The modification of the fuel injection rate in heavy-duty diesel engines. Part 1: Effects on engine performance and emissions

An experimental study has been performed on the effects of injection rate shaping on the combustion process and exhaust emissions of a direct-injection diesel engine. Boot-type injections were generated by means of a modified pump-line-nozzle system, which is able to modulate the instantaneous fuel injection rate. The interest of the study reported here was the evaluation of the effective changes produced in the injection rate at different engine operating conditions, when the engine rotating speed and the total fuel injected were changed. In addition, the influence of these new injection rates was quantified on the global engine performance and pollutant emissions. In particular, the focus was placed on producing “boot-like” injection rate shapes, with the main objective of reducing NO_x emissions.Results show how this system is capable of achieving boot-type injections at different boot pressures and boot durations. Also, even though the general trend of the system is to reduce NO_x and to increase soot and fuel consumption, emissions and performance trade-offs can be improved for some specific boot shapes. On the contrary, the modulation of the injection rate showed to be ineffective at medium engine load, since the increase in soot was greater than the relative decrease in NO_x.The analysis of the modifications produced by these strategies on the combustion process, and on the rate of heat release are the base of a second paper.     

燃烧参数对汽油/柴油双燃料HPCC性能和排放影响的试验

在一台改造的单缸柴油机上,转速为1,500,r/min、平均指标压力为0.9,MPa工况进行了不同参数对汽油/柴油双燃料高比例预混合低温燃烧(HPCC)方式燃烧和排放性能影响的试验研究.结果表明,调整EGR率和汽油比例可实现HPCC燃烧过程优化,在保持发动机高燃油经济性的前提下使NOx和碳烟(Soot)排放大幅降低;进气压力对Soot的影响不明显,但进气压力过低将限制汽油比例的提高,NOx排放偏高,进气压力过高使燃烧效率和热效率降低;提高柴油喷油压力,滞燃期延长,最大压升率及最大爆发压力降低;提高喷油压力可同时降低NOx和Soot排放,但喷油压力对燃烧效率、指示油耗、HC和CO排放影响不大.在HPCC燃烧中,通过优化EGR率、汽油比例、进气压力和柴油喷油压力,在不使用后处理器的前提下可使NOx和Soot排放分别低于0.4,g/(kW.h)和0.003,g/(kW.h),并保持较高的热效率,但HC和CO排放偏高,需要采用有较高转换效率的氧化后处理器加以解决.     

增压直喷汽油机燃油喷射特性对排放影响的试验研究

基于某1.5L涡轮增压直喷汽油机,搭建试验测试系统,采用试验匹配测试方法研究了喷油模式、喷油时刻、喷油比例、喷油压力等决定燃油喷射特性的关键参数对碳烟排放的影响。试验结果表明:单次喷油模式下在部分负荷时,喷油越提前,碳烟排放越多;在全负荷时,喷油越推迟,碳烟排放越多。在多次喷油模式下,随第一次喷油的推迟碳烟排放降低,随第二、三次喷油的推迟碳烟排放增加。提高喷油压力对部分负荷工况燃烧及排放改善不明显,但外特性工况碳烟排放显著下降,碳氢化合物排放总量也大幅度降低,缸内燃烧速度加快,燃烧稳定性提高,有效燃油消耗率降低约2%。     

Modeling study of soot formation and oxidation in DI diesel engine using an improved soot model

Particulate emission is one of the most deleterious pollutants generated by Diesel fuel combustion. The ability to predict soot formation is one of the key elements needed to optimize the engine performance and minimize soot emissions. This paper reports work on developing, a phenomenological soot model to better model the physical and chemical processes of soot formation in Diesel fuel combustion. This hybrid model features that the effect of turbulence on the chemical reaction rate was considered in soot oxidation. Soot formation and oxidation processes were modeled with the application of a hybrid method involving particle turbulent transport controlled rate and soot oxidation rate. Compared with the original soot model, the in-cylinder pressures, heat release rate and soot emissions predicted by this hybrid model agreed better with the experimental results. The verified hybrid model was used to investigate the effect of injection timing on engine performance. The results show that the new soot model predicted reasonable soot spatial profiles within the combustion chamber. The high temperature gas zone in cylinder for hybrid model case is distributed broadly soot and NOx emission dependence on the start-of-injection (SOI) timing. Retarded SOI timing increased the portion of diffusion combustion and the soot concentration increased significantly with retarding of the fuel injection timing. The predicted distributions of soot concentration and particle mass provide some new insights on the soot formation and oxidation processes in direct injection (DI) engines. The hybrid phenomenological soot model shows greater potential for enhancing understanding of combustion and soot formation processes in DI diesel engines.     

A coupling dynamics and thermodynamics study of diesel pilot-ignition injection effect on hydrogen combustion of a linear engine

Linear hydrogen engine is a new type of energy conversion device to supports variable compression ratio operation for clean emission. However, the new hydrogen engine using conventional spark ignition shows slow combustion speed and low thermal efficiency. This study makes a preliminary assessment to discuss the application of diesel pilot-ignition technology in linear hydrogen engine aiming to accelerate combustion and improve efficiency. A new coupling model between dynamics and thermodynamics is proposed and then iteratively calculated to give insight the interrelationship of combustion and motion in a diesel pilot-ignited linear hydrogen engine, while the effect of injection position on the hydrogen engine combustion is also investigated to make clear the feasibility of combustion optimization. The results indicate that the linear hydrogen engine is speeded by properly advancing the injection to promote combustion, and it has a positive effect on in-cylinder gas temperature, pressure and pressure rise rate, unless the injection is too early which results in higher NO emissions and aggravate the working intensity of the engine. In addition, the closer the fuel injection is to the top dead center, the incomplete combustion of hydrogen and diesel in the cylinder, the decrease of engine fuel economy and the increase of soot emissions. There is an optimal thermal efficiency of 40.7% for the LHE when it operates in the 0.8 mm injection position condition.     

预喷正时对柴油机燃烧与排放影响的试验研究

通过台架试验,分析对比柴油机各参数随预喷正时的变化,研究多次喷射预喷正时对柴油机燃烧和排放性能的影响。试验表明,预喷正时决定缸内燃烧的放热始点和放热率,影响缸内的燃烧温度、爆发压力、NOx排放和碳烟的生成,预喷正时为20°时,爆发压力最大;预喷正时为35°时,热效率最高,油耗率和烟度最低;预喷正时为45°时,NOx排放最小。综合分析选择预喷正时40°作为折中优化方案,降低发动机油耗和NOx、碳烟排放,同时提高发动机的热效率。     

用扩散及准均质混合气压燃的组合燃烧降低柴油机碳烟与NOx排放的研究

在柴油机的一部分工况采用现有的扩散燃烧方式，另一部分工况采用柴油引燃醇燃料均质混合气的组合燃烧方式，利用醇燃料的高汽化潜热和含氧的特性，达到同时降低柴油机碳烟及氮氧化物(NOχ)的目的，并且避免在小负荷燃烧醇燃料带来的高醛类排放问题。在一台4缸水冷直喷式发动机上采用上述组合燃烧法进行试验，从发动机进气管处喷进乙醇形成均质混合气，然后由柴油引燃。由电控装置控制乙醇喷入量及其喷入时刻。试验结果表明，与原机相比，碳烟和NOχ排放分别减少了50％和30％，同时燃料的消耗率也有大幅度降低。     

一种基于稀扩散燃烧的BUMP燃烧室及其对柴油机碳烟和NOx排放影响的实验研究

在壁面布置限流沿 (BUMP)后 ,撞壁射流从壁面被剥离 ,形成二次空间射流 ,可大大加快空气与流体的混合速率。基于此 ,设计了带有 BUMP的燃烧室 ,采用了可灵活控制喷油规律的 FIRCRI电控共轨式喷油系统进行了发动机实验。实验结果表明 :BU MP燃烧系统能显著降低 NOx 和碳烟排放 ,在平均有效压力为 0 .6 6 MPa(原机 5 0 %负荷 )时 ,烟度只有 0 .1BSU,NOx 为 42 0× 10 - 6;由于在缸内能够形成较均匀的混合气 ,缸内平均过量空气系数在 1.3～ 2 .0的范围内时 ,烟度一直保持在 0 .3BSU以下。实验还发现 BUMP的位置以及喷油定时对排放有重要影响。BUMP燃烧系统在降低 NOx 和碳烟排放方面显示了极大的潜力。     

正丁醇/柴油发动机燃烧排放特性及喷油、燃烧室形状影响

针对某型号直喷柴油机,建立了该柴油机中单缸完整燃烧室及气道三维模型,使用三维计算流体力学(computational fluid dynamics,CFD)分析软件CONVERGE对其进行模拟计算,研究了正丁醇掺混比例对柴油机燃烧排放的影响。结果表明:随着正丁醇掺混比例的提高,峰值缸压、滞燃期和燃烧速度均呈递增趋势,碳烟及CO排放量逐渐减少,NO_x排放量小幅增加。为了进一步改善缸内燃烧情况和降低污染物排放,对正丁醇掺混时喷油策略、燃烧室几何形状的综合影响进行了研究,结果表明:掺混时多次喷油及采用合适的燃烧室模型可以有效改善掺混后缸内油气混合情况,增加缸内湍动能强度,进一步降低碳烟排放量。与纯柴油工况对比,掺混并采用多次喷油策略后碳烟排放明显下降,且通过掺混能够有效简化喷油策略,但弱化了燃烧室形状对碳烟排放量的影响。     

可变喷油速率的超高压共轨系统喷射控制研究

通过AMESim软件建立了喷油速率可调的超高压共轨系统仿真模型,分析了相同喷油量条件下喷油率的变化特点。采用GT-Power软件建立单缸柴油机模型,将不同喷油率导入柴油机的燃烧计算模型,研究了不同喷油率对柴油机缸内压力、缸内温度、放热率、NO_x排放、碳烟排放及输出转矩和油耗率的影响。仿真结果表明:靴形喷油速率匹配合适的喷油提前角可优化柴油机的综合性能。搭建了超高压共轨柴油机台架,开展了不同喷油速率的喷射控制试验,结果表明:与相同油量条件下的高压共轨喷射相比,柴油机实施变喷油速率超高压喷射可获得更优异的动力性和燃油经济性,动力输出提高了5%,燃油消耗量下降了6%,碳烟排放降低,但NO_x排放升高。     

气道喷水和废气再循环对重型柴油机性能和排放影响的优化匹配试验研究

在一台高压共轨重型柴油机上开展了气道喷水结合高压废气再循环(EGR)的试验研究。基于世界统一稳态测试循环(WHSC)各工况点探索引入高压EGR和气道喷水技术对柴油机排放和燃油经济性的影响;在此基础上对各工况的燃烧相位进行优化,得到WHSC各工况点下基于喷水和EGR的优化策略。结果表明:综合考虑排放和燃油经济性,低负荷工况宜单独引入高压EGR,并通过提前喷油时刻(start injection timing,SOI)优化燃烧相位;中高负荷工况宜少量喷水并引入适当EGR,满负荷则应单独采取气道喷水策略。WHSC加权结果表明,在保持较低的HC、CO和碳烟排放前提下,优化后的加权NOx比排放降低7.71g/(kW·h),降幅约45.2%,有效燃油消耗率降低约1.20g/(kW·h)。     

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.     

不同喷醇方式对柴油机实行柴油/醇组合燃烧时性能的影响

提出了柴油／甲醇的组合燃烧方式。在一台高速非增压直喷柴油机上采用组合燃烧方式进行了柴油机燃用甲醇的试验，对比了不同喷醇方式(单点喷醇和多点喷醇)对柴油机实行组合燃烧时性能的影响。试验结果表明，采用组合燃烧方式的柴油机燃用甲醇时，多点喷醇方式获得的动力性、经济性以及排放品质等综合性能要优于单点喷醇方式。     

Soot processes in compression ignition engines

While diesel engines are arguably superior to any other power-production device for the transportation sector in terms of efficiency, torque, and overall driveability, they suffer from inferior performance in terms of noise, NO_x and particulate emissions. The majority of particulate originates with soot particles which are formed in fuel-rich regions of burning diesel jets. Over the past two decades, our understanding of the formation process of soot in diesel combustion has transformed from inferences based on exhaust measurements and laboratory flames to direct in-cylinder observations that have led to a transformation in diesel engine combustion. In-cylinder measurements show the diesel spray to produce a jet which forms a lifted, partially premixed, turbulent diffusion flame. Soot formation has been found to be strongly dependent on air entrainment in the lifted portion of the jet as well as by oxygen in the fuel and to a lesser extent the composition and structure of hydrocarbons in the fuel. Soot surviving the combustion process and exiting in the exhaust is dominated by soot from fuel-rich pockets which do not have time to mix and burn prior to exhaust valve opening. Higher temperatures at the end of combustion enhance the burnout of soot, while high temperatures at the time of injection reduce air entrainment and increase soot formation. Using a conceptual model based on in-cylinder soot and combustion measurements, trends seen in exhaust particulate can be explained. The current trend in diesel engine emissions control involves multi-injection combustion strategies which are transforming the picture of diesel combustion rapidly into a series of low temperature, stratified charge, premixed combustion events where NO_x formation is avoided because of low temperature and soot formation is avoided by leaning the mixture or increasing air entrainment prior to ignition.     

A numerical study on a hydrogen assisted diesel engine

This work aims to numerically study the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a hydrogen assisted diesel engine under various operating conditions. Simulations were performed using multi-dimensional software KIVA4 coupled with CHEMKIN. The Kelvin–Helmholtz and Rayleigh–Taylor hybrid break up model was implemented to accurately model the spray development. A detailed reaction mechanism was constructed to take into account the chemical kinetics of diesel and hydrogen, and it was validated against the experimental results with 0% of hydrogen induction. Simulation results showed that at low engine speeds, the indicated thermal efficiency, in-cylinder pressure and apparent heat release rate increased significantly with the induction of hydrogen. On the other hand, at high engine speed and high load conditions, no tangible changes on the engine performance, combustion characteristics were observed. In terms of emissions, CO and soot emissions were shown to be reduced under most of the engine operating conditions. Whereas for NO_x emissions, a slight increase was observed at low engine speed of 1600 rpm.     

Control of the combustion behaviour in a diesel engine using early injection and gas addition

Multiple injections and natural gas addition were investigated as ways to modify combustion behaviour, and therefore pollutant emissions and specific fuel consumptions, inside a direct injection Diesel engine equipped with a common rail injection system. During the experimental tests, engine efficiency, in terms of fuel consumption, and pollutant emissions, in terms of nitric oxides, opacity, carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbons, have been measured.The tested multiple injection strategy consisted of the simultaneous use of early and pilot injections. This strategy has been compared with the more traditional techniques based on the use of either pilot or early injections. During the tests, the effects of several injection parameters were analysed, like duration and timing of early, pilot and main injections. Results show that, mainly for medium values of engine torque and speed, the injection of a small fuel quantity during the early stage of the compression stroke, coupled with the pilot injection, may be effective in reducing specific fuel consumption if compared to the only pilot or only early injection strategies. Furthermore, this result is obtained whit a simultaneous reduction in nitric oxides and particulate. However, unburned hydrocarbons levels remain constant or usually increase. Early injection is in effect a way to obtain a very lean premixed charge, both globally and locally, inside the combustion chamber. Therefore, it has been shown that nitric oxides and soot, deriving respectively from an inhomogeneous distribution of temperatures and a locally rich mixture, both decrease performing the early and pilot before the main injection.Concerning the natural gas addition, it has been premixed with the engine intake air before the turbocharger and used in small percentages, in order to improve the engine combustion and to reduce pollutant emissions, in particular the soot produced during the mixing-controlled combustion phase. Experiments underlined that, using the natural gas as an additive fuel, while performing the Diesel fuel main injection, leads to keep practically unchanged engine efficiency with respect to the traditional Diesel fuel operation mode. Concerning the emission levels at the exhaust, the use of small quantities of gas (10–30% respect to the total fuel energy) improves the oxides – soot trade-off; however, at the same time, total hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emissions are characterized by higher values.     

Performance and combustion characteristic of CI engine fueled with hydrogen enriched diesel

The combustion of hydrogen–diesel blend fuel was investigated under simulated direct injection (DI) diesel engine conditions. The investigation presented in this paper concerns numerical analysis of neat diesel combustion mode and hydrogen enriched diesel combustion in a compression ignition (CI) engine. The parameters varied in this simulation included: H₂/diesel blend fuel ratio, engine speed, and air/fuel ratio. The study on the simultaneous combustion of hydrogen and diesel fuel was conducted with various hydrogen doses in the range from 0.05% to 50% (by volume) for different engine speed from 1000 – 4000 rpm and air/fuel ratios (A/F) varies from 10 – 80. The results show that, applying hydrogen as an extra fuel, which can be added to diesel fuel in the (CI) engine results in improved engine performance and reduce emissions compared to the case of neat diesel operation because this measure approaches the combustion process to constant volume. Moreover, small amounts of hydrogen when added to a diesel engine shorten the diesel ignition lag and, in this way, decrease the rate of pressure rise which provides better conditions for soft run of the engine. Comparative results are given for various hydrogen/diesel ratio, engine speeds and loads for conventional Diesel and dual fuel operation, revealing the effect of dual fuel combustion on engine performance and exhaust emissions.     

Analysis of combustion characteristics,engine performance and exhaust emissions of diesel engine fueled with upgraded waste source fuel

Utilization of the waste products as an alternative fuel could reduce the dependence on fossil fuel. The three types of upgraded waste source fuels discussed in this paper were tire derived fuel (TDF), waste plastic disposal fuel (WPD) and upgraded waste cooking oil (UWCO). The detailed combustion pressure showed that kinematic viscosity and cetane number played an important role in determining the combustion quality. TDF's high kinematic viscosity and low cetane number affected its fuel vaporization process; thus, lengthening its ignition delay. UWCO showed the 14% higher power and 13.8% higher torque compared to diesel fuel (DF). WPD produced the lowest NOx due to its low pressure curve during combustion. TDF had produced the highest exhaust emissions (CO, CO₂, NO and NOx). Particulate matter (PM) emissions by UWCO blends were lower than DF. UWCO's soot concentration was 40% lower than DF and increased to 62.5% from low to high engine speed operation.     

An experimental investigation of fuel-injection-pressure and engine-speed effects on the performance and emission characteristics of a divided-chamber diesel engine

An experimental study is conducted to investigate the fuel-injection-pressure and engine-speed effects on the performance and exhaust emissions of a naturally aspirated four-stroke indirect-injection (IDI) diesel engine with a swirl combustion chamber. The influence of the injection pressure and the engine rotational speed on fuel consumption, exhaust-gas temperature, exhaust smokiness and exhaust-gas emissions (nitrogen oxides and unburned hydrocarbons) is examined, following a detailed experimental investigation. Empirical easy-to-use correlations are produced, expressing the variation of the various parameters with injection pressure, by applying a regression analysis on the curves fitting the relevant experimental data. Theoretical aspects of diesel fuel spray progress (atomization, evaporation and mixing), combustion and emissions formation are used for the interpretation of the observed engine behaviour.     

Combustion of jojoba methyl ester in an indirect injection diesel engine

An experimental investigation has been carried out to examine for the first time the performance and combustion noise of an indirect injection diesel engine running with new fuel derived from pure jojoba oil, jojoba methyl ester, and its blends with gas oil. A Ricardo E6 compression swirl diesel engine was fully instrumented for the measurement of combustion pressure and its rise rate and other operating parameters. Test parameters included the percentage of jojoba methyl ester in the blend, engine speed, load, injection timing and engine compression ratio. Results showed that the new fuel derived from jojoba is generally comparable and good replacement to gas oil in diesel engine at most engine operating conditions, in terms of performance parameters and combustion noise produced.