This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Flame Quenching in the Micro-Chamber Passages of I .C. Engines with Regular-Symmetric Sonex Piston Geometry
Technical Paper
2001-28-0002
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Event:
SIAT 2001
Language:
English
Abstract
Both physical experiments and detailed chemical kinetics studies establish that Sonex micro-chambers imbedded in the walls of the piston bowl of an I.C. engine generate highly reactive intermediate chemical species and radicals- which, when allowed to mix with the fresh charge of the next cycle in the main chamber, substantially alter the chemical kinetics of main chamber combustion. A much more stable overall combustion process is observed, requiring substantially leaner air-fuel ratios than normal, and with much lower ignition temperatures. The net result, without any efficiency penalty, is an engine with an “ultra-clean” exhaust and with a greater tolerance to a wider range of fuels. Crucial to this process is the quenching of the flame in the passages connecting the micro-chambers to the piston bowl. It is flame quenching which enables the incomplete combustion of the charge trapped in the micro-chamber cavities.
This qualitative study seeks to corroborate the conclusions derived from earlier experimentation concerning the role of flame quenching in the Sonex combustion system (SCS) and examines the relative importance of various key parameters on this flame quenching process. To enable focus on the flow characteristics and flame quenching around the passage between the micro and main chambers, the size of the numerical simulation for the regular bowl-in-piston SCS design is abridged by the use of symmetry. Chief among the corroborative numerical findings is the verification of height of the connecting passage between the micro-chamber and combustion chamber as the most important parameter affecting flame quenching, with an appropriately narrow passage (channel) being able to also trap the charge in the micro-chamber.
Recommended Content
Authors
Citation
Blank, D., Pouring, A., and Lu, J., "Flame Quenching in the Micro-Chamber Passages of I .C. Engines with Regular-Symmetric Sonex Piston Geometry," SAE Technical Paper 2001-28-0002, 2001, https://doi.org/10.4271/2001-28-0002.Also In
References
- Pouring, A. “The Evolution of the Sonex Combustion System” Sonex Technical Report Feb. 1992
- Heywood, J.B. Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals McGraw-Hill 1988
- Gussak, L.A. “High Chemical Activity of Incomplete Combustion Products and a Method of Prechamber Torch Ignition for Avalanche Activiation of Combustion in Internal Combustion Engines” SAE Paper 750890 1975
- Noguchi, M Tanaka, Y. Tanaka, T. Takeuchi, Y. “A Study on Gasoline Engine Combustion by Observation of Intermediate Reactive Products During Combustion” SAE Paper 790840 1979
- Dale, J.D. “A Rationale for Advances in the Technology of I.C. Engines” SAE Paper 820047 1982
- Najt, P.M. Foster, D.E. “Compression-Ignited Homogeneous Charge Combustion” SAE Paper 830264 1983
- Oppenheim, A.K. “The Knock Syndrome-Its Cures and Its Victim” SAE Paper 841339 1984
- Asik, J.R. Piatkowski, P. Foucher, M.J. Rado, W.G. “Design of a Plasma Jet Ignition System for Automotive Applications” SAE Paper 770355 1977
- Dale, J.D. Smy, P.R. Clements, R.M. “The Effects of a Coaxial Spark Igniter on the Performance and the Emissions from an Internal Combustion Engine” Combustion and Flame 31 173 185 1978
- Onishi, S. Jo, S.H. Shoda, K. Jo, P.D. Kato, S. “Active-Thermo-Atmosphere Combustion (ATAC) - A New Combustion Process for Internal Combustion Engines” SAE Paper 790501 1979
- May, M.G. “The High Compression Lean Burn Spark Ignited Four Stroke Engine” Institute of Mechanical Engineering London 107 116 1979
- Pouring, A.A. Failla, C.C. Rankin, B.H. Keating E..L. Riddell, F. “Parametric Variation of a Heat Balanced Engine” Fluid Mechanics of Combustion Systems Morel, T. Lohman, R.P. Rackey, J.M. New York ASME 41 50 June 1981
- Tozzi, L. Dabora, E.K. “Plasma Jet Ignition in a Lean Burn CFR Engine” 19 th Symposium (International) on Combustion Pittsburgh, PA The Combustion Institute 1467 1474 1982
- Blank, D.A. Pouring, A.A. Lu, J. “NO x Reduction Kinetic Mechanism and Radical Enhanced Autoignition Potential of EGR in I .C. Engines Using Methanol and Hydrogen” SAE Paper 2001-28-0048
- Blank, D.A. Pouring, A.,A Lu, J. “Methanol Combustion in Low Compression Ratio DI Engines Enabled by Sonex Piston Design” SAE Paper 2001-01-1197 2001
- Lu, J. Gupta A.K. Pouring, A.A. Keating, E.L. “A Preliminary Study of Chemically Enhanced Autoignition in an Internal Combustion Engine” SAE Paper 94078 1994
- Gussak, L.A. Turkish, M.C. “LAG-Process of Combustion and Its Application in Automobile Gasoline Engines” Proc. IMechE 1976
- Lu, J. Pouring, AA. “Development of a New Concept Piston for Alcohol Fuel Use in a CI Engine” SAE Paper 961078 1996
- Blank, D.A. Pouring, A.A. Lu, J. “Qualitative Flow Field Studies of Combustion in I .C. Engines Using a Simplified Sonex Bowl-in-Piston Geometry” SAE Paper 2001-01-0021 2001
- Pouring, A. A. Rankin, B.H. “Time Dependent Analytical and Optical Studies of Heat Balanced Internal Combustion Engine Flow Fields” AIAA Paper 82-1283 1983
- Evans, R.L. “Combustion Chamber Design for a Lean-Burn SI Engine” SAE Paper 921545 1992
- Sakurai, T. Iko, M. Okamoto, K. Shoji, F. “Basic Research on Combustion Chamber for Lean Burn Gas Engines” SAE Paper 932710 1993
- Kee, R.J. Rupley, F.M. Miller, J.A. “CHEMKIN-II: A Fortran Chemical Kinetics Package for the Analysis of Gas-Phase Chemical Kinetics” Sandia National Lab Report Nov. 1991
- Amsden, A.A. O'Rourke, P.J. Butler, T.D. “KIVA-II: A Computer Program for Chemically reactive Flows with Sprays” Los Alamos Lab Ma 1989
- Lu, J. et. al. “Effect of IC Engine Operating Conditions on Combustion and Emission Characteristics,” ASME Transactions 115 694 701 1993
- Glassman, I. Combustion Academic Press New York 1977
- Sloane, T.M. Schoene, A.Y. “Computational Studies of End-Wall Flame Quenching at Low Pressure: The Effects of Heterogeneous Radical Recombination and Crevice” Comb. Flame 49 109 122 1983
- Sloane, T. Ratcliffe, J.W. “A Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometer Study of Slide- Wall Flame Quenching at Low Pressure by Cooled Noncatalytic and Catalytic Surfaces” Comb. Flame 47 83 92 1982
- Lavoie, G.A. “Correlations of Combustion Data for SI Engine Calculations - Laminar Flame Speed, Quench Distance and Global Reaction Rates” SAE Paper 780229 1978
- Jarosinski, J. “A Survey of Recent Studies on Flame Extinction” Prog. Energy Comb. Sci. 12 81 116 1996
- Chomiak, J. Jarosinski, J. “Flame Quenching By Turbulence” Comb. Flame 48 241 249 1982
- Diwakar, R. “Assessment of the Ability of a Multidimensional Computer Code to Model Combustion in a Homogeneous-Charge Engine” SAE Paper 840230 1984
- Oppenheim, A.K. Beltramo, J. Fairs, D.W. Maxson, J.A. Hom K. Stewart, H.E. “Combustion by Pulsed Jet Plumes- Keys to Controlled Combustion Engines” SAE Paper 890153 1989
- Oppenheim, A.K. “The Future of Combustion in Engines” Proc IMechE 1993
- Mather, D.K. Reitz, R.D. “Modeling the Use of Air-Injection for Emissions Reduction in a Direct-Injected Diesel Engine” SAE Paper 952359 1995
- Kurtz, E.M. Mather, D.K. Foster, D.E. “Parameters That Affect the Impact of Auxiliary Gas Injection in a DI Diesel Engine” SAE Paper 2000-01-0233 2000
- Li, S.C. Williams, F. A. “A Reduced Reaction Mechanism for Predicting Knock in Dual-Fuel Engines” SAE Paper 2000-01-0957 2000
- Blank, D.A. “The Modified Discretized-Intensity Based Split Radiation Calculation Procedure for Use in Full Simulation Studies of Combustion in Axisymmetric Piston Engines” Numerical Heat Transfer: Part A 22 2 199 222 1992
- Blank, D.A. Pouring, A.A. “Radical Ignition in Low Compression Ratio D.I. Engines Enabled by Sonex Piston Design,” IFP International Congress: A New Generation of Engine Combustion Processes for the Future?” Ruiel-Malmaison France 26-27 Nov. 2001