Pre Chamber Research Articles

Experimental investigation on ammonia combustion ignited by methanol-enriched active pre-chamber in an optical engine

To enhance the ignitability and burning rate of ammonia-fueled spark ignition engines, it is an effective way to adopt active pre-chamber (PC) ignition with high-reactivity fuel. Therefore, in this paper, the ammonia combustion characteristics using methanol-enriched active PC ignition were investigated, based on optical engine experiments with simultaneous in-cylinder flame imaging and pressure measurement. Results show that the overall combustion process is characterized by a three-stage heat release: (I) jet flame controlled combustion; (II) ammonia flame propagation; (III) post jet induced combustion. In stage I, methanol active PC jets with high-momentum and high-reactivity are discharged to ignite MC ammonia mixture, contributing to the first peak of heat release rate. In stage II, ammonia turbulent flame propagation dominates the combustion. In stage III, post jets induce the third peak of heat release rate. In this way, with a minimal methanol energy ratio (ER) of lower than 10 %, stable and fast ammonia combustion is achieved under stoichiometric (λMC = 1) and lean-burn (λMC = 1.2) condition, with cyclic variation of indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) lower than 5 %, flame probability higher than 80 % and maximum global flame speed of about 4 m/s. A highest IEMP of 0.72 MPa and a peak indicated thermal efficiency (ηit) of 30 % is obtained at λMC = 1 and λMC = 1.2, respectively. However, at the rich limit of λMC = 0.9 and lean limit of λMC = 1.4, the quenching of jet flames leads to weak ignition and unstable combustion, which is identified by reduced flame probability distribution and increased cyclic variation of IMEP. In addition, to ensure the cyclic combustion stability, there is also an operating range of methanol ER. At λMC = 1.2, unstable ignition and deteriorated combustion occur below the lower limit of ER = 6 % and above the upper limit of ER = 17 %. This paper can provide data support and operation strategy for the combustion improvements of ammonia-methanol active jet ignition engines.

Modeling and Experimental Validation of Pre-Chamber Jet Penetration Considering Jet Density and Ejection Pressure Variations

Abstract Although pre-chamber (PC) is regarded as a promising solution to enhance ignition in lean-burn gas engines, a lack of comprehensive understanding of PC jet penetration dynamics remains. This study proposed a zero-dimensional (0-D) model for PC jet penetration, considering the mixing of combustion products and unburned gases and floating ejection pressure. A combustion completion degree was defined employing fuel property and heat release to estimate varying jet density. Pressure differences between PC and the main chamber (MC) were referred to as the ejection pressure. Then, this model was validated against experiments from a constant volume chamber and a rapid compression and expansion machine with CH4-H2 blends at different equivalent ratios. Results showed that the proposed model can provide a good prediction in stationary and turbulent fields with the calibrated model coefficient. The overall jet penetration exhibits a t0.5 dependence due to its single-phase characteristic and the relative lower density compared to ambient gas in MC. The flame propagation speed and heat release in PC influence the combustion completion degree at the start of jet ejection, the mass fraction of burned gas in jet increases with the equivalent ratio. Jet penetration is primarily driven by ejection pressure, with tip dynamics barely affected by the pressure difference after the peak. Tip penetration intensity increases with increased fuel equivalent ratio and H2 addition, owing to the faster flame propagation. These findings can offer useful suggestions for model-based design and combustion model development for gas engines.

Extensive validation of a combustion and pollutant emission model of a pre-chamber engine including different pre-chamber geometries

In this work, a 0D/1D model of a single-cylinder pre-chamber spark ignition (PCSI) engine is extensively validated with experimental data in terms of performance, combustion, and emissions by varying the pre-chamber geometry and operating conditions.In the first stage, an experimental study is carried out on the PCSI engine at 1600 rpm and wide-open throttle, exploring different pre-chamber (PC) designs and various relative air/fuel (A/F) ratios, λ, in the main chamber.In the second stage, a phenomenological combustion model for PCSI engines is coupled with additional user-defined sub-models of in-cylinder turbulence, heat transfer, and pollutant emissions. These are integrated into a 1D engine model and used to reproduce a set of 16 measured data for a reference PC geometry. The model adequately describes the performance, pollutant production, and burn rate in both the pre- and main-chamber considering the effects of jet-induced turbulence and distributed multiple flame kernels in the main chamber.The predictive capability of the 1D model is further tested on an extended dataset composed of 163 points, including variations in the PC geometry, proving to satisfactorily reproduce experiments in terms of performance, combustion, and emissions. This last aspect represents the novelty of the present work, demonstrating the reliability of the physical background included within the in-cylinder sub-models.

Research on the ignition mechanism and structural optimization of turbulent jet pre-chamber in GDI engines

Turbulent jet ignition has been widely studied, but it is mainly focused on gas engines, the igniting mechanisms of pre-chamber (PC) on GDI engines and the contributions of heat and radicals of the jet in inhomogeneous charge still remain to be clarified. Thus, 3-D simulations with comprehensive spray mixing process were performed under variable structural parameters. The decoupling results of thermal and chemical effects show that the influence of jet temperature on the heat release rate (HRR) inside main chamber (MC) is greater than that of free radicals. The mechanism of hot jet ignition containing free radicals in MC is flame propagation without ignition delay. However, compared to jet temperature, the free radicals in the jet have less effects on HRR in MC after the ignition. The nozzle diameter significantly affects fuel entry into the PC, influencing the pressure difference between PC and MC, and thus the jet velocity and duration. The optimal diameter in this study is 1.0 mm, and the jet duration is prolonged for too small or too large diameters. The nozzle angle is constrained by combustion chamber geometry, with the optimal angle being 140° to avoid jet impingement on cylinder head or piston.

Computational study of the impacts of the nozzle configurations on passive pre-chamber engine combustion

The pre-chamber (PC) nozzle configurations are vital in the narrow-throat pre-chamber design. However, their impacts on the jet and combustion characteristics are poorly understood. In the current study, various parameters of nozzle configurations, including the number of rows, nozzle position, and the jet included angle were evaluated on a well-calibrated numerical model of a passive PC engine fueled with methane. The unique buffering effect of the bottom cavity below the orifice in the PC nozzle was discovered and investigated for the first time. Results show that the PC with double-row orifices exhibits slower general combustion than the single-row for the significant flow bypass from the upper-row orifices that generate low jet velocity. A higher orifice position favors combustion due to less interaction between the flame and the piston. Pressure accumulation at the nozzle was discovered to be the key factor affecting jet velocity. Jet velocity increases with the enlarged pressure accumulation decreasing the effective flow area of the orifices. However, it starts to decrease when the pressure accumulation becomes excessive and the obstruction to the flow outweighs the enhancement to the velocity. For single-row PCs without the bottom cavity, the pressure accumulation is enhanced as the jet included angle increases (from 111° to 180°) and the angle of 157° achieves the highest jet velocity, although the pressure difference decreases as the included angle increases. For single-row-orifice PCs with a bottom cavity, the buffering effect of the cavity produces close pressure accumulation to maintain similar jet characteristics when the jet included angle varies. Comparative analysis shows that the included angle of 157° achieves the fastest main chamber combustion mainly because the proper relative position of the PC jet and piston favors turbulence and flame spread.

Effect of key structure parameters of passive pre-chamber on in-cylinder combustion processes and emissions within a gasoline engine

Due to increasingly strict global emission regulations and energy conservation policies, gasoline engines are facing significant challenges. Achieving high efficiency and ultra-low emissions in gasoline engines has become a critical technical challenge that requires attention. Pre-chamber (PC) Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) is a highly promising technology for improving thermal efficiency and reducing emissions in gasoline engines. This study employs a three-dimensional flow simulation analysis combined with a detailed chemical reaction mechanism. The investigation is based on eight distinct passive PC structural configurations. The effects of various structural parameters, including the orifice number (ON), orifice axis angle (OAA), orifice diameter (OD), and volume ratio (VR), on the in-cylinder combustion process and emission characteristics are investigated, in which the formation of the fire nucleus and the propagation of the flame are intensively involved. The investigation is conducted under equivalence ratio working condition. Among these, the ITE of the best configuration is relatively 5.46% higher than the baseline engine. The combustion duration decreased by 55.95% to 7.4 °CA compared to the baseline engine, while particulate soot emissions also decreased by 51.22%.

Experimental investigation on the combustion characteristics of ultra-lean premixed hydrogen/air using turbulent jet ignition

Amid growing environmental concerns, hydrogen (H2) is emerging as a prospective alternative fuel for driving internal combustion engines. Employing lean combustion technology in tandem with turbulent jet ignition (TJI) has the potential to enhance combustion rates while mitigating NOx emissions. Therefore, an experiment was developed to investigate the combustion characteristics of ultra-lean premixed H2/air by TJI. An active pre-chamber (PC) with an additional H2 supply was selected. Moreover, the effect of nozzle structures and equivalence ratio was discussed. The results show that with a nozzle diameter of 3 mm and an elevation of ΦPC to 1.4, the lean flammability limit is extended to an equivalence ratio of 0.13, with a consistently stabilized ignition delay within 4 ms. Increasing the nozzle number also extends the lean flammability limit, but it incurs higher energy losses. Additionally, two ignition mechanisms exist in TJI: flame ignition and combined ignition. The transition from flame ignition to combined ignition commonly occurs when the equivalence ratio of the main chamber drops below 0.3. This transition typically results in higher peak pressures and burnt fuel ratio, lower combustion duration, and longer ignition delay.

Enhancing ammonia engine efficiency through pre-chamber combustion and dual-fuel compression ignition techniques

In pursuit of unleashing ammonia’s potential in internal combustion engines, an extensive computational study was conducted to explore the effects of two advanced combustion techniques: pre-chamber combustion (PCC) and dual-fuel compression ignition (DF−CI) on a heavy-duty ammonia engine. In the PCC mode, hydrogen was introduced into the pre-chamber (PC) to generate distributed reacting jets, with a small energy fraction of 0.5%. The case featuring a slightly narrower PC throat (diameter of 5.4 mm) yielded the highest indicated thermal efficiency (ITE) of 50.4%, owing to the rapid distribution of reacting jets and advanced combustion phasing. Further increase in hydrogen energy fraction and reduction in throat diameter resulted in a lower ITE because of the enhanced wall heat transfer loss. The DF−CI mode also exhibited significant potential for achieving high efficiency. Through a systemic optimization of parameters such as diesel injection timing, spray included angle, injection pressure, swirl ratio, and piston shape, a significantly enhanced ITE of 50.3% was attained, 7.2% higher than the baseline scenario. The improvement was primarily attributed to the promoted mixing of diesel with air. Among the design parameters, the swirl ratio and spray included angle exhibited the most significant impact on the engine performance. Overall, both the PCC and DF−CI modes were found to yield high ITE and low ammonia emissions. However, because 20% of the diesel energy fraction was utilized to mitigate ammonia slip in the DF−CI mode, notably higher greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide of 96 g/kW-h) were generated than in the PCC mode. In this regard, the ammonia-hydrogen PCC mode should be a more promising solution to achieve zero-carbon emissions for future ammonia engines.

Study on lean combustion of ammonia-hydrogen mixtures in a pre-chamber engine

Ammonia holds promise for achieving zero carbon emissions from internal combustion engines. The pre-chamber turbulent jet ignition, characterized by multipoint distributed ignition and rapid combustion, could be applied to ammonia combustion to extend combustion limits and stability. This study investigates the impacts of hydrogen energy fraction (Hfrac), equivalence ratio, and ignition timing on the combustion and emission characteristics of ammonia-hydrogen mixture at lean combustion conditions in a pre-chamber (PC) marine engine by CFD Simulation. In H2-fuel active PC mode, increasing the hydrogen content or achieving stoichiometric combustion within the PC will shorten the cold jet phase and accelerate the formation of a more intense hot jet. As the Hfrac and the equivalence ratio in the main-chamber increase, the combustion pressure, temperature, and heat release rate (HRR) rise, while the combustion duration shortens due to enhanced reactivity, potentially leading to end gas auto-ignition and knock due to lower auto-ignition energy of the mixture. NO primarily forms near the flame front, and both NO concentration and the generation area increase with an increase in hydrogen content and equivalence ratio. Fuel-NO is likely to be the dominant factor in NO generation with lean combustion conditions. N2O, as a product of NH3 low-temperature combustion, is mainly concentrated near the flame front. An increase in unburned NH3 emissions corresponds to an increase in N2O emissions. Delaying the ignition timing to reduce NOx emissions is primarily achieved by controlling NO emissions, even though there is a slight increase in N2O.

Computational investigation of methanol pre-chamber combustion in a heavy-duty engine

This work explored the potential of methanol pre-chamber combustion (PCC) for heavy-duty engine applications. An optical engine experiment was conducted to visualize the jet flame development. The measured pressure traces and natural flame luminosity images were also used for the validation of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations. It was demonstrated that the main chamber (MC) combustion was successfully established by the reactive jet issued from the pre-chamber. Compared to methane PCC in our previous study, the distributed reacting jets were significantly thinner, in particular at the learner condition. The active PCC mode, which comprises enrichment of the mixture in the pre-chamber (PC) by means of direct methane injection, was effective in improving the engine performance. However, excessive PC fueling ratio (PCFR) resulted in lower thermal efficiency due to the higher wall heat transfer and combustion losses. In addition, the effects of various PC and piston geometries on the methanol/methane PC combustion were evaluated. The combination of an optimized PC and a flat piston yielded the highest thermal efficiency owing to the relatively lower combustion and wall heat transfer losses. At engine loads higher than 12.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure, exhaust gas recirculation must be implemented to avoid end-gas autoignition and reduce nitric oxides (NOx) emissions. As expected, the increase in (CR) further promoted engine work because of the higher expansion ratio. With CR of 13 and 14, higher thermal efficiency and lower NOx emission were simultaneously achieved under both intermediate and high loads when the engine was operating at the pure methanol PC combustion mode.

Numerical study of the effects of excess air ratio on passive pre-chamber jet performance and ignition mechanism

Pre-chamber (PC) ignition is a promising lean-burn technology to improve the efficiency of spark ignition (SI) engines while achieving ultra-low NOx emissions. However, the significant effects of the excess air ratio (λ) on the PC jet performance and ignition mechanism were still not fully unraveled. The current study numerically investigated the jet characteristics and combustion behaviors of a narrow-throat PC with two rows of orifices on a passive PC engine fueled with methane. The numerical model was validated extensively by the pressure, heat release rate, and natural flame luminosity (NFL) imaging of the PC flame jet. A detailed comparison of the NFL images of the jets and the simulated flame iso-faces presented excellent matching in the flame jet penetration and propagation process. The results reveal that the λ = 0.9 case has the best jet performance, but it doesn’t lead in every jet characteristic. For instance, the jet temperature is highest under λ = 1.0, and OH concentration is most under λ = 1.1. The transition from cold jet to flame jet produces noticeable jet non-uniformity, which is reported for the first time. This observation can be remarked as a more accurate indication of the initiation of pre-chamber flame jet discharge. The asymmetrical mixture inflow from the main chamber produces asymmetrical turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and temperature distributions; these result in different flame propagation in the PC, jet non-uniformity, and varied stages of jet discharge. The upper jets are quenched in every case because of the much higher TKE, while the lower jets don’t present quenching when the λ ranges from 0.9 to 1.3; especially, the λ = 1.1 case has the best ignition performance for its most OH radicals. The “jet ignition regime”, in which flame quenching takes place, results in highly non-uniform flame propagation and low flame propagation speed. The ultra-rich case shows more signs of jet ignition and thus exhibits worse jet performance than the lean cases. This study uncovers the mechanisms and the optimal λ value for the pre-chamber ignition of the main chamber charge, providing valuable guidance for PC design.

CFD-based methodology for the characterization of the combustion process of a passive pre-chamber gasoline engine

Pre-chamber (PC) ignition systems, enabling Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) combustion, represent a promising technology to extend the lean limit of Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Engines. Indeed, the higher ignition energy provided by the turbulent jets contributes to the limitation of combustion duration and variability even in diluted conditions. However, a detailed analysis of the combustion process is needed to maximize the performance of the system. More specifically, the interaction between the chemical and the turbulent scales are key factors in assessing the probabilities of main chamber (MC) ignition, determining the ignition pattern, and characterizing the combustion process. For this reason, the development of reliable numerical models is a crucial factor to pave the way toward a deeper understanding of details concerning TJI combustion. In the present work, a 3D-CFD numerical model was validated against experimental data at 4000 rpm, in stoichiometric and lean (i.e., λ = 1.2) conditions in a single-cylinder gasoline engine equipped with a passive pre-chamber. In both operations, the evolution of the turbulent combustion regimes over the whole combustion process was investigated, highlighting analogies and differences between the selected operative conditions. Additionally, a methodology to characterize the MC ignition and combustion process, able to describe the different phases of the interaction between PC and MC, and assess the thermal, turbulent, and chemical effects of the turbulent jets is presented.

Computational optimization of the performance of a heavy-duty natural gas pre-chamber engine

Optimization of the performance of a heavy-duty natural gas active pre-chamber (PC) engine was conducted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Seven different piston geometries were evaluated for their impact on engine performance. Unlike the narrow-throat PC, various piston geometries yielded a significant impact on the PC flow motion and fuel–air mixing process using the large-throat PC. Compared to flat-bottom pistons, ω-bottom pistons promoted the reverse flow from the MC and induced a broader lean-mixture distribution in the PC. For various ω-bottom pistons, enlarging the inner piston radius resulted in slower flame propagation within the PC, delaying the jet issuing and slowing down the turbulent flame propagation within the MC. The flat piston effectively reduced jet flame-piston interaction and promoted turbulent flame propagation within the squish region during the late combustion stage, but it generated higher wall heat transfer loss from the cylinder liner. A composite of ω- and flat-shaped pistons maintained the benefits of relatively high flame propagation speed within the squish region but low wall heat transfer loss, yielding the highest thermal efficiency of seven piston designs. The PC fueling ratio (PCFR) was found to be a critical factor in influencing the jet issuing process. A lower PCFR to establish a near-stoichiometric mixture within the PC promoted flame propagation and led to a faster jet ejection. An increase in compression ratio yielded higher engine efficiency due to the advanced combustion phasing and larger expansion ratio, it also resulted in higher wall heat transfer loss and nitric oxide (NOx) emission. The introduction of exhaust gas recirculation was able to effectively inhibit NOx formation, while also resulting in higher engine efficiency due to the lower wall heat transfer loss.

A Quasi-Dimensional Burn Rate Model for Pre-Chamber-Initiated Jet Ignition Combustion

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Prospective combustion engine applications require the highest possible energy conversion efficiencies for environmental and economic sustainability. For conventional Spark-Ignition (SI) engines, the quasi-hemispherical flame propagation combustion method can only be significantly optimized in combination with high excess air dilution or increased combustion speed. However, with increasing excess air dilution, this is difficult due to decreasing flame speeds and flammability limits. Pre-Chamber (PC) initiated jet ignition combustion systems significantly shift the flammability and flame stability limits towards higher dilution areas due to high levels of introduced turbulence and a significantly increased flame area in early combustion stages, leading to considerably increased combustion speeds and high efficiencies. By now, vehicle implementations of PC-initiated combustion systems remain niche applications, especially in combination with lean mixtures. This is also due to challenges regarding cold-start, combustion stability at low loads, and emissions. Nevertheless, PC ignition systems allow overall engine efficiencies >45%. Therefore, a market launch of an engine using globally lean mixtures ignited by a PC system is desirable. This requires a fast-running and predictive physical model to conduct robust design studies and complement existing testing methodologies (3D-CFD, experimental). This paper addresses the development of a quasi-dimensional burn rate model for PC ignition combustion systems. The presented modeling approach combines the well-established two-zone entrainment model (main-chamber) with a semi-empirical PC model that aims to detect the PC influence on the main-chamber combustion. Dedicated models predict the impact of the jet-induced turbulence and the increased flame area. The models are integrated into the so-called cylinder module developed at IFS (Institute of Automotive Engineering Stuttgart). For the model validation, measurement data of a single-cylinder research engine using different fuels (E100<sup>1</sup>, RON95E10<sup>2</sup>), loads (<i>IMEP</i> = 6 − 15 <i>bar</i>), excess air dilutions (<i>λ</i> = 1 − 2) and compression ratios (16.4<sup>1</sup>, 12.6<sup>2</sup>) are used, showing a satisfactory prediction of the burn rate and pressure curve.</div></div>

Computational assessment of the effects of pre-chamber and piston geometries on the combustion characteristics of an optical pre-chamber engine

Pre-chamber combustion (PCC) has the potential to extend the lean-burn limit in spark-ignition engines, which can promote engine efficiency and relieve the concern of emissions of nitrogen oxides. This work assessed the effects of pre-chamber (PC) and piston geometries on the combustion characteristics of an optical methane PCC engine with both experimental and computational approaches. Five active-type PCs with different volumes and nozzle diameters (12 nozzles distributed evenly in two layers) and two pistons (bowl and flat) were tested under lean-burn conditions. Multi-cycle pressure and heat release profiles, natural flame luminosity images, and OH* chemiluminescence images were measured and employed for CFD modeling validations. The PCs with the smaller nozzle diameter yielded more intensely-reacting jets from the upper layer of nozzles compared to the other PCs, attributed to the stronger gas choke there, which dramatically affected the flow fields. A larger PC volume allowed more air–fuel mixture to be trapped within the PC whose combustion then resulted in faster pressure buildup, which, however, led to higher heat transfer loss. Compared to the bowl piston, the flat piston generated a higher heat release rate during the late combustion period owing to the relatively longer jet propagation within the squish region.

Comparative Study of Spark-Ignited and Pre-Chamber Hydrogen-Fueled Engine: A Computational Approach

Hydrogen is a promising future fuel to enable the transition of transportation sector toward carbon neutrality. The direct utilization of H2 in internal combustion engines (ICEs) faces three major challenges: high NOx emissions, severe pressure rise rates, and pre-ignition at mid to high loads. In this study, the potential of H2 combustion in a truck-size engine operated in spark ignition (SI) and pre-chamber (PC) mode was investigated. To mitigate the high pressure rise rate with the SI configuration, the effects of three primary parameters on the engine combustion performance and NOx emissions were evaluated, including the compression ratio (CR), the air–fuel ratio, and the spark timing. In the simulations, the severity of the pressure rise was evaluated based on the maximum pressure rise rate (MPRR). Lower compression ratios were assessed as a means to mitigate the auto-ignition while enabling a wider range of engine operation. The study showed that by lowering CR from 16.5:1 to 12.5:1, an indicated thermal efficiency of 47.5% can be achieved at 9.4 bar indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) conditions. Aiming to restrain the auto-ignition while maintaining good efficiency, growth in λ was examined under different CRs. The simulated data suggested that higher CRs require a higher λ, and due to practical limitations of the boosting system, λ at 4.0 was set as the limit. At a fixed spark timing, using a CR of 13.5 combined with λ at 3.33 resulted in an indicated thermal efficiency of 48.6%. It was found that under such lean conditions, the exhaust losses were high. Thus, advancing the spark time was assessed as a possible solution. The results demonstrated the advantages of advancing the spark time where an indicated thermal efficiency exceeding 50% was achieved while maintaining a very low NOx level. Finally, the optimized case in the SI mode was used to investigate the effect of using the PC. For the current design of the PC, the results indicated that even though the mixture is lean, the flame speed of H2 is sufficiently high to burn the lean charge without using a PC. In addition, the PC design used in the current work induced a high MPRR inside the PC and MC, leading to an increased tendency to engine knock. The operation with PC also increased the heat transfer losses in the MC, leading to lower thermal efficiency compared to the SI mode. Consequently, the PC combustion mode needs further optimizations to be employed in hydrogen engine applications.

Acquiring reliable boundary conditions for three-dimensional simulation of internal combustion engines by means of one-dimensional simulation: an insight on pre chamber design

Acquiring reliable boundary conditions for three-dimensional simulation of internal combustion engines by means of one-dimensional simulation: an insight on pre chamber design

The impact of gasoline formulation on turbulent jet ignition

Turbulent jet ignition (TJI) is a promising technology for burning ultra-lean mixtures; the process is comprised of hot reactive jets issuing from a pre-chamber (PC) and initiating combustion in the main chamber (MC). The present study employs a simplified zero-dimensional (0D) partially stirred reactor (PaSR) model to describe the complex mixing and reaction progress within the PC and its subsequent impact on the MC combustion in terms of combustion efficiency and pollutant formation characteristics. Full three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data are used to calibrate the PC model, which is subsequently linked to predict the MC combustion behavior. We propose a model to predict the effects of the fuel formulations with varying research octane number (RON) and octane sensitivities (OS) on the TJI performance. After a careful parametric study, a dedicated merit function for identifying the optimal TJI operating conditions was proposed to assess multiple fuel properties and their influence on MC combustion. The model properly accounts for micro-mixing effects in the early jet expansion phase, and represents the effects of a PC jet on enhancing flammability and pollutant mitigation. It was demonstrated that aromatic content affects not only the progress of the thermokinetic runaway, but also the importance of NO formation paths in MC (N2O vs NNH routes), and the effect of the PC jet on MC flammability limits. Among the jet active species, OH and NO exhibited the greatest chemical impact on MC reactivity, while the chemical effects of CO2 and H2O remained limited. The overall fuel TJI merit function showed optimum performance for fuels with 2 < OS < 6 and high RON, similar to the requirements for spark-ignited engine operation beyond motor octane number (MON) conditions, fuel lean advanced compression ignition operation, and spark-induced compression ignition.

Influences of the pre-chamber orifices on the combustion behavior in a constant volume chamber simulating pre-chamber type medium-speed gas engines

The study aims to clarify the influence of pre-chamber (PC) configurations on the combustion process in the main chamber (MC) of medium-speed spark-ignition gas engines equipped with an active PC. A constant volume combustion chamber was prepared to simulate the chamber configurations of the gas engines. A high-speed shadowgraph was applied to visualize the torch flame development and the combustion process in the MC. Experiments were done by changing the charged gas in the MC, the number, and the diameter of the PC orifices. Combustion was most accelerated when the PC orifice configuration was set appropriately so that the adjacent torch flames would combine with each other. It was also found that the unburned mixture in the PC, which ejected prior to the torch flame, supported the penetration of the torch flame.

Economy and emission characteristics of the optimal dilution strategy in lean combustion based on GDI gasoline engine equipped with prechamber

EGR and excess-air dilution have been investigated in a 1.5 L four cylinders gasoline direct injection (GDI) turbocharged engine equipped with prechamber. The influences of the two different dilution technologies on the engine performance are explored. The results show that at 2400 rpm and 12 bar, EGR dilution can adopt more aggressive ignition advanced angle to achieve optimal combustion phasing. However, excess-air dilution has greater fuel economy than that of EGR dilution owing to larger in-cylinder polytropic exponent. As for prechamber, when dilution ratio is greater than 37.1%, the combustion phase is advanced, resulting in fuel economy improving. Meanwhile, only when the dilution ratio is under 36.2%, the HC emissions of excess-air dilution are lower than the original engine. With the increase of dilution ratio, the CO emissions decrease continuously. The NOX emissions of both dilution technologies are 11% of those of the original engine. Excess-air dilution has better fuel economy and very low CO emissions. EGR dilution can effectively reduce NOX emissions, but increase HC emissions. Compared with spark plug ignition, the pre chamber ignition has lower HC, CO emissions, and higher NO emissions. At part load, the pre-chamber ignition reduces NOX emissions to 49 ppm.