Combustion Process Analysis in a HSDI Diesel Engine Using a Reduced Chemical Kinetics

The combustion characteristics of a HSDI diesel engine were analyzed numerically using a reduced chemical kinetics. The reaction mechanism consisting of 26 steps and 17 species including the Zel'dovich NOx mechanism for the higher hydrocarbon fuel was implemented in the KIVA-3V. The characteristic time scale model was adopted to account for the effects of turbulent mixing on the reaction rates. The soot formation and oxidation processes are represented by Hiroyasu's model and NSC's model. The validation cases include the homogenous fuel/air mixture and the spray combustion in a constant volume chamber. After the validation, the present approach was applied to the analysis of the spray combustion processes in a HSDI diesel engine. The present approach reasonably well predicts the ignition delay, combustion processes, and emission characteristics in the high-pressure turbulent spray flame-field encountered in the practical HSDI diesel engines. It is also found that the chemical reaction path for the pilot-injection stage is distinctly different from that of the main-injection period due to different ambient conditions. The pilot spray is decomposed into CH and then converted into CO, while for the main spray CH is converted into CO through the C₂H₂ formation.