Effect of Temperature Conditions on Flame Evolutions of Turbulent Jet Ignition

Abstract

Turbulent jet ignition technology can significantly improve lean combustion stability and suppress engine knocking. However, the narrow jet channel between the pre-chamber and the main chamber leads to some difficulties in heat exchange, which significantly affects combustion performance and mechanical component lifetime. To clarify the effect of temperature conditions on combustion evolutions of turbulent jet ignition, direct numerical simulations with detailed chemical kinetics were employed under engine-relevant conditions. The flame propagation in the pre-chamber and the early-stage turbulent jet ignition in the main chamber were investigated. The results show that depending on temperature conditions, two types of flame configuration can be identified in the main chamber, i.e., the normal turbulent jet flame propagation and the spherical flame propagation, and the latter is closely associated with pressure wave disturbance. Under low-temperature conditions, the cold jet stoichiometric mixtures and the vortexes induced by the jet flow determine the early-stage flame development in the main chamber. Under intermediate temperature conditions, pre-flame heat release and leading pressure waves are induced in the jet channel, which can be regarded as a transition of different combustion modes. Whereas under high-temperature conditions, irregular auto-ignition events start to occur, and spherical flame fronts are induced in the main chamber, behaving faster flame propagation.