The influence of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) on combustion and emissions of n-heptane/natural gas fueled Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engines

In Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) combustion, a lean premixed charge combusts simultaneously in multiple sites. Utilizing highly diluted mixtures, and lack of any significant flame propagation, in-cylinder NO_x formation is reduced. Making HCCI engine a feasible alternative to conventional engines requires several challenges to be resolved. Combustion timing control is one of the most important of these items. It should be done in order that heat is released at the most optimum phasing for efficiency and emissions. In this study, a Waukesha Cooperative Fuel Research (CFR) single cylinder research engine was used to be operated in HCCI combustion mode fueled by natural gas and n-heptane. The main goal of the experiments was to investigate the possibility of controlling combustion phasing and combustion duration using various Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) fractions. For the analysis of the results, a modified apparent heat release model was developed. The influence of EGR on emissions was discussed. Results indicate that applying EGR reduces mean charge temperature and has profound effect on combustion phasing, leading to a retarded Start of Combustion (SOC) and prolonged burn duration. Heat transfer rate decreases with EGR addition. Under examined condition EGR addition improved fuel economy, reduced NO_x emissions and increased HC and CO emissions.     

Experimental study of the performances of a modified diesel engine operating in homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion mode versus the original diesel combustion mode

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion mode provides very low NO_x and soot emissions; however, it has some challenges associated with hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, fuel consumption, difficult control of start of ignition and bad behaviour to high loads. Cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is a common way to control in-cylinder NO_x production in diesel and HCCI combustion mode. However EGR has different effects on combustion and emissions, which are difficult to distinguish. This work is intended to characterize an engine that has been modified from the base diesel engine (FL1 906 DEUTZ-DITER) to work in HCCI combustion mode. It shows the experimental results for the modified diesel engine in HCCI combustion mode fueled with commercial diesel fuel compared to the diesel engine mode. An experimental installation, in conjunction with systematic tests to determine the optimum crank angle of fuel injection, has been used to measure the evolution of the cylinder pressure and to get an estimate of the heat release rate from a single-zone numerical model. From these the angle of start of combustion has been obtained. The performances and emissions of HC, CO and the huge reduction of NO_x and smoke emissions of the engine are presented. These results have allowed a deeper analysis of the effects of external EGR on the HCCI operation mode, on some engine design parameters and also on NO_x emission reduction.     

Energy efficiency improvement strategies for a diesel engine in low‐temperature combustion

The lowered combustion temperature in diesel engines is capable of reducing nitrogen oxides and soot simultaneously, which can be implemented by the heavy use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) or the homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) type of combustion. However, the fuel efficiency of the low‐temperature combustion (LTC) cycles is commonly compromised by the high levels of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions. More seriously, the scheduling of fuel delivery in HCCI engines has lesser leverage on the exact timing of auto‐ignition that may even occur before the compression stroke is completed, which may cause excessive efficiency reduction and combustion roughness. New LTC control strategies have been explored experimentally to achieve ultralow emissions under independently controlled EGR, intake boost, exhaust backpressure, and multi‐event fuel‐injection events. Empirical comparisons have been made between the fuel efficiencies of LTC and conventional diesel cycles. Preliminary adaptive control strategies based on cylinder pressure characteristics have been implemented to enable and stabilize the LTC when heavy EGR is applied. The impact of heat‐release phasing, duration, shaping, and splitting on the thermal efficiency has also been analyzed with engine cycle simulations. This research intends to identify the major parameters that affect diesel LTC engine thermal efficiency. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

多缸HCCI汽油机SIAI/AI燃烧模式切换的试验

HCCI/SI复合燃烧模式是HCCI汽油发动机实用化的运行策略.但不同的空燃比和内部EGR率的需求给HCCI/SI模式切换带来了极大控制难度;同时由于HCCI负荷范围窄,使得燃烧模式切换频率过高,降低了发动机运行稳定性.在一台具备错位双凸轮机构的多缸汽油机上实现了火花点火激发混合气自燃着火(SIAI)燃烧方式,扩展了压燃模式下的负荷范围,研究了SIAI/SI燃烧模式的切换.结果表明,采用压缩冲程燃油喷射配合火花点火策略能够有效地避免燃烧模式切换中的失火现象,提高模式切换的稳定性;同时采用SIAI燃烧方式扩展内部EGR条件下的负荷范围,可以有效地减小模式切换频率.     

废气再循环和发动机运转参数对不同辛烷值燃料HCCI燃烧的影响

考察了废气再循环(EGR)、进气温度、冷却水出水温度和转速等发动机运转参数对HCCI发动机燃烧特征和排放特性的影响。实验结果表明：随EGR率提高,各种燃料的两阶段着火时刻推迟,燃烧持续期延长;高十六烷值燃料可以容许较高的EGR率,RON75最高仅可以采用45％的EGR;EGR对高十六烷值燃料的CO和UHC影响不大,对高辛烷值燃料的CO影响明显,并随EGR率增加CO排放升高。在其它运转参数中,进气温度对HCCI燃烧影响最为显著,随进气温度提高、冷却水温度升高,HCCI燃烧的着火时刻提前、燃烧持续期缩短,高辛烷值燃料的UHC和CO显著降低。转速升高,着火延迟,燃烧持续期延长。此外,研究发现,高辛烷值燃料对HCCI发动机的运转参数更为敏感。     

Fuel design and management for the control of advanced compression-ignition combustion modes

Due to concerns regarding the greenhouse effect and limitations on carbon dioxide emissions, the possibility of a next-generation combustion mode for internal combustion engines that can simultaneously reduce exhaust emissions and substantially improve thermal efficiency has drawn increasing attention. The most prominent characteristic of new combustion modes, such as Homogenous-Charge Compression-Ignition (HCCI), Stratified-Charge Compression-Ignition (SCCI), and Low-Temperature Combustion (LTC), is the requirement of creating a homogenous mixture or controllable stratified mixture prior to ignition. To this end, a lean fuel/air mixture and/or a controllable high level of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) are employed to prolong the timescale of the ignition chemistry and port fuel injection or early in-cylinder injection is used to lengthen the mixing period. The mixture then undergoes controlled self-ignition near the top dead center (TDC) position due to the compression effect of the piston’s upward movement. It is worth noting that the entire combustion process lacks a direct method for the control of ignition timing and combustion rate, which are instead controlled primarily by chemical kinetics and, to a lesser extent, by turbulence and mixing. Because of the significant impacts of fuel physical–chemical properties on the ignition and combustion process, fuel design and management has become the most common approach for the control of ignition timing and combustion rate in such advanced combustion modes.This paper summarizes the concepts and methods of fuel design and management and provides an overview of the effects of these strategies on ignition, combustion, and emissions for HCCI, LTC, and SCCI engines, respectively. From part 2 to part 4, the paper focuses on the effect of fuel design on HCCI combustion. A fuel index suitable for describing ignition characteristic under HCCI operating conditions is first introduced. Next, the proposed fuel design concept is described, including principles and main methodologies. Strategies based on the fuel design concept (including fuel additives, fuel blending, and dual-fuel technology) are discussed for primary reference fuels (PRF), alternative fuels, and practical gasoline and diesel fuels. Additionally, the effects of real-time fuel design on HCCI combustion fueled with PRFs and dimethyl ether/liquefied petroleum gas (DME–LPG) are evaluated. Diesel HCCI combustion has suffered from difficulties in homogenous mixture formation and an excessively high combustion rate. Therefore, LTC, which concentrates on local combustion temperature and a balance of mixture formation timescale and ignition timescale, has been proposed by many researchers. In Part 5, this paper provides an overview of the major points and research progress of LTC, with a preliminary discussion of the fundamental importance of fuel properties and fuel design strategy on the LTC process and emissions. Due to the stratification strategy has the capable of extending the HCCI operation range to higher loads, SCCI combustion, which incorporates HCCI combustion into a traditional combustion mode, has the potential to be used in commercial engines. Thus, this paper discusses the principles and control strategies of fuel design and management and also summarizes recent progress and future trends. The effect of fuel design and management on SCCI combustion is assessed for high cetane number fuels and high octane number fuels as well as the in SCCI combustion of gasoline–diesel dual-fuel and blends.     

Active fuel design—A way to manage the right fuel for HCCI engines

Homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines feature high thermal efficiency and ultralow emissions compared to gasoline engines. However, unlike SI engines, HCCI combustion does not have a direct way to trigger the in-cylinder combustion. Therefore, gasoline HCCI combustion is facing challenges in the control of ignition and, combustion, and operational range extension. In this paper, an active fuel design concept was proposed to explore a potential pathway to optimize the HCCI engine combustion and broaden its operational range. The active fuel design concept was realized by real time control of dual-fuel (gasoline and n-heptane) port injection, with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate and intake temperature adjusted. It was found that the cylinderto- cylinder variation in HCCI combustion could be effectively reduced by the optimization in fuel injection proportion, and that the rapid transition process from SI to HCCI could be realized. The active fuel design technology could significantly increase the adaptability of HCCI combustion to increased EGR rate and reduced intake temperature. Active fuel design was shown to broaden the operational HCCI load to 9.3 bar indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP). HCCI operation was used by up to 70% of the SI mode load while reducing fuel consumption and nitrogen oxides emissions. Therefore, the active fuel design technology could manage the right fuel for clean engine combustion, and provide a potential pathway for engine fuel diversification and future engine concept.     

Energy efficiency trade‐off with phasing of HCCI combustion

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion in diesel engines offers the potential of simultaneous low NOx and soot emissions. However, this is normally accompanied by high hydrocarbon (HC) levels in the exhaust and an early combustion phasing before the top‐dead‐center (TDC) that may drain out substantial amounts of fuel energy from the engine cycle. Exhaust gas recirculation is usually applied to delay the onset of combustion, thereby shifting the phasing of the heat release close to the TDC. Although the retarded phasing improves the engine energy efficiency, a significant increase in HC and carbon monoxide emissions will deteriorate the combustion efficiency. Therefore, an inherent trade‐off exists between the combustion phasing and the combustion efficiency that needs to be minimized for improved energy efficiency. In this work, both theoretical and experimental studies have been carried out to evaluate the combustion efficiency‐phasing (CEP) trade‐off. Engine tests have been conducted to analyze the losses in combustion (burning) and phasing efficiencies, and along with theoretical analyses, the CEP trade‐off has been evaluated in terms of a ‘coefficient of combustion inefficiency’ (CCI). The CCI quantitatively correlates the losses in combustion and phasing efficiencies and provides a reference for improving the combustion phasing of the HCCI operation vis‐à‐vis the combustibles in the exhaust. The focus of this research is to carry out a quantitative analysis of the energy efficiency of HCCI cycles. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of ringing intensity in a hydrogen-fueled HCCI engine

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is a promising alternative combustion strategy having higher thermal efficiency while maintaining the NO_x and soot emissions below the current emissions mandates. The HCCI combustion engine has typically lower operating load range in comparison to conventional engines. The HCCI combustion is constrained by various operational limits such as combustion instability limit, combustion noise limits, emission limits and peak cylinder pressure limit. High load limit of HCCI combustion is typically limited by very high heat release rate, which leads to ringing operation. Intense ringing operation leads to very high combustion noise, and heavy ringing operation can also damage the engine parts. Thus, it is important to investigate the characteristics of ringing intensity (RI) in HCCI engine. Hydrogen fueled HCCI engine combines the potential advantages of alternative fuel as well as the alternative combustion strategy. This study presents the RI characterization and prediction using chemical kinetics and artificial neural network (ANN) for hydrogen-HCCI operation. In the first part of the study, the effect of equivalence ratio (φ), inlet temperature (T_ivc), and engine speed on ringing intensity is investigated using chemical kinetics model. Based on ringing operation characteristics of hydrogen HCCI engine, ANN model is used to predict the ringing intensity (RI) for different engine operating conditions (i.e., φ T_ivc, engine speed) and different combustion parameters. The result indicates that RI increases with advanced combustion phasing (CA₅₀), higher inlet temperature, and equivalence ratio. To control the ringing operation, the CA₅₀ position needs to be retarded by optimizing the T_ivc and φ. Maximum engine operating range is found for lower engine speed (i.e., 1000 rpm) and reduces with increase in the engine speed. The results showed that the RI is strongly correlated to the CA₅₀ position with a correlation coefficient of 0.99 at constant inlet temperature. The ANN results also show that ANN model predicts RI with sufficient accuracy. The ANN model predicts RI with engine operating conditions as well as combustion parameters with a correlation coefficient of 0.97 and 0.95 respectively.     

Numerical study of effects of reformed exhaust gas recirculation (REGR) on dimethyl ether HCCI combustion

The effects of reformed exhaust gas recirculation (REGR) on combustion and emissions of dimethyl ether (DME) homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines are studied by multi-dimensional CFD coupled with chemical kinetic model. The results show that REGR combing EGR and DME reformed gases (DRG) improves combustion and emissions. REGR can delay ignition time by both EGR and DRG, and makes main combustion closer to top dead center (TDC), which is beneficial to reducing compression negative work and broadening load range of HCCI engines. The interaction of DRG and EGR helps avoid too high pressure rise rate or low power performance when being applied independent of each other. HC, CO and NO_x emissions can be controlled simultaneously by REGR. Both advantages of DRG and EGR are used to decrease the emissions of HCCI engines by REGR, while the disadvantages of high emissions are alleviated when one of them is applied.     

Application of exhaust gas fuel reforming in diesel and homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines fuelled with biofuels

This paper documents the application of exhaust gas fuel reforming of two alternative fuels, biodiesel and bioethanol, in internal combustion engines. The exhaust gas fuel reforming process is a method of on-board production of hydrogen-rich gas by catalytic reaction of fuel and engine exhaust gas. The benefits of exhaust gas fuel reforming have been demonstrated by adding simulated reformed gas to a diesel engine fuelled by a mixture of 50% ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) and 50% rapeseed methyl ester (RME) as well as to a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine fuelled by bioethanol. In the case of the biodiesel fuelled engine, a reduction of NO_x emissions was achieved without considerable smoke increase. In the case of the bioethanol fuelled HCCI engine, the engine tolerance to exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) was extended and hence the typically high pressure rise rates of HCCI engines, associated with intense combustion noise, were reduced.     

Experimental investigation on the effect of intake air temperature and air–fuel ratio on cycle-to-cycle variations of HCCI combustion and performance parameters

Combustion in HCCI engines is a controlled auto ignition of well-mixed fuel, air and residual gas. Since onset of HCCI combustion depends on the auto ignition of fuel/air mixture, there is no direct control on the start of combustion process. Therefore, HCCI combustion becomes unstable rather easily, especially at lower and higher engine loads. In this study, cycle-to-cycle variations of a HCCI combustion engine fuelled with ethanol were investigated on a modified two-cylinder engine. Port injection technique is used for preparing homogeneous charge for HCCI combustion. The experiments were conducted at varying intake air temperatures and air–fuel ratios at constant engine speed of 1500 rpm and P-θ diagram of 100 consecutive combustion cycles for each test conditions at steady state operation were recorded. Consequently, cycle-to-cycle variations of the main combustion parameters and performance parameters were analyzed. To evaluate the cycle-to-cycle variations of HCCI combustion parameters, coefficient of variation (COV) of every parameter were calculated for every engine operating condition. The critical optimum parameters that can be used to define HCCI operating ranges are ‘maximum rate of pressure rise’ and ‘COV of indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP)’.     

Low-load hydrogen-diesel dual-fuel engine operation – A combustion efficiency improvement approach

Hydrogen-diesel dual-fuel operation can provide significant benefits to the performance and carbon-based emissions formation of compression-ignition engines. The wide flammability range of hydrogen allows engine operation at extremely low equivalence ratios while its high diffusivity and flame speed promote wide range combustion inside the cylinder. Nonetheless, despite the excellent properties of hydrogen for internal combustion, unburned hydrogen emissions and poor combustion efficiency have been previously observed at low-load conditions of compression ignition engines.The focus of the present study is to assess the effects of different engine operation and diesel injection parameters on the combustion efficiency of a heavy-duty dual-fuel engine while observing their interactions with the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and emissions formation of the engine. In an attempt to reduce the unburned hydrogen rates at the exhaust of the engine, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and different diesel injection strategies were implemented. Statistical methods were applied in this study to reduce the experimental time.The results show a strong connection between unburned hydrogen rates, combustion and brake thermal efficiencies with the EGR rate. Higher EGR rates increase the intake charge temperature and provide improved hydrogen combustion and fuel economy. Operation of the dual-fuel engine at low-load with high EGR rate and slightly advanced main diesel injection can deliver simultaneous benefits to most of the harmful emissions and the BTE of the engine. Despite the efforts to achieve optimal engine operation at low loads, the combustion efficiency for most of the tested cases was in the range of 90%. Thus, increased hydrogen rates should be avoided as the benefits of the dual-fuel operation are weak at low-load conditions.     

废气再循环与燃料辛烷值对均质压燃发动机性能和排放影响的试验研究

在一台单缸直喷式柴油机上研究了废气再循环（EGR）对不同辛烷值燃料均质压燃（HCCI）发动机性能和排放特性的影响。结果表明，混合气较稀，EGR对指示热效率影响较小，其影响和燃料辛烷值有关；混合气变浓，EGR对指示热效率的影响增大。不同辛烷值燃料最高指示热效率出现在高EGR率、混合气较浓的区域，并且靠近爆震燃烧边界，辛烷值为60的燃料最高指示热效率最高，并且覆盖的工况区域最宽。高EGR率区域，EGR对HC排放的影响十分明显，EGR率升高，HC排放急剧增大，而且随着燃料辛烷值增大，这种趋势越明显；CO排放与缸内燃烧温度有较大的相关性，EGR率升高，CO排放升高。NOx排放出现急剧升高的“拐点”是判断HCCI爆震燃烧的一个重要判据，EGR率增大，“拐点”出现的混合气浓度增大，在正常工作范围内，NOx排放极低，EGR对NOx排放几乎没有影响。     

Numerical analysis of two-stroke free piston engine operating on HCCI combustion

An opposed-piston hydraulic free piston engine operating with homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion, has been proposed by State Key Laboratory of Engines as a means of significantly improving the IC engine’s cycle thermal efficiency and lowering exhaust emissions. Single and multi-zone Chemkin model with detailed chemical kinetics, and unique piston dynamics extracted from one dimensional gas dynamic model, have been used to analyze the combustion characteristics and engine performance. Intake heating, variable compression ratio and internal EGR are utilized to control the combustion phasing and duration in the cycle simulations, revealing the critical factors and possible limits of performance improvement relative to conventional crank engines. Furthermore, real engine effects such as heat transfer with air swirl, residual mass fraction, thermal stratification, and heat loss fraction between zones are considered in the sequential CFD/multi-zone method to approach the realistic engine performance at an acceptable knock level.     

An experimental study on the effect of hydrogen enrichment on diesel fueled HCCI combustion

This paper experimentally investigates the influence of hydrogen enrichment on the combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel HCCI engine using a modified Cooperative Fuel Research (CFR) engine. Three fuels, n-heptane and two middle distillates with cetane numbers of 46.6 and 36.6, are studied.The results show that hydrogen enrichment retards the combustion phasing and reduces the combustion duration of a diesel HCCI engine. Besides, hydrogen enrichment increases the power output and fuel conversion efficiency, and improves the combustion stability. However, hydrogen enrichment may narrow the operational compression ratio range and increase the knocking tendency. Both the overall indicated specific CO emissions (isCO) and CO emissions per unit burned diesel fuel mass are reduced by hydrogen enrichment. Although hydrogen enrichment decreases the overall indicated specific unburned hydrocarbon emissions (isHC), it does not significantly affect the HC emissions per unit burned diesel fuel mass.     

废气再循环与燃料辛烷值对均质压燃燃烧特性影响的试验研究

在一台单缸直喷式柴油机上研究了废气再循环（EGR）对不同辛烷值燃料均质压燃（HCCI）燃烧特性及排放特性的影响.结果表明,EGR使HCCI着火燃烧推迟、燃烧反应速度降低、缸内压力和平均温度降低,HCCI工况范围向大负荷工况扩展;混合气浓度增大或燃料辛烷值增大,EGR对燃烧效率的影响增大,EGR率升高,燃烧效率降低;不同辛烷值燃料最高燃烧效率出现在高比例EGR率、混合气较浓、靠近爆震燃烧边界的区域.试验结果也表明,辛烷值为60的燃料采用EGR后HCCI覆盖的工况范围最宽.     

废气再循环对二甲基醚均质压燃燃烧过程影响的试验研究

在一台单缸发动机上进行了废气再循环(EGR)对二甲基醚(DME)均质压燃(HCCI)燃烧过程影响的试验研究。结果表明，EGR比例小于20％对运行最大负荷工况范围影响不大；采用高比例EGR可以拓宽DME均质压燃运行工况范围，随着EGR率增大，HCCI运行的最大负荷工况增大，着火燃烧时刻推迟，燃烧放热率降低，缸内最大爆发压力降低，发动机热效率增大；EGR率小于75％，HC排放略有降低或相当，EGR率为75％时，HC排放显著增加；EGR率大于25％，随着EGR率增加，CO排放增大，小负荷工况尤其明显，在中高负荷工况，EGR率对CO排放影响较小。     

双燃料HCCI燃烧的优化策略

对有废气再循环(EGR)的情况下单一二甲基醚(DME)、DME／甲醇(Methanol)和DME/天然气(CNG)双燃料的均质压燃(HCCI)燃烧进行了实验研究．研究结果表明,单一DME的HCCI只能在小负荷下实现．采用DME／甲醇双燃料后,HCCI的负荷范围达到了原柴油机中高负荷水平．EGR能扩大双燃料HCCI的可控燃烧范围,但对扩展双燃料HCCI燃烧的负荷范围作用不大．分层燃烧技术有扩大双燃料发动机的负荷范围到大负荷的潜力．DME／甲醇双燃料HCCI的指示热效率要优于DME／CNG．在低负荷工况,采用单一DME加EGR的HCCI燃烧能获得更好的经济性指标．     

Experimental study of combustion and emission characteristics of ethanol fuelled port injected homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion engine

The homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is an alternative combustion concept for in reciprocating engines. The HCCI combustion engine offers significant benefits in terms of its high efficiency and ultra low emissions. In this investigation, port injection technique is used for preparing homogeneous charge. The combustion and emission characteristics of a HCCI engine fuelled with ethanol were investigated on a modified two-cylinder, four-stroke engine. The experiment is conducted with varying intake air temperature (120–150 °C) and at different air–fuel ratios, for which stable HCCI combustion is achieved. In-cylinder pressure, heat release analysis and exhaust emission measurements were employed for combustion diagnostics. In this study, effect of intake air temperature on combustion parameters, thermal efficiency, combustion efficiency and emissions in HCCI combustion engine is analyzed and discussed in detail. The experimental results indicate that the air–fuel ratio and intake air temperature have significant effect on the maximum in-cylinder pressure and its position, gas exchange efficiency, thermal efficiency, combustion efficiency, maximum rate of pressure rise and the heat release rate. Results show that for all stable operation points, NO_x emissions are lower than 10 ppm however HC and CO emissions are higher.