Low Temperature Combustion Strategies Research Articles

A relative comparison of HCCI, PCCI, and RCCI combustion strategies: an alternative fuels perspective

Low temperature combustion (LTC) strategies have the potential for simultaneous reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and soot emissions while achieving higher thermal efficiency. Commercial widespread implementation of LTC strategies demands addressing several challenges, including narrow operating load range, lack of ignition timing control, and reducing high unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. These challenges could be because the conventional engine design and fuels cannot adapt well to LTC modes. Thus, replacing conventional diesel fuel with suitable alternative fuels for LTC strategies is essential. In the present work, three LTC strategies, Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), Premixed Charge Compression Ignition (PCCI), and Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI), are compared with conventional diesel combustion in a production, light-duty diesel engine from an alternative fuel perspective to come up with a befitting strategy and fuel to achieve wider operating range and lower emissions. The fuel selection strategy based on the fundamental fuel property requirements of the three LTC strategies has been discussed in detail. The baseline reference data is fixed by comparing three LTC strategies with conventional diesel combustion using diesel and gasoline as reference fuel at 40% load, the maximum common achievable load among the three LTC strategies. This is followed by an investigation of the effect of alternative fuels across three LTC strategies to address the shortcomings of the LTC strategies. The results show that the engine operating load range could be extended, and HC and CO emissions are reduced significantly with alternative fuels in the three LTC strategies.

Analysis of the Vibrational Behavior of dual-fuel RCCI combustion in a Heavy-Duty Compression Ignited Engine fueled with Diesel-NG at Low Load

In the field of internal combustion engines, the Low Temperature Combustions (LTC) appear to have the potential to reduce the formation of both soot and nitrogen oxides. One of the most promising LTC is Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) which is based on the combustion of a lean low reactivity fuel-air mixture generated in the intake manifold and autoignited by small injections of high reactivity fuel introduced at high pressure in the combustion chamber. By the combination of net-zero natural gas and biodiesel, such LTC methodology might represent a suitable solution moving toward zero-emissions in transportation sector.Despite the potential to reduce pollutant emissions, Low Temperature Combustion strategies face a challenge in controlling the angular position where the combustion takes place which can be overcome by a proper management of the high-pressure injections.One potentially interesting application is related to trucks, mainly because they have long periods of idling, since emissions can be drastically reduced by means LTC. A single cylinder research engine for heavy duty application is operated under steady state conditions at low load and speed to analyze the possibility of controlling the engine behavior in dual fuel RCCI mode. The results indicate that the combustion mode switches from the dual-stage to gaussian within a narrow angular range. A further advance of the start of injection can generate misfires and significant variations in typical combustion indexes, while a delayed start of injection can cause impulsive combustion that rises the cylinder temperature and results in high-frequency pressure oscillations inside the combustion chamber. These oscillations are related to the combustion chamber typical resonance frequency, and if relevant in amplitude and persist for a long time, they might generate a potential source of failures.

The effect of 1-octanol blending on the multi-stage autoignition of conventional diesel and HVO fuels

Alternative fuels can reduce the carbon intensity of diesel engine use, and a detailed understanding of the combustion process for these fuels can minimize resulting fuel consumption and emissions. 1-Octanol has been considered as an alternative diesel fuel, but little work evaluating its combustion process in detail exists. In this work, ignition of 1-octanol, both pure and in blends with conventional and renewable diesel base fuels, is analyzed in a constant volume combustion chamber and a modified Cooperative Fuels Research Octane Rating engine operating in homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion mode. 1-Octanol blending reduced the derived cetane number of either base fuel, but modest increases in chamber temperature at injection could compensate for even dramatic reductions in derived cetane number. It was further found that greater amounts of low-temperature heat release were required to reach main ignition as the 1-octanol blending volume fraction was increased in the constant volume combustion chamber. This finding is attributed to the changing local equivalence ratio, as the reacting spray diffuses further into the chamber and approaches the (lean) global equivalence ratio as the ignition delay grows. Finally, it was found that, despite lowering the derived cetane number, 1-octanol blending enhanced the reactivity of the conventional diesel fuel observed in the variable compression ratio engine. This finding is attributed to the higher rates of hydrogen abstraction from the weaker average C–H bonds in 1-octanol, as hydrogen abstraction governs intermediate temperature heat release. These findings clarify the effect of 1-octanol on physical processes and the various chemical regimes of heat release in compression ignition. The dependence of the effects of 1-octanol blending on the base fuel are emphasized, as these can inform the deployment of 1-octanol as a diesel blendstock. Application of these results can support the optimization of conventional combustion strategies for use with 1-octanol, as well as the development of 1-octanol-fueled low-temperature combustion strategies with the associated promise of very low criteria pollutant emissions.

Investigations on reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion with different injection strategies using alternative fuels produced from waste resources

Reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI) is a promising low-temperature combustion (LTC) strategy that results in low oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and soot emissions while maintaining high thermal efficiency. At the same time, RCCI leads to increased unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions in the exhaust, particularly under low loads. The current work experimented novel port-injected RCCI (PI-RCCI) strategy to overcome the high unburned emission limitations at low load conditions in RCCI. PI-RCCI is a port injection strategy in which low-reactivity fuel (LRF) is injected using a low-pressure injector, and the high-reactivity fuel (HRF) is injected through a high-pressure common rail direct injection (CRDI) injector. The low volatile HRF is injected into a heated fuel vaporizer maintained at 180°C in the intake manifold during the suction stroke. Modifying a single-cylinder, light-duty diesel engine with the necessary intake and fuel injection systems allows engine operation in both RCCI and PI-RCCI modes. Alternative fuels from waste resources such as waste cooking oil biodiesel (WCO) and plastic waste oil (WPO) are used as the HRF and LRF fuel in RCCI and PI-RCCI. To achieve maximum thermal efficiency in RCCI, the premixed energy ratio and the start of injection of the direct-injected fuel are optimized at all load conditions. The engine performance and exhaust emissions characteristics in PI-RCCI are compared with RCCI as a baseline reference. The results show a 70% and 48% reduction in CO and HC emissions, respectively, in PI-RCCI than in RCCI. Further, the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) was enhanced by around 20%, and the brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) was reduced by 13% in PI-RCCI. The NOx emissions decreased without any considerable changes in soot emission in PI-RCCI. The current study shows that fuels derived from waste resources can be used in RCCI and PI-RCCI modes with better engine performance and lower emissions.

CFD analysis of combustion and emission characteristics of biodiesel under conventional and late-injection based premixed combustion conditions

The simultaneous reduction in NOx and smoke emissions can be achieved with biodiesel under a late-injection based low temperature combustion (LTC) strategy. However, this occurs at the expense of a substantial increase in unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. It is worthwhile to understand the reasons behind the formation of these emissions, emphasizing comparison with conventional combustion, which is known to result in significantly low HC and CO emission levels, particularly with oxygenated biodiesel fuel. The present investigation attempts to examine the same with 3D CFD simulation. Experimental data were obtained from a light-duty diesel engine using biodiesel from non-edible Karanja oil. The unmodified engine with OEM low-pressure mechanical fuel injection system was utilized for conventional combustion operation. It is replaced with a modified common rail injection system for a late-injection-based LTC mode of operation. By combining retarded high-pressure injection with EGR, sufficient premixing was sustained to enable late injection-based premixed combustion (LI LTC). The combustion simulation was performed using CONVERGE CFD tool, utilizing a two-component surrogate of methyl butanoate (MB) and n-dodecane to represent biodiesel. A reduced chemical kinetic mechanism, developed and validated in an earlier investigation on biodiesel combustion, was utilized in the current study. The mechanism was solved using the SAGE Detailed CHEMKIN solver in CONVERGE. Validation was conducted at two engine operating conditions defining low and high loads for both combustion modes. The cylinder pressure and heat release rates were predicted with a maximum error of 1.5 and 13%, respectively. The validated CFD tool was employed to compare and analyze the equivalence ratio, in-cylinder gas temperatures, and HC and CO contours between conventional and LI LTC modes. Under LTC mode, the cylinder pressure and heat release rates were predicted with a maximum error of 10 and 15%, respectively. The comparison revealed fuel-rich regions concentrated near the bowl in conventional combustion, while the fuel was spread throughout the combustion chamber in LI LTC mode with over-rich and over-lean regions near the cylinder wall. The cylinder temperature is significantly higher for conventional combustion than LI LTC mode. The O and OH radical concentrations are higher for conventional combustion, corroborating with lower CO emissions, as they aid in CO oxidation. Fuel-rich regions contribute to increased CO emissions, whereas over-lean regions at a low-temperature result in high HC emissions, exhibited by the emission contours. Possible countermeasures to reduce high HC and CO emissions in LI LTC mode include maintaining higher coolant temperatures to enable HC and CO oxidation in the near-wall regions and fuel injection system modification to alter the air–fuel mixing.

Parametric optimization with Biodiesel-water emulsion under premixed lean combustion to achieve high efficiency and clean combustion

Advanced low temperature combustion (LTC) aids in simultaneously controlling exhaust emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). However, LTC strategies are constrained by achievable load range restriction and higher levels of unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO). The present investigation envisages combining renewable biodiesel-water emulsions and an advanced premixed lean combustion strategy to curtail the higher HC and CO emissions without sacrificing engine performance. Non-edible Karanja oil was the source of biodiesel and the emulsion stabilizer. A production light-duty diesel engine is modified to run under premixed lean combustion conditions based on late injection using a fully-flexible electronic fuel injection system. The engine operating parameters were optimized, including fuel injection timing, EGR flow rate, and emulsion water concentration. Emulsions of neat biodiesel were prepared to contain 6, 12, and 18% water on a mass basis using 1 and 2% surfactant by mass. The fuel injection timing was varied from 2 to 4 degrees after the top dead centre, and up to 15% EGR flow rate was utilized. Design of experiments aided in minimizing the number of engine tests. The performance and emission parameters were the output responses. Taguchi Grey Relational Analysis established the optimal combination of input factors to improve engine performance and reduce exhaust emissions. Engine experiments at optimized operating conditions revealed that compared to conventional diesel combustion, the brake thermal efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption improved by 33 and 16%, respectively, at 5.08 bar BMEP. The NOx, smoke and HC emissions were reduced by 68, 73 and 46%, while CO emissions increased nearly two-fold.

Experimental Investigation on the PCCI Engine Fueled by Algal Biodiesel Blend with CuO Nanocatalyst Additive and Optimization of Fuel Combination for Improved Performance and Reduced Emissions at Various Load Conditions by RSM Technique.

Fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution are paramount problems the world faces. Despite several measures, the transportation industry is still battling to manage these issues. A combined approach of fuel modification for low-temperature combustion with combustion enhancers could offer a breakthrough. Due to their properties and chemical structure, biodiesels have piqued the interest of scientists. Studies have asserted that microalgal biodiesel might be a viable alternative. Premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) is an easily adoptable promising low-temperature combustion strategy in compression ignition engines. The objective of this study is to identify the optimal blend and catalyst measure for improved performance and reduced emissions. Microalgae biodiesel at various proportions (B10, B20, B30, and B40) was amalgamated with CuO nanocatalyst and tested to arrive at the right concoction of biodiesel with nanoparticles in a 5.2 kW CI engine for different load conditions. The PCCI function warrants that about 20% of the fuel supplied is vaporized for premixing. Finally, the interplay factors of the independent variables of the PCCI engine were then explored by response surface methodology (RSM) to determine the optimal level of desired dependent and independent variables. The RSM experiment findings suggest that the best biodiesel and nanoparticle concoctions at 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% loads were B20CuO76, B20Cu60, B18CuO61, and B18CuO65, respectively. These findings were experimentally validated.

Advanced strategies to reduce harmful nitrogen-oxide emissions from biodiesel fueled engine

Advanced techniques have shown an effective approach to reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from biodiesel-fueled engines. The primary concern is higher NOx emissions using biodiesel due to its different physio-chemical fuel properties and higher in-cylinder combustion temperatures than diesel. This study aims to scrutinize the existing literature on NOx forming origins from biodiesel and present the state-of-the-art literature on reduction technologies, identify research gaps and introduce further developments to the research opportunities. Accordingly, the present review has organized the technologies into three categories: pre-combustion, combustion, and post-combustion techniques. In addition, the pros and cons of each technique are presented by identifying their role using combustion characteristics. The study identifies that ignition delay and combustion duration are the major factors to consider in reducing NOx emissions. Applying innovative tactics to modify the fuel, chamber, and injection parameters prolongs the ignition delay and combustion duration, thereby reducing NOx emissions. Furthermore, exhaust gas after-treatment systems with novel catalytic convertors have shown a strong capability of reducing NOx emissions. The findings also indicate significant reductions in NOx emissions from biodiesel with provided technologies; however, a clear roadmap is needed to integrate these technologies for sustainable application. The study concludes that emulsion techniques, low-temperature combustion strategies, retarded injection timing, and exhaust gas after treatment have shown significant NOx reduction through reduced peak temperature rates. The study recommends further investigation on reactive controlled combustion techniques as they directly impact NOx emission, and their results comparisons will give a clear understanding for deriving better commercial options.

Effect of pilot injection strategy on the methanol-mineral diesel fueled reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion engine

Amongst all low-temperature combustion (LTC) strategies, reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion garners more debate from researchers because of its excellent combustion and performance characteristics and lower emissions over a wide operating range. In this experimental investigation, the consequences of the start of diesel injection (SoIdiesel) timing using different pilot injection techniques, such as single and double pilot injection (SPI and DPI, respectively), have been investigated. Tests were performed at a fixed engine speed and load (1500 rpm and 3 bar BMEP, respectively) using different premixed ratios (rp: 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75) of methanol on an energy basis. Experimental results indicated that the start of combustion (SoC) and combustion phasing (CP) advanced with advancing SoIdiesel. However, too advanced and retarded SoIdiesel timings resulted in combustion noise and misfire. The use of pilot injection was found suitable for the RCCI mode, especially at lower rp. However, SPI and DPI strategies didn’t show significant variations in the combustion characteristics. Exhaust gas temperature (EGT) showed a random trend with SoIdiesel timing, and it decreased with the increasing number of pilot injections. RCCI mode produced higher hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) and lower oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions. All these gaseous emissions decreased with advancing the SoIdiesel. Particulate matter (PM) analysis showed that the RCCI mode emitted relatively lower PM than the baseline CI mode, further reducing with increased methanol fuelling. PM emissions also decreased by retarding SoIdiesel, in which reduction in smaller particles was dominant. The analysis of critical parameters such as brake thermal efficiency (BTE), HC, NOx, and PM emissions suggested that the optimum rp of methanol and suitable injection strategy can significantly improve the combustion, performance, and emissions characteristics of the RCCI mode.

The Impact of Fuel Injection Timing and Charge Dilution Rate on Low Temperature Combustion in a Compression Ignition Engine

Using high charge dilution low temperature combustion (LTC) strategies in a diesel engine offers low emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). These strategies are limited to part-load conditions and involve high levels of charge dilution, typically achieved through the use of recirculated exhaust gases (EGR). The slow response of the gas handling system, compared to load demand and fuelling, can lead to conditions where dilution levels are higher or lower than expected, impacting emissions and combustion stability. This article reports on the sensitivity of high-dilution LTC to variations in EGR rate and fuel injection timing. Impacts on engine efficiency, combustion stability and emissions are assessed in a single-cylinder engine and compared to in-cylinder flame temperatures measured using a borescope-based two-colour pyrometer. The work focuses on low-load conditions (300 kPa gross indicated mean effective pressure) and includes an EGR sweep from conventional diesel mode to high-dilution LTC, and sensitivity studies investigating the effects of variations in charge dilution and fuel injection timing at the high-dilution LTC condition. Key findings from the study include that the peak flame temperature decreased from ~2580 K in conventional diesel combustion with no EGR to 1800 K in LTC with low-NOx, low-soot operation and an EGR rate of 57%. Increasing the EGR to 64% reduced flame temperatures to 1400 K but increased total hydrocarbon (THC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 30–50% and increased fuel consumption by 5–7%. Charge dilution was found to have a stronger effect on the combustion process than the diesel injection timing under these LTC conditions. Advancing fuel injection timings at increasing dilution kept combustion instability below 2.5%. Peak in-cylinder temperatures were maintained in the 2000–2100 K range, while THC and CO emissions were controlled by delaying the onset of bulk quenching. Very early injection (earlier than 24 °CA before top-dead-centre) resulted in spray impingement on the piston crown, resulting in degraded efficiency and higher emissions. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of fuel injection timing modification to accommodate variations in charge dilution rates while maintaining low NOx and PM emissions in a diesel engine using low-temperature combustion strategies at part loads.

Effects of split injection strategy on combustion stability and GHG emissions characteristics of natural gas/diesel RCCI engine under high load

Natural gas/diesel RCCI mode is considered as a high-efficiency clean low-temperature combustion strategy with great application prospects. In order to solve the problem that RCCI engines are prone to knock combustion under high load, the effects of diesel start of main-injection (SOImain), start of pilot-injection (SOIpilot) and pilot-injection quantity (PIQ) on in-cylinder combustion and pollutant emissions of RCCI engine were systematically investigated. Results show that the advance of SOImain effectively reduces CO, HC, soot and CH4 emissions of RCCI engine, but increases knock tendency and NOx emissions. Split injection strategy makes combustion exothermic of RCCI mode present two-stage heat release phenomenon. When SOIpilot is advanced from −15°CA ATDC to −27°CA ATDC, the IMEP and combustion pressure peak increase, the knock tendency significantly decreases, and CO, HC, soot and CH4 emissions are reduced by 55.6%, 43.1%, 28.8% and 39.1% respectively. With the increase of PIQ, the in-cylinder combustion of RCCI engine gradually changes from single-stage to two-stage heat release, the ignition delay is shortened, and the knock tendency is enhanced. Compared with single injection strategy, split injection strategy can simultaneously reduce HC, CO and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as maximum pressure oscillation amplitude and pressure rise rate in RCCI mode.

A single fuel port and direct injected low temperature combustion strategy to reduce regulated pollutants from a light-duty diesel engine

Low temperature combustion (LTC) recently received considerable attention due to its potential to simultaneously reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and soot emissions from diesel engines and high thermal efficiency benefits. However, lack of ignition timing control, narrow engine operating load range, high unburned hydrocarbon (UHC), and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions are significant shortcomings in LTC. A homogeneous charge with direct injection (HCDI) strategy is proposed in this study to address these shortcomings. HCDI is a single-fuel LTC strategy that includes port and direct diesel fuel injection. The direct-injected diesel provides better control over ignition timing, and a wider engine operating load range could be achieved in HCDI. However, NOx emissions are significantly higher in HCDI than conventional diesel combustion (CDC). A novel water vapour induction system using ultrasonic atomizers is proposed to address this shortcoming. The experiments were conducted in a modified single-cylinder light-duty diesel engine operated in HCDI mode. A high-pressure port and direct fuel injection systems are installed in the metallic engine (engine with factory configuration) to achieve HCDI. Ultrasonic atomizers installed closer to the intake port generated the water vapour for NOx control. The premixed ratio and direct-injected diesel fuel timings are optimized to achieve maximum thermal efficiency at each load condition. The results obtained with and without water vapour induction in HCDI are compared to examine the NOx reduction potential. Further, the results obtained in HCDI with water vapour induction are compared with CDC with production settings to examine engine performance improvement and emission reduction. The results show improved thermal efficiency with reduced NOx emissions with water vapour induction in HCDI. HCDI resulted in higher thermal efficiency than CDC, with a maximum increase of 20.3 % and a 27.1 % reduction in NOx emissions at 3.5 bar IMEP. However, at a higher load condition of 5.7 bar IMEP, the thermal efficiency is reduced with higher soot emissions in HCDI. Direct-injected fuel pressure was increased, and injection timings were optimized to address this shortcoming. The soot emissions were reduced by 89.2 %, with a slight increase in thermal efficiency. The unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were reduced significantly in HCDI compared to CDC, with a maximum reduction of 95.9 % and 40.7 %, respectively. Overall, the proposed novel HCDI with water vapour induction is a promising LTC strategy for diesel engines that helps achieve a wider operating load range, higher thermal efficiency and lower regulated pollutants.

Experimental investigations on biodiesel-water emulsion as a potential fuel for early and late injection based premixed lean combustion

Low temperature combustion strategies are a suitable alternative to conventional diesel combustion to simultaneously reduce oxides of nitrogen and smoke emissions while maintaining engine performance. However, limited load range and increased unburned hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions are challenges posed by these strategies. The present investigation aims to address these limitations using biodiesel-water emulsion as a potential fuel for low temperature combustion in a light-duty diesel engine. Biodiesel derived from non-edible Karanja oil and its emulsion containing 18% water was used. The surfactant employed to stabilize the biodiesel-water emulsion was the raw Karanja oil itself. Two different fuel injection strategies were explored to achieve lean premixed combustion: early/advanced injection and late injection just after the top dead centre. To implement these strategies, the mechanical fuel injection system in the production engine was replaced with an electronic injection system having complete flexibility over the injection schedule. The results are compared with conventional diesel combustion under production settings. For the early injection strategy, up to 40% load, the brake specific fuel consumption and brake thermal efficiency were on par with conventional diesel combustion for biodiesel and the emulsion. However, there was a decline in the performance for both fuels at 60% load, which was the maximum achievable load with an early injection strategy. With the late injection, the engine could be operated across its entire load range with similar reductions in oxides of nitrogen and smoke emissions. While the brake thermal efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption for biodiesel were on par with conventional diesel combustion, there was an improvement of 8 and 6%, respectively, with biodiesel-water emulsion. The emission results showed that with either injection strategies, with biodiesel and its emulsion, 85 and 80% reduction in oxides of nitrogen and smoke emissions, respectively, could be achieved compared to conventional diesel combustion. However, both strategies significantly increased hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions compared to conventional diesel combustion.

Chemical and quality performance of biodiesel and petrol blends

• Biodiesel was blended with petrol showing enhanced fuel qualities to petrol. • The degree of unsaturation of the feedstocks affects the quality of produced blended fuel. • The PB25 has properties closely similar to diesel. • Palm biodiesel-petrol blends had better performance properties than sunflower biodiesel-petrol blends. The development of an appropriate fuel to run on a petrol compression ignition engine conceptualises a low-temperature combustion strategy, which faces challenges. With the high intake temperatures, low lubricity and need for a high compression ratio for this engine, the use of a petrol-biodiesel blend as a fuel addresses such issues. This study evaluates the characteristics of fuel quality and performance of blended fuels with biodiesel additives (5%, 15%, and 25%) to petrol (95%, 85%, and 75%) compared to 100% petrol and biodiesel. Biodiesel was produced from waste sunflower and palm oils. The fuel properties of the blends were assessed with respect to acid number, density, distillation, cetane number, metal contents, oxidation stability, viscosity, and water content. Results showed that the blended fuels met standard specifications and possessed improved fuel quality compared to pure petrol. Comparing the biodiesel-petrol blends with pure biodiesel, the values of these fuel properties were lowered except for oxidation stability which was enhanced. The two types of biodiesel fuel blends portrayed different fuel qualities, where sunflower biodiesel-petrol blends had more energy content and lower acid number, while palm biodiesel-petrol blends had exceptional thermal stability and characteristics of a better cold start. The high degree of unsaturation characterising sunflower biodiesel resulted in increased carbon residues, reduced cetane number and subsequent poor cold start. An increase in petrol percentage in the blends reduced concentrations of calcium and magnesium significantly and hindered the absorption of moisture content.

Experimental Investigation of the Pressure Dependence of Iso-Octane Combustion

Iso-octane is frequently used as a surrogate fuel or as a component in primary reference fuel blends when low-temperature combustion strategies in engines are investigated. To develop control strategies for these engines, the reaction kinetics of iso-octane must be known starting from the low temperatures and intermediate pressures before ignition to the high temperatures and pressures of combustion. This work adds new experimental data sets to the validation data for reaction mechanism development by investigating the oxidation of iso-octane in stoichiometric mixtures in a flow reactor at pressures of p = 1, 10, and 20 bar and 473K ≤ T ≤ 973 K. The experimental data are compared to simulations with recent reaction mechanisms [Atef et al., Combustion and Flame 178, (2017), Bagheri et al., Combustion and Flame 212, (2020), Cai et al., Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 37, (2018), Fang et al., Combustion and Flame 214, (2020)]. The comparison between experimental and simulated mole fractions as function of temperature show reasonable agreement for all investigated pressures. In particular, the experimentally observed onset of low-temperature reactivity above a certain pressure, the shift of the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) regime with increasing pressure to higher temperatures, and the acceleration of the high-temperature chemistry are captured well in the simulations. Deviations between experimental and simulated results are discussed in detail for the reactivity of iso-octane and some key intermediates such as 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-tetrahydrofuran, iso-butene and acetone at low temperatures.

A study on flexible dual-fuel and flexi combustion mode engine to mitigate NO, soot and unburned emissions

In the present study, an existing commercial light-duty automotive diesel engine is modified to a flexible dual-fuel engine (FDFE). The FDFE operates with different low and high reactivity dual fuel combinations under low temperature combustion (LTC) mode using combined multipoint fuel injection and common rail direct injection systems. The FDFE can smoothly transit between LTC and conventional diesel combustion (CDC) mode. FDFE combines SI and CI benefits and stands as a potential internal combustion engine for future hybrid electric options. In this study, the modified engine was operated in flexi fuel mode with methanol/diesel, methanol/biodiesel, methanol/dimethyl ether (DME), methanol/polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether (PODE), (methanol + Isobutanol blends)/diesel and (methanol + PODE blends)/diesel in LTC strategy at a different speed and torque conditions. This approach improved the brake thermal efficiency by 8%, decreased NO and soot emissions by more than 90% compared to CDC mode. The improvement in brake thermal efficiency reduced CO2 emissions compared to CDC mode. In the FDFE engine, combustion phasing and fuel energy input are maintained as same as in CDC mode to investigate the dual-fuel effects in LTC mode over a neat diesel mode. Experimental study with energy and exergy analysis was carried out to assess the technical suitability of the FDFE as compared to the conventional diesel engine. The results proved that without relying on the after- treatment systems and fossil fuels, it is possible to reduce the NO, soot, unburnt hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and CO2 emissions from the diesel engine, paving the way for extending the life of the diesel engine.

Novel strategies to extend the operating load range of a premixed charge compression ignited light-duty diesel engine

Low-temperature combustion (LTC) is an alternative combustion mode to conventional diesel combustion (CDC) that offers a simultaneous reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions while retaining higher thermal efficiency. Premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) is a promising LTC strategy that utilizes the early direct injection of diesel and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to reduce NOx and PM emissions simultaneously. A limited operating load range and high unburned hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions are the significant shortcomings to be addressed to realize PCCI as a commercially viable option. The present work aims to address these limitations based on experimental investigations carried out in a production light-duty diesel engine. An existing mechanical fuel injection system is replaced with a flexible common rail direct injection (CRDI) system to implement PCCI in the test engine. Based on initial parametric investigations, it was found that a combination of early direct injection, lower injection pressures, and EGR was deemed necessary to achieve PCCI mode in the test engine. However, the achievable load range was limited to 40% of the rated load, along with high HC and CO emissions. Novel approaches are attempted to address these limitations, including replacing diesel with diesel-gasoline blends with 30% gasoline by volume and utilizing a dual charge dilution strategy with water vapour induction and EGR. The start of fuel injection (SOI) sweeps from 30 to 70 deg. CA bTDC were performed to find optimal timing at each load condition to maximize the thermal efficiency within a stable combustion regime between a misfire and knocking. For loads above 40%, EGR in the range of 14% to 26.5% was used to bring the combustion within knock limits. By combining the proposed novel strategies, the engine operating load range could be extended from 40% to 80% of the rated load in PCCI. The NOx and soot emissions were significantly reduced up to 98.5% and 99.1%, respectively, compared to CDC. The engine brake thermal efficiency is increased by up to 1.6%. However, there was a significant penalty regarding HC and CO emissions.

Optimization of the exergy efficiency, exergy destruction, and engine noise index in an engine with two direct injectors using NSGA-II and artificial neural network

Direct Dual Fuel Stratification (DDFS) strategy is a novel Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) strategy that has comparable thermal efficiency to the Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) strategy, while it offers more control over the combustion process and the rate of heat release. The DDFS strategy uses two direct injectors for the low- and high-reactivity fuels (gasoline and diesel) to benefit from the RCCI concept. In this study, the injection strategy of the injectors of a gasoline/diesel DDFS engine was optimized from the thermodynamic perspective to maximize exergy efficiency and minimize exergy destruction and an engine noise index. An artificial neural network was developed with 576 samples from a CFD code to predict the DDFS mode behavior, and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) was used to obtain the Pareto Front and the optimal solutions. Compared to the base case, the exergy efficiency of the optimal cases increased by up to 2%, exergy destruction and Peak Pressure Rise Rate (PPRR) reduced by about 2.3%, and 2 bar/deg, respectively, in the optimal solutions. NOX and soot emissions were reduced by 40% and 35%, respectively, in the best-case scenarios.

A numerical investigation of gasoline/diesel direct dual fuel stratification (DDFS) combustion at high loads

High-load extension is one of the biggest challenges for the low-temperature premixed combustion strategies such as partially premixed combustion (PPC) and reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI). Alternatively, a different dual-fuel combustion strategy, direct dual fuel stratification (DDFS) mode, which combines the benefits of PPC and RCCI by injecting gasoline and diesel into cylinder directly, is investigated in the present study. A comprehensive numerical comparison of PPC, RCCI and DDFS was conducted, and the effects of fuel property of the near top dead center (TDC) injection as well as different injection parameters on the combustion and emission characteristics of DDFS at a typical high load were revealed. The results indicated that DDFS can effectively control the combustion rate while maintain the thermal efficiency comparable to PPC and RCCI at high loads. For DDFS combustion, the near-TDC injection is the key parameter to control the heat release rate. However, soot emissions remarkably increase owing to the diffusion-combustion nature of the near-TDC injection, and adopting lower reactivity fuel such as methanol is a good approach to further reduce the peak pressure rise rate (PPRR) and suppress soot emissions. In addition, the diesel fraction plays a dominant role in controlling combustion phasing while the gasoline fraction serves as a more important role in combustion duration, and the effects of the start of injection of gasoline and diesel on the DDFS performance become more obvious as the gasoline and diesel fractions increase. From the perspective of load extension, a lower diesel fraction should be employed to avoid excessive PPRR, however, the diesel fraction and the start of injection should be coupled properly to avoid misfire.

An experimental investigation on gasoline diesel and biofuelled RCCI combustion and its comparison with the conventional diesel combustion

Amongst all the low temperature combustion (LTC) strategies, reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) is the most promising one due to their control on combustion pashing and heat release rate (HRR). This experimentation investigates the emission, performance and combustion characteristics of the modified constant speed non road single cylinder RCCI engine and its comparison with the conventional diesel engine. In RCCI operation, gasoline and blends of ethanol and gasoline, E10 and E20 were used as a low reactivity fuel (LRF), while diesel and blends of diesel and jatropha biodiesel, B10, B20 were used as a high reactivity fuel (HRF). The ratio of LRF and HRF maintained about 60:40. For RCCI operation, 10% hot exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), Injection pressure, 3 bar for PFI (port fuel injection) pressure, and 500 bar for HRF were used. Experimentation was carried out for 1500 rpm and 0, 4, 8 and 12 kg loading conditions. From experimental results, it has been concluded that, in comparison with the conventional diesel engine, for 12 kg loading condition, there was a 92% reduction in the NOx and 72% reduction in smoke opacity observed as an effect of reduction in combustion chamber temperature for E20-B20 blend. Compared to conventional diesel, there was an 11% rise in the brake thermal efficiency for the E10B10 fuel combination. As combined effects of NOx, Smoke opacity, and brake thermal efficiency are concerned, E10-B10 is the suitable combination for given operating conditions.