Theoretical limits of scaling-down internal combustion engines

Small-scale energy conversion devices are being developed for a variety of applications; these include propulsion units for micro aerial vehicles (MAV). The high specific energy of hydrocarbon and hydrogen fuels, as compared to other energy storing means, like batteries, elastic elements, flywheels and pneumatics, appears to be an important advantage, and favors the ICE as a candidate. In addition, the specific power (power per mass of unit) of the ICE seems to be much higher than that of other candidates.However, micro ICE engines are not simply smaller versions of full-size engines. Physical processes such as combustion and gas exchange, are performed in regimes different from those that occur in full-size engines. Consequently, engine design principles are different at a fundamental level and have to be re-considered before they are applied to micro-engines. When a spark-ignition (SI) cycle is considered, part of the energy that is released during combustion is used to heat up the mixture in the quenching volume, and therefore the flame-zone temperature is lower and in some cases can theoretically fall below the self-sustained combustion temperature. Flame quenching thus seems to limit the minimum dimensions of a SI engine. This limit becomes irrelevant when a homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) cycle is considered. In this case friction losses and charge leakage through the cylinder-piston gap become dominant, constrain the engine size and impose minimum engine speed limits.In the present work a phenomenological model has been developed to consider the relevant processes inside the cylinder of a homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) engine. An approximated analytical solution is proposed to yield the lower possible limits of scaling-down HCCI cycle engines. We present a simple algebraic equation that shows the inter-relationships between the pertinent parameters and constitutes the lower possible miniaturization limits of IC engines.     

An experimental and numerical analysis of the HCCI auto-ignition process of primary reference fuels,toluene reference fuels and diesel fuel in an engine,varying the engine parameters

For a future HCCI engine to operate under conditions that adhere to environmental restrictions, reducing fuel consumption and maintaining or increasing at the same time the engine efficiency, the choice of the fuel is crucial. For this purpose, this paper presents an auto-ignition investigation concerning the primary reference fuels, toluene reference fuels and diesel fuel, in order to study the effect of linear alkanes, branched alkanes and aromatics on the auto-ignition. The auto-ignition of these fuels has been studied at inlet temperatures from 25 to 120 °C, at equivalence ratios from 0.18 to 0.53 and at compression ratios from 6 to 13.5, in order to extend the range of investigation and to assess the usability of these parameters to control the auto-ignition. It appeared that both iso-octane and toluene delayed the ignition with respect to n-heptane, while toluene has the strongest effect. This means that aromatics have higher inhibiting effects than branched alkanes. In an increasing order, the inlet temperature, equivalence ratio and compression ratio had a promoting effect on the ignition delays. A previously experimentally validated reduced surrogate mechanism, for mixtures of n-heptane, iso-octane and toluene, has been used to explain observations of the auto-ignition process.     

Impact of fuel characteristics on HCCI combustion: Performances and emissions

The aim of this study is to assess how the fuel, through its characteristics, could increase the maximum load achievable in HCCI condition. First a specific procedure has been developed. Second using this procedure, a set of fuels using a Jet B as base fuel and having different cetane numbers (from 33 to 40) and different chemical compositions (via the addition of reactive products which are olefinic and naphtenic compounds) have been tested. We conclude that a fuel having a low cetane number, a high volatility and an appropriate chemical composition could improve the HCCI operating range of more than 30% without a too large decrease of the performance under conventional Diesel combustion mode.     

用汽油和甲醇燃油分层拓展HCCI燃烧高负荷的试验研究

在一台单缸HCCI发动机上研究了进气道喷射汽油缸内喷射甲醇形成汽油甲醇燃油分层的HCCI燃烧排放特性,探索了其拓展HCCI燃烧高负荷的潜力。试验结果表明:在汽油HCCI燃烧中喷射甲醇能够有效降低缸内混合气的温度,推迟着火时刻,延长燃烧持续期,从而降低压力升高率和缸内最高燃烧压力,有利于拓展HCCI燃烧高负荷。一定的HCCI负荷工况存在最佳的汽油甲醇比例,且汽油甲醇最佳比例随着负荷的增加不断减小。在最大压力升高率0.5MPa/°CA和较高的指示效率的限制下,自然吸气条件下采用汽油和甲醇燃油分层的HCCI燃烧最高负荷比汽油HCCI燃烧提高了近50%,达到0.62MPa。     

Intermediate temperature heat release in an HCCI engine fueled by ethanol/n-heptane mixtures: An experimental and modeling study

This study examines intermediate temperature heat release (ITHR) in homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines using blends of ethanol and n-heptane. Experiments were performed over the range of 0–50% n-heptane liquid volume fractions, at equivalence ratios 0.4 and 0.5, and intake pressures from 1.4 bar to 2.2 bar. ITHR was induced in the mixtures containing predominantly ethanol through the addition of small amounts of n-heptane. After a critical threshold, additional n-heptane content yielded low temperature heat release (LTHR). A method for quantifying the amount of heat released during ITHR was developed by examining the second derivative of heat release, and this method was then used to identify trends in the engine data. The combustion process inside the engine was modeled using a single-zone HCCI model, and good qualitative agreement of pre-ignition pressure rise and heat release rate was found between experimental and modeling results using a detailed n-heptane/ethanol chemical kinetic model. The simulation results were used to identify the dominant reaction pathways contributing to ITHR, as well as to verify the chemical basis behind the quantification of the amount of ITHR in the experimental analysis. The dominant reaction pathways contributing to ITHR were found to be H-atom abstraction from n-heptane by OH and the addition of fuel radicals to O₂.     

Direct numerical simulations of HCCI/SACI with ethanol

Two and three dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNS) of an autoignitive premixture of air and ethanol in Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) mode have been conducted. A special feature of these simulations is the use of compression heating through mass source/sink terms to emulate the compression and expansion due to piston motion. Furthermore, combustion phasing is adjusted such that peak heat release occurs after Top Dead Center (TDC) during the expansion stroke, as in a real engine. Zero dimensional simulations were first conducted to identify important parameters for the higher dimensional simulations. They showed that for ethanol, temperature and dilution are the parameters the problem is most sensitive to. One set of two dimensional simulations were conducted with a uniform mixture composition and different levels of temperature stratification, both with and without compression heating. Another set of simulations varied the mixture stratification with constant temperature stratification. Both sets showed considerable differences in ignition delay, heat release and peak temperature and peak pressure. Compression heating was also found to have a significant effect on the heat release profile. A three dimensional simulation was conducted for Spark-Assisted HCCI (SACI). It was initiated with a small spark kernel, which evolved into a premixed flame. The entire mixture eventually underwent autoignition. Distance function based analysis showed a strongly attenuating flame. Analysis of scalar mixing frequencies shows that differential diffusion and reaction induced mixing play an important role in predicting the mixing of reactive scalars. This has significant implications for mixing models for reactive flows. Chemical explosive mode analysis (CEMA) was applied to the 3D simulation and showed promise in identifying the transition from flame propagation to autoignition.     

Thermodynamic analysis and utilisation of wet ethanol in homogeneous charge compression ignition engine

In this study, our objective is to computationally analyse the wet ethanol operated homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine to evaluate its first and second law efficiency and observe these results by varying effectiveness of regenerator. The paper concludes that the first and second law efficiency decreases due to the increase in the effectiveness of regenerator. This increase in effectiveness leads to an increase in the temperature of air coming out of the regenerator. It further results in increase of the fuel air mixture intake temperature which finally reduces the work output and efficiency of the engine. Furthermore, the method of exergy analysis has been applied and evaluated. This study indicates that due to domination of chemical exergy destruction in combustion reaction in these systems, maximum exergy is destroyed in HCCI engine and to a lesser extent in catalytic converter. These findings will help in the design of such system for optimum result.     

Experimental investigation of performance and emissions of the SICAI-hybrid engine systems

The use of hybrid electrical engines can provide more efficiency by reducing fuel consumption and emissions. In the research, the experimental studies on the created hybrid electric engine were presented. The hybrid engine combines an electric motor with the internal combustion engine (ICE) which is operated under spark assisted controlled auto-ignition (SICAI) combustion mode with the alternative fuels consisting of different ratios of methane–hydrogen blends. In order to establish the hybrid engine, firstly, efficiency graphs of the electrical motor were obtained experimentally. The battery charge status was also checked. The operating range of the SICAI engine in the hybrid system was identified considering performance and efficiency parameters. Based on these parameters, a hybrid algorithm was established to control the operating of the created hybrid engine system. Thus, the experimental studies were carried out for 100% methane, 90% methane-10% hydrogen, 80% methane-20% hydrogen and, 70% methane-30% hydrogen blends (by volume) at wide opening throttle (WOT) and, 50% WOT positions. Consequently, the results were discussed in terms of efficiency and emissions.     

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.     

添加剂对甲醇均质充量压燃燃烧的影响

采用零维详细化学动力学模型,模拟了分别加入H2O2、CH2O两种添加剂的甲醇HCCl燃烧,分析了这两种添加剂对甲醇燃烧的影响.结果表明:H2O2、CH2O在缸内分解产生OH活性基,提高了OH的浓度,甲醇着火时刻提前,并且提高了缸内的压力和温度峰值.同时,CH2O能提高平均指示压力,H2O2通过控制着火时刻来影响平均指示压力的大小.