Managing controlled auto-ignition combustion by injection on a direct-injection gasoline engine

Abstract

Controlled auto-ignition (CAI) combustion in gasoline engines has great potential for reducing both NO x emissions and fuel consumption, but its application is still hindered by the lack of direct control of combustion phasing and by the limited CAI operation range. In this paper, the effect of injection timing and split injection on CAI combustion is presented in a single-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine with an air-assisted injector. The CAI combustion was achieved by trapping some of the burned gases within the cylinder by using low-lift short-duration camshafts and early closure of the exhaust valves. During the experiments, the engine speed was varied from 1200 to 2400 r/min and the air-fuel ratio was altered from stoichiometric to the misfire limit. Both single and split injections were investigated at different injection timings and fuel quantities. The experimental results show that injection timing has an important effect on CAI combustion for single and split injections. Early injection produces faster and more stable combustion, less hydrocarbon and CO emissions, but very rapid heat release rates and higher NO x emissions. The CAI operation range could be extended significantly by early injection. Split injection gives even further extension of the CAI range in both stoichiometric and lean mixture operations. These results indicate that optimizing the injection timing and using split injection is an effective way to control and extend CAI operation in a direct-injection gasoline engine.