Over-expanded Cycle Research Articles

The Szymkowiak’s over-expanded cycle in the rocker engine with the variable compression ratio – kinematics

The article discusses the innovative concept of the over-expanded thermodynamic cycle, the author of which is the Polish engineer-designer Mirosław Szymkowiak. This cycle is realized on the basis of a new and innovative, previously unknown design, of a piston-crankshaft linkage mechanism with the aid of an additional element known as a rocker arm. Additionally, the proposed mechanism allows for a smooth change of the compression/expansion ratio of the engine during its operation. In the beginning, the earlier conceptions of the rocker engine developed by Szymkowiak were presented, and then the main construction assumptions and kinematic calculations were described. It was confirmed, that the developed linkage has big potential in improving the engine's thermal efficiency by approximately 12% relative. Additionally, it significantly reduces the exhaust gas pressure, when the exhaust valve is opened, therefore, contributes to the reduction of the noise emitted by the engine.

Knock Reduction Measures in the Gas Fuelled Internal Combustion Engine

Studies on the influence of applying various technologies for combustion knock reduction have been presented in the paper. Among others, investigation concerning the following: over-expanded cycle, variable valve timing, internal and exhaust gas recirculation, leaning the combustible mixture and cooling the in-cylinder charge were of the interest. The research works were focused on impact of these technologies on both knock intensity reduction, and engine performance and toxic emissions. Results presented in the paper were coming from experimental investigation based on in-cylinder combustion pressure data acquisition. Additionally, knock intensity calculation methods were discussed. They are based on incylinder combustion pressure pulsations. Combustion knock intensity expressed by the maximum peak of the incylinder pressure pulsations shows a strong negative correlation with both the EGR ratio and relative equivalence ratio – lambda. With respect to a catalytic converter installed on the exhaust pipe line, applying EGR appears as better solution for knock reduction then leaning the combustible mixture because the catalytic converter needs stoichiometric mixture for effective NO x reduction. Furthermore, application of the over-expanded cycle to the hydrogen or coke gas fueled IC engine significantly reduces intensity of potential knock by 50 % in comparison to Otto cycle for all loads. Additionally, over-expanded cycle contributes to increase in engine thermal efficiency. Summing up, all the presented measures and technologies can be successfully implemented into practice in stationary engines as well as in traction engines, both of them working on either natural gas or gaseous renewable fuels.

Comparing methods for improving spark-ignited engine efficiency: Over-expansion with multi-link cranktrain and high compression ratio with late intake valve closing

A common approach of high efficiency engines is to utilize high compression with late intake valve closing (LIVC) to realize an over-expanded cycle. A multi-link cranktrain can also realize an over-expanded cycle with the same geometric intake displacement as a baseline engine while extending the expansion stroke. These two types of over-expanded cycle engines and a baseline engine are investigated and compared in this simulation study. The baseline engine model is calibrated based on the experimental results from a four-cylinder, boosted, spark-ignited engine with compression ratio (CR) of 10.5:1. The CR of high compression ratio engine and multi-link over-expanded engine is 13.0:1 and 10.5:1, respectively. The over-expansion ratio of multi-link engine is 1.5. These three engines were optimized and investigated at three conditions: 1300 rpm 330 kPa net IMEPnet, 1500 rpm 1300 kPa IMEPnet, and 2500 rpm 1000 kPa IMEPnet. At 1300 rpm 330 kPa IMEPnet, multi-link over-expanded engine and high compression engine both used LIVC. With LIVC, the net indicated efficiency of the high compression engine and multi-link engine were improved by 5.2% and 2.4% (relative), respectively, compared to the same engine without LIVC. Multi-link over-expanded engine benefited from its lower knock propensity and over-expansion at medium to high load conditions. At 1500 rpm 1300 kPa IMEPnet, the net indicated efficiency of the multi-link engine was 13.7% and 14.2% (relative) higher than the high compression engine and baseline engine, respectively. At the peak brake efficiency condition of the high compression engine, the net indicated efficiency of multi-link engine was 8.6% (relative) higher than the high compression engine.

Development and Assessment of an Over-Expanded Engine to be Used as an Efficiency-Oriented Range Extender for Electric Vehicles

A range extender (RE) is a device used in electric vehicles (EVs) to generate electricity on-board, enabling them to significantly reduce the number of required batteries and/or extend the vehicle driving range to allow occasional long trips. In the present work, an efficiency-oriented RE based on a small motorcycle engine modified to the efficient over-expanded cycle, was analyzed, tested and simulated in a driving cycle. The RE was developed to have two points of operation, ECO: 3000 rpm, very high efficiency with only 15 kW; and BOOST: 7000 rpm with 35 kW. While the ECO strategy was a straightforward development for the over-expansion concept (less trapped air and a much higher compression ratio) the BOOST strategy was more complicated to implement and involved the need for throttle operation. Initially the concepts were evaluated in an in-house model and AVL Boost® (AVL List Gmbh, Graz, Austria), and proved feasible. Then, a BMW K75 engine was altered and tested on a brake dynamometer. The running engine proved the initial concept, by improving the efficiency for the ECO condition in almost 40% in relation to the stock engine and getting well over the required BOOST power, getting to 35 kW, while keeping an efficiency similar to the stock engine at the wide open throttle (WOT). In order to protect the engine during BOOST, the mixture was enriched, while at ECO the mixture was leaned to further improve efficiency. The fixed operation configuration allows the reduction, not only of complexity and cost of the RE, but also the set point optimization for the engine and generator. When integrated as a RE into a typical European light duty vehicle, it provided a breakthrough consumption reduction relatively to existing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the market in the charge sustaining mode. The very high efficiency of the power generation seems to compensate for the loss of efficiency due to the excess electricity production, which must be stored in the battery. The results indicate that indeed it is possible to have an efficient solution, in-line with the electric mobility sustainability paradigm, which can solve most of the shortcomings of current EVs, notably those associated with batteries (range, cost and charging time) in a sustainable way.

Modelling of the Over-Expanded Cycle Combustion Engine

Modelling of the Over-Expanded Cycle Combustion Engine

Analysis of four-stroke, Wankel, and microturbine based range extenders for electric vehicles

This paper aims to compare the energy efficiency and CO2 emissions of four different range extender engine solutions deployed in the same baseline series hybrid vehicle, under a combination of driving scenarios aiming to be representative of typical driving instead of standard cycles. Baseline vehicle is roughly based on Chevy VOLT/Opel Ampera. The baseline internal combustion engine is replaced by an over-expanded cycle engine, Wankel engine and microturbine, with respective generator and exhaust after treatment. Weight savings are compensated by introducing additional battery modules, maintaining the original baseline vehicle curb weight. Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) is used for driving cycle analysis and as explanatory variable for energy consumption and CO2 emissions variations. Upstream fuel energy and CO2 emissions of gasoline/diesel and electricity are regarded. Average VSP correlates with variation of the percentage of engine off, potential regenerative braking energy and eco/boost operation. Positive wheel energy correlates with energy consumption and electric autonomy adequately. The vehicle with the lightest engine (Wankel) and largest battery shows to be the most efficient in urban driving (when the engine does not have to work), while the vehicle with the highest efficient engine (over-expanded) and with dual eco/boost setting is the most efficient during the charge sustaining operation and in annual combined use.

Generation of Entropy in Spark Ignition Engines

Recent engine development has focused mainly on the improvement of engine efficiency and output emissions. The improvements in efficiency are being made by friction reduction, combustion improvement and thermodynamic cycle modification. New technologies such as Variable Valve Timing (VVT) or Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) are important for the latter. To assess the improvement capability of engine modifications, thermodynamic analysis of indicated cycles of the engines is made using the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The Entropy Generation Minimization (EGM) method proposes the identification of entropy generation sources and the reduction of the entropy generated by those sources as a method to improve the thermodynamic performance of heat engines and other devices. A computer model created and implemented in MATLAB Simulink was used to simulate the conventional Otto cycle and the various processes (combustion, free expansion during exhaust, heat transfer and fluid flow through valves and throttle) were evaluated in terms of the amount of the entropy generated. An Otto cycle, a Miller cycle (over-expanded cycle) and a Miller cycle with compression ratio adjustment are studied using the referred model in order to evaluate the amount of entropy generated in each cycle. All cycles are compared in terms of work produced per cycle.