Split Injection Strategies for Biodiesel-Fueled Premixed Charge Compression Ignition Combustion Engine—Part I: Combustion, Performance, and Emission Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhilendra Pratap Singh ◽  
Avinash Kumar Agarwal

Abstract In this study, a single-cylinder research engine was used to investigate the comparative combustion, performance, and emissions characteristics of the engine in a premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) mode combustion vis-a-vis baseline compression ignition (CI) mode combustion using three test fuels, namely, B20 (20% v/v biodiesel blended with mineral diesel), B40 (40% v/v biodiesel blended with mineral diesel), and mineral diesel. For both combustion modes, experiments were performed at constant fuel injection pressure (FIP, 700 bar), engine speed (1500 rpm), and fuel energy input (0.7 kg/h diesel equivalent). PCCI mode combustion experiments were performed at four different start of main injection (SoMI) timings using two different pilot fuel injection strategies, namely, single pilot injection (SPI, 35 deg before top dead center (bTDC)) and double pilot injection (DPI, 35 deg, and 45 deg bTDC). Results showed that advancing SoMI timing for both CI and PCCI combustion modes resulted in knocking; however, the DPI strategy resulted in relatively lesser knocking compared with the SPI strategy. The performance of PCCI mode combustion was relatively inferior compared with baseline CI mode combustion; however, biodiesel blends slightly improved the performance of PCCI mode combustion. Overall, this study shows that the PCCI mode combustion operating load range can be improved by using the DPI strategy.

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhilendra Pratap Singh ◽  
Avinash Kumar Agarwal

Abstract In this study, experiments were performed in a single-cylinder research engine to investigate the particulate matter (PM) characteristics of the engine operated in premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) mode combustion vis-a-vis baseline compression ignition (CI) mode combustion using three test fuels, namely, B20 (20% v/v biodiesel blended with mineral diesel), B40 (40% v/v/ biodiesel blended with mineral diesel), and baseline mineral diesel. The experiments were carried out at constant fuel injection pressure (FIP) (700 bar), constant engine speed (1500 rpm), and constant fuel energy input (0.7 kg/h diesel equivalent). PM characteristics of PCCI mode combustion were evaluated using two different fuel injection strategies, namely, single pilot injection (SPI) (35 deg before top dead center (bTDC)) and double pilot injection (DPI) (35 deg and 45 deg bTDC) at four different start of main injection (SoMI) timings. Results showed that both PCCI mode combustion strategies emitted significantly lower PM compared to baseline CI mode combustion strategy. However, the blending of biodiesel resulted in relatively higher PM emissions from both CI and PCCI combustion modes. Chemical characterization of PM showed that PCCI mode combustion emitted relatively lower trace metals compared to baseline CI mode combustion, which reduced further for B20. For detailed investigations of particulate structure, morphological characterization was done using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which showed that PM emitted by B20-fueled PCCI mode combustion posed potentially lower health risk compared to baseline mineral diesel-fueled CI mode combustion.


2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhilendra Pratap Singh ◽  
Nikhil Sharma ◽  
Dev Prakash Satsangi ◽  
Avinash Kumar Agarwal

Abstract Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) mode combustion has attracted significant attention because of its superior engine performance and significantly lower emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) compared with conventional compression ignition (CI) mode combustion engines. In this experimental study, effects of fuel injection pressure (FIP) of high reactivity fuel (HRF) and premixed ratio of low reactivity fuel (LRF) were evaluated on a diesel-methanol fueled RCCI mode combustion engine. Experiments were performed in a single cylinder research engine at a constant engine speed (1500 rpm) and constant engine load (3 bar BMEP) using three different FIPs (500, 750, and 1000 bar) of mineral diesel and four different premixed ratios (rp = 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75) of methanol. Results showed that RCCI mode resulted in more stable combustion compared with baseline CI mode combustion. Increasing FIP resulted in relatively higher knocking, but it reduced with increasing premixed ratio. Relatively higher brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of RCCI mode combustion compared with baseline CI mode combustion is an important finding of this study. BTE increased with increasing FIP of mineral diesel and increasing premixed ratio of methanol. Relatively dominant effect of increasing FIP on BTE at higher premixed ratios of methanol was also an important finding of this study. RCCI mode combustion resulted in higher carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, but lower PM and NOx emissions compared with baseline CI mode combustion. Increasing FIP of HRF at lower premixed ratios reduced the number concentration of particles; however, effect of FIP became less dominant at higher premixed ratios. Relatively higher number emissions of nanoparticles at higher FIPs were observed. Statistical and qualitative correlations exhibited the importance of suitable FIP at different premixed ratios of LRF on emission characteristics of RCCI mode combustion engine.


Author(s):  
Adam B. Dempsey ◽  
Scott Curran ◽  
Robert Wagner ◽  
William Cannella

Gasoline compression ignition (GCI) concepts with the majority of the fuel being introduced early in the cycle are known as partially premixed combustion (PPC). Previous research on single- and multicylinder engines has shown that PPC has the potential for high thermal efficiency with low NOx and soot emissions. A variety of fuel injection strategies have been proposed in the literature. These injection strategies aim to create a partially stratified charge to simultaneously reduce NOx and soot emissions while maintaining some level of control over the combustion process through the fuel delivery system. The impact of the direct injection (DI) strategy to create a premixed charge of fuel and air has not previously been explored, and its impact on engine efficiency and emissions is not well understood. This paper explores the effect of sweeping the direct injected pilot timing from −91 deg to −324 deg ATDC, which is just after the exhaust valve closes (EVCs) for the engine used in this study. During the sweep, the pilot injection consistently contained 65% of the total fuel (based on command duration ratio), and the main injection timing was adjusted slightly to maintain combustion phasing near top dead center. A modern four cylinder, 1.9 l diesel engine with a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT), high pressure common rail injection system, wide included angle injectors, and variable swirl actuations was used in this study. The pistons were modified to an open bowl configuration suitable for highly premixed combustion modes. The stock diesel injection system was unmodified, and the gasoline fuel was doped with a lubricity additive to protect the high pressure fuel pump and the injectors. The study was conducted at a fixed speed/load condition of 2000 rpm and 4.0 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP). The pilot injection timing sweep was conducted at different intake manifold pressures, swirl levels, and fuel injection pressures. The gasoline used in this study has relatively high fuel reactivity with a research octane number of 68. The results of this experimental campaign indicate that the highest brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and lowest emissions are achieved simultaneously with the earliest pilot injection timings (i.e., during the intake stroke).


Author(s):  
Adam Dempsey ◽  
Scott Curran ◽  
Robert Wagner ◽  
William Cannella

Gasoline compression ignition concepts with the majority of the fuel being introduced early in the cycle are known as partially premixed combustion (PPC). Previous research on single- and multi-cylinder engines has shown that PPC has the potential for high thermal efficiency with low NOx and soot emissions. A variety of fuel injection strategies has been proposed in the literature. These injection strategies aim to create a partially stratified charge to simultaneously reduce NOx and soot emissions while maintaining some level of control over the combustion process through the fuel delivery system. The impact of the direct injection strategy to create a premixed charge of fuel and air has not previously been explored, and its impact on engine efficiency and emissions is not well understood. This paper explores the effect of sweeping the direct injected pilot timing from −91° to −324° ATDC, which is just after the exhaust valve closes for the engine used in this study. During the sweep, the pilot injection consistently contained 65% of the total fuel (based on command duration ratio), and the main injection timing was adjusted slightly to maintain combustion phasing near top dead center. A modern four cylinder, 1.9 L diesel engine with a variable geometry turbocharger, high pressure common rail injection system, wide included angle injectors, and variable swirl actuation was used in this study. The pistons were modified to an open bowl configuration suitable for highly premixed combustion modes. The stock diesel injection system was unmodified, and the gasoline fuel was doped with a lubricity additive to protect the high pressure fuel pump and the injectors. The study was conducted at a fixed speed/load condition of 2000 rpm and 4.0 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP). The pilot injection timing sweep was conducted at different intake manifold pressures, swirl levels, and fuel injection pressures. The gasoline used in this study has relatively high fuel reactivity with a research octane number of 68. The results of this experimental campaign indicate that the highest brake thermal efficiency and lowest emissions are achieved simultaneously with the earliest pilot injection timings (i.e., during the intake stroke).


2006 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koudai Yoshizawa ◽  
Atsushi Teraji ◽  
Hiroshi Miyakubo ◽  
Koichi Yamaguchi ◽  
Tomonori Urushihara

In this research, combustion characteristics of gasoline compression ignition engines have been analyzed numerically and experimentally with the aim of expanding the high load operation limit. The mechanism limiting high load operation under homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion was clarified. It was confirmed that retarding the combustion timing from top dead center (TDC) is an effective way to prevent knocking. However, with retarded combustion, combustion timing is substantially influenced by cycle-to-cycle variation of in-cylinder conditions. Therefore, an ignition timing control method is required to achieve stable retarded combustion. Using numerical analysis, it was found that ignition timing control could be achieved by creating a fuel-rich zone at the center of the cylinder. The fuel-rich zone works as an ignition source to ignite the surrounding fuel-lean zone. In this way, combustion consists of two separate auto-ignitions and is thus called two-step combustion. In the simulation, the high load operation limit was expanded using two-step combustion. An engine system identical to a direct-injection gasoline (DIG) engine was then used to validate two-step combustion experimentally. An air-fuel distribution was created by splitting fuel injection into first and second injections. The spark plug was used to ignite the first combustion. This combustion process might better be called spark-ignited compression ignition combustion (SI-CI combustion). Using the spark plug, stable two-step combustion was achieved, thereby validating a means of expanding the operation limit of gasoline compression ignition engines toward a higher load range.


2022 ◽  
pp. 146808742110667
Author(s):  
Akhilendra Pratap Singh ◽  
Ashutosh Jena ◽  
Avinash Kumar Agarwal

In the last decade, advanced combustion techniques of the low-temperature combustion (LTC) family have attracted researchers because of their excellent emission characteristics; however, combustion control remains the main issue for the LTC modes. The objective of this study was to explore premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI) combustion mode using a double pilot injection (DPI; pilot-pilot-main) strategy to achieve superior combustion control and to tackle the soot-oxides of nitrogen (NOx) trade-off. Experiments were carried out in a single-cylinder research engine fueled with 20% v/v biodiesel blended with mineral diesel (B20) and 40% v/v biodiesel blended with mineral diesel (B40) vis-à-vis baseline mineral diesel. Engine speed and rate of fuel-mass injected were maintained constant at 1500 rpm and 0.6 kg/h mineral diesel equivalent, respectively. Pilot injection timings (at 45° and 35° before top dead center (bTDC)) and fuel quantities were fixed, while three fuel injection pressures (FIPs) and four different start of the main injection (SoMI) timings were investigated in this study. Results showed that multiple pilot injections resulted in a stable PCCI combustion mode, making it suitable for higher engine loads. For all test fuels, advancing SoMI timings led to relatively lesser knocking; however, engine performance characteristics degraded at advanced SoMI timings. B40 exhibited relatively superior engine performance among different test fuels at lower FIP; however, the difference in engine performance was insignificant at higher FIPs. Fuel injection parameters showed a significant effect on emissions, especially on the NOx and particulates. Advancing SoMI timing resulted in 20%–50% lower particulates emissions with a slight NOx increase; however, the differences in emissions at different SoMI timings reduced at higher FIPs. Somewhat higher particulates from biodiesel blends were a critical observation of this study, which was more dominant at advanced SoMI timings. Qualitative correlation between NOx-total particulate mass (TPM) was another critical analysis, which exhibited the relative importance of different fuel injection parameters for other alternative fuels. Overall, B20 at 700 bar FIP and 20° SoMI timing emerged as the most promising proposition with some penalty in CO emission.


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