustion in the velocity- and thermal boundary layers. The progress of the combustion was studied by using fuel tracer LIF, the result of which was compared with LDA measurements of the velocity boundary layer along with numerical simulations of the reacting boundary layer. Time resolved images of the PLIF signal were taken and ensemble averaged images were calculated. In the fuel tracer LIF experiments, acetone was seeded into the fuel as a tracer. It is clear from the experiments that a proper set of backgrounds and laser profiles are necessary to resolve the near-wall concentration profiles, even at a qualitative level.

Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition, HCCI, has the attractive feature of low particulate and low NOx emission combined with high efficiency. The principle is a combination of an Otto and a Diesel engine in that a premixed charge is ignited by the compression heat. One of the main challenges with the HCCI combustion system is to control the combustion timing/phasing for varying load and external conditions. A method to achieve this on a cycle-by-cycle basis is to vary the valve timing based on a feedback signal from the combustion timing of previous cycles. A combined engine and control simulation is performed. The simulations are accomplished with a commercial cycle simulation code linked with a commercial control simulation code. The simulations are iteratively verified against engine test data. Engine tests are conducted on a single cylinder engine equipped with at hydraulic valve system that allows a high degree of freedom in choosing the valve timings.

For homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines with direct-injected fuel (also called PCI, Pre-mixed Compression Ignition), it is important to achieve a lean and homogeneous mixture before ignition. For this purpose, impinging diesel sprays have proven to be useful. In this study, an evaluation of the overall air/fuel ratio of such sprays was made in a test rig. The test rig consists of a pressurized vessel with optical access and a Common Rail (CR) fuel injection system. The investigation was made for impinging spray nozzles with different impingement angles and orifice diameters. Three gas back pressures and three injection pressures were evaluated. The evaluation was based on images of the fuel sprays taken in the test rig. The fuel spray images were automatically processed using in-house developed software. The results of the investigation points out some important factors to obtain a lean spray, (a high air/fuel ratio).

PCI combustion of diesel fuel was accomplished in a direct-injected heavy-duty single-cylinder research engine. An impinging spray nozzle combined with a shallow bowl piston design offered a short air/fuel mixing time. Low HC and CO emissions were observed compared to fully premixed operation using n-heptane. A method for evaluating the air/fuel mixing process has been established by quantifying the in-cylinder air/fuel heterogeneity with the NOx emission. The results indicate that high injection pressure and engine speed are favorable for a fast mixing process. The injection pressure had a small impact on HC and CO emissions, while the engine speed had a larger impact. There were no correlation between air/fuel mixing time and HC and CO emissions.

One of the main challenges with the Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition, HCCI, combustion system is to control the Start Of Combustion, SOC, for varying load and external conditions. A method to achieve this on a cycle-by-cycle basis is to vary the valve timing based on a feedback signal from the SOC of previous cycles. The control can be achieved with two basic valve-timing strategies named the Overlap- and the IVC-method. The Overlap-method works by trapping of residuals while the IVC-method affects the effective compression ratio. In an earlier paper it has been shown that if the two methods are incorporated into one controller, SOC can be controlled in a relatively large operating window although the transient performance was not sufficient. The reason is that the simple PI-controller cannot be made fast enough to cope with the transients without magnifying the cycle-to-cycle variations of the combustion into instability.