Dependence of Ultra-High EGR Low Temperature Diesel Combustion on Fuel Properties

The dependence of ultra-high EGR low temperature diesel combustion on fuel properties including cetane number and distillation temperature was investigated with a single-cylinder, naturally aspirated, 1.0 L, common rail DI diesel engine. Decreasing cetane number in fuels significantly reduces smoke emission due to an extension in ignition delay and the subsequent improvement in mixture formation. Smokeless combustion, ultra-low NOx, and efficient operating range with regard to EGR and IMEP are significantly extended by decreasing fuel cetane number. Changes in fuel distillation temperature do not result in significant differences in smoke emission and thermal efficiency for ultra-high EGR operation, and smokeless operation is established even with higher distillation temperature fuels as long as fuel cetane number is sufficiently low.