Turbocharged Engine Research Articles

Evaluation of CRDi engine fueled with binary and ternary blends of biodiesel, butanol and diesel

Abstract An automotive-type four-cylinder turbocharged CRDi engine has been considered to utilize a higher proportion of biodiesel beyond 20% while effectively addressing the NOx-soot-engine performance trade-off with biodiesel, butanol and petro-diesel fuel blends. Mixed feedstock obtained from Sterculia Foetida Oil and Used Palm Oil in equal proportions, to prepare biodiesel, and three binary and three ternary blends, prepared in different proportions, have been considered. Investigations were carried out at various speed and load conditions similar to idling, urban and highway drive conditions by varying the main injection timing and boost pressure, keeping other parameters at optimized values. The speed test conditions are chosen from a modified Indian Driving Cycle to simulate real driving conditions. The results obtained with different blends are compared against engine operation with neat petro-diesel operation. The engine is incorporated with a variable geometry turbine for increasing intake air and an open ECU for setting the operating parameters. For facilitating split injections, a dwell period (time between start of pilot and start of main injection) of 27° CA (i.e. with PIT at 28°bTDC and MIT at 1°bTDC), PIQ of 11%, and FIP of 61.4 MPa are recommended for the speed and load conditions under consideration and the given engine configuration. Among the tested ternary blends, B20Bu10D70 and B30Bu10D60 showed improvement in NOx and smoke emissions, with low-temperature combustion-like conditions observed. The use of renewable fuels will effectively address UNO's sustainable development goals.

Performance Analysis of a Waste-Gated Turbine for Automotive Engines: An Experimental and Numerical Study

In this article, the results of an experimental investigation and a 1D modeling activity on the steady-state performance of a wastegated turbocharger turbine for spark ignition engines are presented. An experimental campaign to analyze the turbine performance for different waste-gate valve openings was conducted at the test bench for components of propulsion systems of the University of Genoa. Thanks to the experimental activity, a 1D model is developed to assess the interaction between the flow through the impeller and the by-pass port. Advanced modeling techniques are crucial for improving the assessment of turbocharger turbines performance and, consequently, enhancing the engine–turbocharger matching calculation. The initial tuning of the model is based on turbine characteristic maps obtained with the by-pass port kept closed. The study then highlights the waste-gate valve behavior considering its different openings. It was found that a more refined model is necessary to accurately define the mass flow rate through the waste-gate valve. After independently tuning the 1D models of the turbine and the waste-gate valve, their behavior is analyzed in parallel-flow conditions. The results highlight significant interactions between the two components that must be taken into account to reduce inaccuracies in the engine-turbocharger matching calculation. These interactions lead to a reduced swallowing capacity of the turbine impeller. This reduction has an impact on the power delivered to the compressor, the boost pressure, and, consequently, the engine backpressure. The results suggest that methods generally adopted that consider the by-pass valve and the turbine as two nozzles working in parallel under the same thermodynamic condition could be insufficient to accurately assess the turbocharger behavior.

TURBOCHARGING UNIT OF THE FOUR-STROKE ENGINE OF THE FORMULA STUDENT RACING CAR

Justification. In any motorsport competitions, for safety reasons, any restrictions on engines are applied: in terms of power, volume, etc. One type of limiter is an air restrictor, which is a calibrated hole in the intake manifold. The most effective and permitted way to increase the power of an engine with a restrictor is to install a turbocharger unit. The purpose of the work is to conduct research on increasing the power of a single-cylinder, inline 4-stroke engine, with an air intake restrictor, by installing an air boost unit. Materials and methods. The study was performed by modeling the operation of a single-cylinder, inline 4-stroke engine, with an air intake restrictor, and a boost unit. To simplify the calculation, the restrictor was taken as a direct diffuser. The calculation was carried out in the Ricardo WAVE software package, which can perform complex calculations of various intake and exhaust systems, with for mathematical modeling of the operation of a single-cylinder four-stroke gasoline engine. With the help of the developed mathematical model, a simulation of the operation of an engine with a boost unit, with and without a restrictor in the main operating modes was carried out in order to obtain its optimal characteristics. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the selection and optimization of the length of the inlet pipe and the use of a restrictor to improve engine performance. Conclusion. The turbocharging unit system (with a restrictor) of the four-stroke engine of the Formula Student racing car has shown a significant advantage over the atmospheric version of the engine. For example, a turbocharged engine has 31 kW and a torque of 34 Nm, whereas a turbocharged engine shows characteristics of 40 kW and 54 Nm, which gives a significant increase in the dynamics of a racing car. Thus, the installation of a boost unit is able not only to solve the problems associated with the restrictor, but also to significantly improve the key performance of the engine. Keywords: engine turbocharging, restrictor, restrictive nozzle.

Influence of External Clearance Variation on Vibration Characteristics of Ship Electrically Assisted Turbocharger Rotor Bearing System

Electrically assisted turbocharging (EAT) technology is an important technical means to effectively solve the problems of insufficient intake air and poor transient response of traditional turbocharged engines at low speed or acceleration, and to realize the electrification of marine internal combustion engine power system. In the EAT design stage, the original rotor model of a marine turbocharger was established and verified. Subsequently, the EAT rotor dynamics design and analysis were carried out, and the influence of the unbalanced phase and external clearance on rotor vibration was discussed. The results show that when the external clearance is small, extensive sub-synchronous vibration occurs and bifurcation occurs at high speed. When the external clearance is large, the sub-synchronous vibration component almost disappears but high synchronous vibration occurs at a high speed. At the same time, the shaft is significantly affected by the gravity load at low speeds, and the rotor makes a balanced motion on the critical limit cycle at high speed. In order to minimize the vibration and noise of the same type of EAT, it is recommended to control the outer clearance of the EAT bearing in the range of 0.30–0.36[Formula: see text]mm. The research content provides a reference for the dynamic design and analysis of the EAT, which effectively helps the development of the original engine of the ship electric auxiliary turbocharger and improves the operation stability of the EAT.

Investigations of combustion characteristics and mechanism of backfire-induced super-knock in a turbocharged hydrogen engine

Hydrogen internal combustion engines have been demonstrated to offer high power with zero carbon emissions. However, knock pose a significant obstacle to enhancing hydrogen engine performance further. Super knock commonly occurs in highly boosted engines with low-speed pre-ignition regimes while a critical super-knock induced by backfire with a new mechanism is detected in hydrogen engines. Experiments and multi-cycle numerical simulations are conducted on a 5.13 L port fuel injection turbocharged hydrogen engine. The results indicate that backfire leads to a maximum pressure amplitude oscillation of 134.7 bar super-knock in the next cycle, which is attributed by twice auto-ignition at −1.3/3.6 °CA. Backfire rises the local temperature to 915 K at the bottom of the cylinder and scrambled hydrogen distribution, leading to large locally rich regions of lambda = 1.2, a lean mixture of lambda = 2.9 near the spark plug, results in 5.4 × 10−4/2 × 10−3 maximum mass fraction of HO2/H2O2. The mechanism of super-knock induced by backfire and normal knock caused by advanced ignition are compared, the unburned region size is positively correlated with the knock intensity. This study of super-knock induced by backfire mechanism is first proposed and it reveals insights of avoiding super-knock, thereby achieving higher performance hydrogen engines.

Diesel Engine Turbocharger Monitoring by Processing Accelerometric Signals through Empirical Mode Decomposition and Independent Component Analysis

In this study, a method for the monitoring of internal combustion engine operation by vibration signals is proposed. The work falls within the context of the increasingly stringent standards relating to the environmental impact of engines and the development of monitoring and control techniques to ensure increased engine performance as well as fuel saving and reduction of pollutant emissions. Experimentation was performed on a turbocharged light-duty compression ignition direct-injection engine. Two monoaxial accelerometers were installed on the engine compressor case, the speed of which has been demonstrated to be closely related to the engine operation. Vibration measurements of the engine compressor case have been processed by combining the Empirical Mode Decomposition technique with Independent Component Analysis and Short Time Fourier Transform to indirectly estimate the turbocharger speed. The obtained traces have been compared to the direct turbocharger velocity measures during the stationary running of the engine (speed and load conditions varied in the complete engine’s range of operation). The results point out the potentiality of the methodology in algorithms devoted to identifying modifications of the combustion development regarding regular operation via indirect turbocharger speed monitoring.

Enhanced algorithm for predictive maintenance to detect turbocharger overspeed in diesel engine rail vehicles

The reliability and safety of locomotives is crucial for efficient train operation. Repeated turbocharger failures in Israel Railways locomotive fleet have raised serious safety concerns. An investigation into the failures revealed that the uncontrolled acceleration and overspeed transients of the turbocharger shaft occurred before the failure. Early detection of potential turbocharger failures by predicting overspeed conditions is critical to the safety and reliability of locomotives. In this study, an enhanced novel algorithm for estimating the Instantaneous Angular Speed (IAS) of the turbocharger and diesel engines is presented to overcome the challenges of transient operating conditions of diesel engines. Using adaptive dephasing, the algorithm effectively isolates critical asynchronous vibration components that are crucial for the early detection of turbocharger failures. This algorithm is suitable for non-stationary speeds and is applicable to any range of rotational speed and rate of change. The algorithm requires the input of the basic parameters of the system, while all other parameters that control the process are determined automatically. The algorithm was developed specifically for the special operating conditions of diesel engines and improves predictive maintenance and operational reliability. The method is robust as it correlates between several characteristic frequencies of the rotating parts of the system. The algorithm was verified and validated with simulated and experimental data.

Control strategies for mode switching of a large marine two-stroke engine equipped with exhaust gas recirculation and turbocharger cut-off systems

To meet the stringent nitrogen oxides emissions regulations, the recent marine two-stroke engines are equipped with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems. Crossing the boundaries of exhaust control areas requires switching between the engine operating modes associated with the activation or deactivation the EGR system, which imposes challenges to the engine operation. This study aims to develop and numerically test effective control strategies for improving the mode switching of marine two-stroke engines with EGR systems. The investigated engine dynamic model is developed by integrating a zero-dimensional thermodynamic model developed in GT-POWER and the control model developed in MATLAB/Simulink. This model is first validated against the experimentally measured engine performance parameters, and subsequently employed to simulate the engine dynamic operation with mode switching. The simulation results are assessed to quantify the impact of several control strategies on the engine performance. The derived perrformannce parameters time variations demonstrate that the deactivation of the EGR branch and the small engine–turbocharger result in exceeding the manufacturer limits at high loads and increasing the fuel consumption. The proposed load-based control strategies, which employ load thresholds and time delays for the control of the EGR and turbocharging systems activation/deactivation, are proved effective, as the engine performance parameters are retained within their limits and fuel consumption penalties are minimised. This study provides insights for developing the control of the marine engines after-treatment systems, hence contributing towards enhancing shipping sustainability.

Experimental investigation of the matching boundary and optimization strategy of a variable geometry turbocharged direct-injected hydrogen engine

With the higher demand for torque, power, brake thermal efficiency (BTE), and low NOx emissions of hydrogen engines, direct injection and turbocharging are the most effective methods to improve performance. However, due to the large air flow rate variation range with lean combustion and low exhaust gas energy, the turbine needs to be adjusted significantly, and the performance of the conventional waste gate turbochargers is limited. In this study, a 2.0 L direct-injected turbocharged hydrogen engine was studied experimentally and matched with a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT). The working boundary of the VGT determined by abnormal combustion and exhaust back pressure is proposed at all working conditions as it changes from 10-50 % @1500 rpm to 40–75 % @4500 rpm. Control of the VGT to balance combustion and gas exchange was achieved to reach the highest BTE of 42.57 %. Further, high torque of 326 Nm and high power of 125 kW are explored and different VGT opening strategies are compared. An optimized VGT opening control strategy is proposed, which is divided into five regions at different loads to ensure best performance. The VGT opening control strategy based on λ control and the trade-off between combustion and gas exchange efficiency at all working conditions can be valuable in the development of high-performance hydrogen engines.

An experimental study on aging effects of fuel-cut events including sound optimized torque reduction on modern three-way catalysts

Continuously increasing country-specific emission standards for passenger vehicles demand additional development steps in complex exhaust gas aftertreatment systems for a more effective reduction of harmful gases. The efficiency of the aftertreatment system declines over its lifecycle due to specific load profiles and other boundary conditions, resulting in increasing emissions over vehicle mileage. As a result, the durability of the exhaust system becomes more important. Fuel cut is an intended, temporary interruption of the fuel supply of modern combustion engines of passenger cars to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. During this fuel reduction event, unconsumed oxygen of rich and cool fresh air is introduced to the combustion chamber and to the exhaust system. Besides a catalyst cool down, oxidation effects are provoked by enhanced oxygen reactions processes within the catalyst’s washcoat and surface layers. In this publication, specific aging cycles with a variation of fuel-cut programs were examined on their effects on a modified modern eight-cylinder turbo-charged engine, especially on their oxidation effects correlating to catalyst aging. Light-off curves and conversion heat maps were used to evaluate possible damaging impacts of fuel-cut events on the aging behavior of the catalyst systems. Results indicate that higher frequency of fuel-cut events results in a reduced catalyst conversion efficiency, whereas thermal sintering might be reduced due to overall lower temperature load. Temporary oxidation processes on catalyst’s surfaces occur only in a short timespan after changing the air fuel ratio to lean, resulting in a weaker thermal sintering during longer fuel-cut events. Sound optimized torque reduction functions, used in sports cars for a better drivability and powertrain response, exhibit a stronger aging influence due to additional thermal shock effects on the catalysts front face, as demonstrated via optical infrared sensor technology during catalyst aging cycles on the modified engine bench setup. A theoretical calculation of aging processes as a combination of thermal sintering by Arrhenius equation as well as oxidation process is discussed to describe an aging classification induced via oxidation processes. Additional physisorption measurements of different catalyst probes support the results which indicate the direction of future experimental approaches.

Multi-mode Optimization of Diesel Engine Turbocharging

The thermogasdynamic engine system consisting of a number of subsystems of varying complexity is considered. The solution to the optimization problem in general is carried out by a multi-step iterative process of exchanging information between the levels repeatedly with refinement for all successive iterations of the initial data. Mathematical models of gas-dynamic processes in the flow section in variable modes, the simulation model of a gas turbine engine, and the model of multi-mode optimization of a gas turbine engine have been developed. The optimization of general-mode parameters is carried out in the space of points each of which reaches a minimum expression for the mode parameters.

Cyclic coupling and working characteristics analysis of a novel combined cycle engine concept for aviation applications

The imperative for small aviation engines lies in the pursuit of heightened power-to-weight ratios and thermal efficiencies. Relying solely on piston engines and gas turbines is insufficient to concurrently meet these evolving performance demands. This paper introduces the concept of a combined cycle aviation engine (CCAE), amalgamating the cycle modes of piston engines and gas turbines. The CCAE achieves flexible control over turbine operating states and engine performance through the adjustment of the energy distribution between these two cycles. The air diversion strategy (α) and the burner's fuel supply strategy (λb) are identified as the key determinants of system performance. To comprehensively investigate the impact of α and λb on CCAE's performance, this paper constructs a theoretical model, a simulation model, and a test bench. The simulation model's accuracy is validated through test data, and the air-fuel ratio range for burner stable combustion is explored. The simulation results indicate a reduction of 50 % in the fluctuation of turbine speed within a single cycle. Under high-altitude conditions, CCAE's intake mass flow rate, power, and efficiency are notably enhanced when compared to conventional turbocharged piston engines. These findings contribute valuable insights that can inform the application of CCAE within the aviation domain.

Combustion Mechanism of Gasoline Detonation Tube and Coupling of Engine Turbocharging Cycle

Traditional exhaust-gas turbocharging exhibits hysteresis under variable working conditions. To achieve rapid-intake supercharging, this study investigates the synergistic coupling process between the detonation and diesel cycles using gasoline as fuel. A numerical simulation model is constructed to analyze the detonation characteristics of a pulse-detonation combustor (PDC), followed by experimental verification. The comprehensive process of the flame’s deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) and the formation of the detonation wave are discussed in detail. The airflow velocity, DDT time, and peak pressure of detonation tubes with five different blockage ratios (BR) are analyzed, with the results imported into a one-dimensional GT-POWER engine model. The results indicate that the generation of detonation waves is influenced by flame and compression wave interactions. Increasing the airflow does not shorten the DDT time, whereas increasing the BR causes the DDT time to decrease and then increase. Large BRs affect the initiation speed of detonation in the tube, while small BRs impact the DDT distance and peak pressure. Upon connection to the PDC, the transient response rate of the engine is slightly improved. These results can provide useful guidance for improving the transient response characteristics of engines.

Simulation Study on Combustion Performance of Ammonia-Hydrogen Fuel Engines

Ammonia is a very promising alternative fuel for internal combustion engines, but there are some disadvantages, such as difficulty in ignition and slow combustion rate when ammonia is used alone. Aiming to address the problem of ammonia combustion difficulty, measures are proposed to improve ammonia combustion by blending hydrogen. A one-dimensional turbocharged ammonia-hydrogen engine simulation model was established, and the combustion model was corrected and verified. Using the verified one-dimensional model, the effects of different ratios of hydrogen to ammonia, different rotational speeds and loads on the combustion performance are investigated. The results show that the ignition delay and combustion duration is shortened with the increase of the hydrogen blending ratio. The appropriate amount of hydrogen blending can improve the brake’s thermal efficiency. With the increase in engine speed, increasing the proportion of hydrogen blending is necessary to ensure reliable ignition. In conclusion, the ammonia-hydrogen fuel engine has good combustion performance, but it is necessary to choose the appropriate hydrogen blending ratio according to the engine’s operating conditions and requirements.

Research and Application of Diesel Engine Turbocharging Technology in Plateau Environment

This article summarizes the changes and correction methods of turbocharger compressor characteristics in plateau environments, providing a basis for the plateau matching of diesel engines and turbochargers. Analyze the current research status of plateau matching between fixed cross-section turbochargers, variable cross-section turbochargers, and two-stage turbocharging systems and diesel engines, and explore the potential of variable cross-section turbocharging (VGT), ordinary two-stage turbocharging (TST), and adjustable two-stage turbocharging (RTST) for diesel engine plateau power improvement. Through comparative analysis, the two-stage adjustable turbocharging system based on VGT combines the advantages of two-stage turbocharging and VGT technology, and has the characteristics of high pressure ratio and wide flow rate, which can significantly improve the comprehensive performance of diesel engines on high altitudes.

Experimental Study of the Performance of Turbo-Charged Gasoline Direct-Injection Engine Based on Different Pre-Chamber Structures

In this paper, in order to improve the fuel economy of the actual application of the engine under multi-operating conditions, an experimental study is carried out on a turbo-charged direct-injection engine based on different pre-chamber structures. The engine used for the study is a four-cylinder turbo-charged direct-injection gasoline engine with different structures of pre-chamber spark plugs. The operating conditions in this study include load characteristics at 2000 r/min and characteristic loads at different speeds, including 3000 r/min, 3200 r/min, and 3600 r/min. With stable BMEP or fully open throttle and pedal, the experiment was conducted by the spark angle scanning method to collect data of engine power, economy, and emission under each condition. It was found that the pre-chamber structure has a direct effect on engine performance, with a clear load demarcation line for its effect. Under the WOT condition, the power of pre-chamber ignition is 1.6% higher than that of conventional spark plugs; at the low load of 2 bar, the economy of pre-chamber ignition is degraded by 6%; at the medium load of 8 bar, the economy of the two is comparable; at the large load of 16 bar, the fuel economy proves advantageous. Compared with conventional spark plugs, the pre-chamber spark angle can be advanced by 2~3 °CA, and the pre-chamber ignition with separate ground electrodes is highly reliable. The emission levels of the pre-chamber spark plugs and conventional spark plugs are comparable at all loads.

Estimation of Piston Surface Temperature During Engine Transient Operation for Emissions Reduction

Abstract Piston surface temperature is an important factor in the reduction of harmful emissions in modern gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines. In transient operation, the piston surface temperature can change rapidly, increasing the risk of fuel puddling. The prediction of the piston surface temperature can provide the means to significantly improve multiple-pulse fuel injection control strategies through the avoidance of fuel puddling. It could also be used to intelligently control the piston cooling jet (PCJ), which is common in modern engines. Considerable research has been undertaken to identify generalized engine heat transfer correlations and to predict piston and cylinder wall surface temperatures during operation. Most of these correlations require in-cylinder combustion pressure as an input, as well as the identification of numerous model parameters. These requirements render such an approach impractical. In this study, the authors have developed a thermodynamic model of piston surface temperature based on the global energy balance (GEB) methodology, which includes the effect of PCJ activation. The advantages are a simple structure and no requirement for in-cylinder pressure data, and only limited experimental tests are needed for model parameter identification. Moreover, the proposed model works well during engine transient operation, with maximum average error of 6.68% during rapid transients. A detailed identification procedure is given. This and the model performance have been demonstrated using experimental piston crown surface temperature data from a prototype 1-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged GDI engine, operated in both engine steady-state and transient conditions with an oil jet used for piston cooling turned both on and off.

Exploring the passive the pre-chamber ignition concept for spark-ignition engines fueled with natural gas under EGR-diluted conditions

The pre-chamber ignition system has demonstrated to be a suitable technology for increasing burning rates while reducing the cycle-to-cycle variability in spark-ignition engines. This concept offers an improvement in thermal efficiency through an increase in ignition energy and flame surface, allowing it to overcome knocking combustion issues at high engine load/speeds. This fact makes this ignition concept well compatible with the use of dilution strategies to control emissions or to further improve efficiency. However, despite promoting faster combustion, knocking combustion is still a major limitation at low rotational speeds and high engine loads (low-end torque). In this investigation, the performance of the passive pre-chamber concept is evaluated in a single-cylinder turbocharged spark-ignition engine fueled with compressed natural gas in EGR-diluted conditions. Several experiments and numerical simulations are combined to analyze the basis of the pre-chamber operation, while seeking to improve the global performance of the engine. To this end, a new pre-chamber geometry is proposed that is able to achieve better features in the ejected jets, to enhance the performance of the concept in the whole engine map.

Determination of the actual turbocharging characteristics of diesel engines using support vector machines (SVM)

The article proposes and justifies a method that allows solving the problem of determining the characteristics of turbocharging of diesel engines of agricultural tractors without the use of test benches. The proposed application of support vector machines (SVM) has a number of advantages over traditional methods for determining the characteristics of turbocharging of diesel engines under operating conditions of agricultural tractors and machines.

Pre-matching study of the natural gas engine turbocharging system based on the coupling of experiments and numerical simulation

In this study, a pre-matching method was developed based on measured performance parameters and theoretical calculations of turbochargers. First, the turbocharger of a natural gas engine was subjected to a comprehensive performance experiment. According to the experimental results, the maximum efficiencies of the turbine and compressor are 70% and 75%, respectively, and the efficiency of the turbine drops sharply from 70% to 56.6% as the pressure ratio increases from 1.25 to 2.4. In this thesis, a specific turbocharger pre-matching software has been developed in conjunction with a database. Three turbines and three compressors were selected from the self-developed database for matching and comparative study using this method. The simulation results showed that the maximum efficiency of turbine #1, #2 and #3 is 71.3%, 72.2% and 72.7%, respectively, and the efficiency of these three turbines is concentrated between 65% and 72.5%. Obviously, the maximum efficiency of the turbine has increased by 1.3–2.7% and the overall efficiency has improved after the pre-matching. Therefore, this developed pre-matching method can reduce time cost, improve work efficiency and engine performance, and is important for the design and development of turbochargers.