The future potential of an opposed-piston two-stroke (OP2S) engine has attracted the attention of researchers worldwide as it offers a high thermal efficiency and power-to-weight ratio with a simple engine configuration. This engine can be used with low-carbon fuels and hydrogen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the two-stroke operation has always been limited by its low scavenging efficiency and short-circuit of fresh charge. The current work is focused on optimizing scavenging efficiency and short-circuit in a small 200 cc single-cylinder OP2S SI engine using 3-D computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations. The effect of four parameters, namely, area of intake ports, area of exhaust ports, and angular orientations of intake ports (swirl and tilt) on scavenging efficiency and short-circuit, has been assessed and optimized. A Latin-hypercube based Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology is used to sample the design space spanning over a range of four parameters. A response

Singh, Saurabh, Boggavarapu, Prasad, Himabindu, M., Ravikrishna, R.V.

Prediction of Pre-Ignition Borderline on Supercharged SI Engine by Livengood-Wu Integral

2024-32-0008

04/18/2025

The LSPI (Low Speed Pre-Ignition) is one of the consecutive abnormal combustion cycles of supercharged SI engine with direct injection fuel supply system [1]. The LSPI occurs when the engine is running at low speed and high load condition. It is important for the SI engine to control essentially with alternative fuel, e-fuel and hydrogen in the future. It is considered that the LSPI would be caused by the autoignition of the deposit, the lubricating oil from ring crevice, the lubricating oil from piston crown and so on [2, 3, 4, 5]. Among of these causes, this research focuses on the scattering lubricating oil from piston crown. The previous our research has reported on the two points. One is about the frequency and quantity of the lubricating oil scattering from piston crown [6]. Another is about the frequency of abnormal combustion by the engine test [7]. As the result, it has been cleared that the frequency of abnormal combustion is 1/10 of scattering frequency of the lubricating

Omori, Takaya, Tanaka, Junya

Simultaneous Direct-Photography of Flame Propagation Inside Pre-Chamber and Main-Chamber in Gasoline Engine with Passive Pre-Chamber

2024-32-0095

04/18/2025

Pre-chamber combustion is well known for the effective way to improve thermal efficiency in internal combustion engine. An active pre-chamber can accomplish super lean burn while a passive pre-chamber can easily improve combustion with low-cost. Therefore, various studies have been carried out. However, since its combustion characteristics are very complicated, the sequence of events for torch ignition and flame propagation in main-chamber from ignition and flame propagation inside pre-chamber have not been well clarified. Especially, investigation on the process from torch ejection to ignition of mixture in main-chamber has been carried out using combustion vessels and rapid compression machines, but this phenomenon has not been clarified. In this study, three types of optically accessible passive pre-chamber with different orifice patterns (normal six orifices, asymmetric five orifices and tangential five orifices) were designed and installed to a single-cylinder gasoline spark

Hokimoto, Satoshi, Moriyoshi, Yasuo, Kuboyama, Tatsuya, Egashira, Shuichi, Nagai, Yoshitaka

Detailed Approach for Pre-Chamber Heat Release Analysis for the HSASI Pre-Chamber Spark Plug Using a Pressure Sensor Glow Plug

2024-32-0063

04/18/2025

The hot surface-assisted spark ignition (HSASI) pre-chamber spark plug, which was developed at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, increases the dilution limit with excess air and the tolerance to residual gas in the pre-chamber compared to a conventional passive pre-chamber spark plug. In this study, the conventional glow plug which is integrated in the pre-chamber of the HSASI pre-chamber spark plug was replaced by a pressure sensor glow plug (PSG) from BERU. This allows for a detailed combustion analysis in the pre-chamber. The signal of the PSG was validated with a piezoelectric cylinder pressure sensor and a method to analyse the pre-chamber heat release was introduced. Experimental investigations were carried out on a single-cylinder gasoline engine. A series of operating points diluted with excess air and a variation in load were conducted. The gas flow rate through the orifices of the pre-chamber was calculated from the pressure difference between the pre-chamber and

Holzberger, Sascha, Kettner, Maurice, Kirchberger, Roland

Optimization of Combustion Efficiency and Conversion Efficiency of Catalytic Converter in Spark-Ignited Engine using Taguchi Methods Robust Optimization Technique for Flex Fuel Application

2024-32-0123

04/18/2025

Flex fuel vehicles (FFV) can operate effectively from E5 (Gasoline 95%, ethanol 5%) fuel to E100 (Gasoline 0%, ethanol 100%) fuel. It is necessary to meet the performance, drivability, emission targets and regulatory requirements irrespective of fuel mixture combination. This research work focuses on optimizing the combustion efficiency and conversion efficiency of catalytic converter of a spark-ignited less than 200 cc engine for FFV using Taguchi methods robust optimization technique. The study employs an eight-step robust optimization approach to simultaneously minimize engine out emissions and maximize catalytic converter efficiency. Six control factors including type of fuel, catalyst heating rpm, lambda (excess-air ratio), injection end angle, lambda controller delay, and ignition timing are optimized. Four noise factors like compression ratio, clearance volume, catalyst noble metal loading, and catalyst aging are also considered. Through approximately 100 physical experiments on

Vaidyanathan, Balaji, Arunkumar, Praveenkumar, Shunmugasundaram, Palani, Murugesan, Manickam, Jayajothijohnson, Vedhanayagam

Impact of Ordinal Proximity of Frequency Components on the Auditory Perception of Engine Knocking

2024-32-0032

04/18/2025

This study examines the acoustic properties of engine-knocking sounds in gasoline engines, arising from misfires during spark ignition that negatively affect driving performance. The aim was to understand the frequency characteristics of acceleration sounds and their connection to the proximity of the order components. The study also explores “booming,” where two different frequencies of sounds occur simultaneously, potentially linked to the unpleasant nature of engine knocking. Using a sinusoidal model, we generated engine acceleration sound models with 5th-, 10th-, and 15th-order components, including engine knocking. Two types of sound stimuli were created: one with the original amplitude (OA) and one with a constant amplitude (CA) for each component order, emphasizing the order-component proximity in CA sounds. Aural experiments with 10 participants in an anechoic room using headphones and the MUSHRA method revealed an inverse relationship between OA and CA ratings as the component

Suzuki, Ryuhei, Ishimitsu, Shunsuke, Nitta, Misaki, Sakakibara, Mika, Hakozaki, Tomoyuki, Fujikawa, Satoshi, Iwata, Kiyoaki, Matsumoto, Mitsunori, Kikuchi, Masakazu

Enhancements in Hydrogen Low Pressure Injection on Small Two-Stroke Engines

2024-32-0047

04/18/2025

The use of small 2-stroke crankcase scavenged engines running on hydrogen is very attractive for low power rates, when low cost and compact dimensions are the fundamental design constraints. However, achieving optimal performance with hydrogen fuel presents challenges, including uneven air-fuel mixtures, fuel losses, and crankcase backfiring. This research focuses on a small 50cc 2-stroke loop-scavenged engine equipped with a patented Low-Pressure Direct Injection (LPDI) system, modified for hydrogen use. Experimental results demonstrate performance comparable to the gasoline counterpart, but further optimizations are needed. Consequently, CFD-3D simulations are employed to analyses the injection process and guide engine development. The numerical analysis focuses on a fixed operating condition: 6000 rpm, Wide Open Throttle (WOT), with a slightly lean mixture and injection pressure fixed at 5 bar. A numerical model of the entire engine is set up with the primary objective of improving

Caprioli, Stefano, Schoegl, Oliver, Oswald, Roland, Kirchberger, Roland, Mattarelli, Enrico, Rinaldini, Carlo Alberto

Effects of CO ₂ Concentration on Combustion Characteristics of Compressed Biomethane Gas

2024-32-0111

04/18/2025

One way to decarbonize spark-ignition (SI) engines is to use alternative fuels to improve thermal efficiency. Compressed biomethane gas (CBG), mainly composed of methane and carbon dioxide produced from food waste, has attracted attention as an alternative fuel, but its carbon dioxide content is indeterminate. This study investigates the effects of carbon dioxide content on engine performance (thermal efficiency, etc.), emission characteristics, and turbulent burning velocity using a CBG surrogate fuel mixed with methane and carbon dioxide. A single-cylinder SI engine is used as the test engine, and experiments are conducted under different load conditions with a constant crank angle of 50% mass fraction burned (CA50). Engine performance is analyzed based on heat balance from in-cylinder pressure analysis. Emission characteristics are measured using an emission gas analyzer. Using the boundary conditions obtained from the experiments, parameters such as unstretched laminar burning

Kobayashi, Takuma, Shimizu, Taketoshi, Yoshimura, Kei, Sok, Ratnak, Kusaka, Jin

Investigation on the Applicability of Passive Type Pre-Chamber with One Port Fuel Injection System to Small Gasoline Engines

2024-32-0033

04/18/2025

Pre-chamber combustion has been applied as a method of low fuel consumption in spark ignition engines, and in recent years the application of pre-chambers to gasoline engines has also been actively studied. In many gasoline engines, stoichiometric combustion is common. We decided that a passive type pre-chamber with only one port fuel injection is sufficient for stoichiometric combustion. The pre-chamber system relatively has two merits of lower cost and ease of installing than other prechamber systems. Therefore, we focused on investigating the effects of improving combustion speed and knock resistance in use of the passive type pre-chamber and the applicability of the pre-chamber system in various operating points. As the concrete approach, we evaluated the heat balance and the knock resistance with and without a pre-chamber in engine bench test. As a result, the knock resistance and the fuel consumption were improved. In addition, as a result of considering lean burn in the passive

Nakao, Yoshinori, Sakurai, Yota, Hisano, Atsushi, Saitou, Masahito, Suzuki, Tomoharu

Operating the Tour Split-Cycle Engine on Hydrogen/Methane Fuel Blends to Achieve High Efficiency and Reduction of Both GHG and NOx Emissions

2025-01-8422

04/01/2025

Decarbonized or low carbon fuels, such as hydrogen/methane blends, can be used in internal combustion engines to support ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals worldwide, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. However, as the volumetric concentration of H2 in these fuel blends surpasses 30%, the in-cylinder flame propagation and combustion rates increase significantly, causing an unacceptable increase in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, which is known to have substantial negative effects on human health and the environment. This rise in engine-out NOx emissions is a major concern, limiting the use of H2 fuels as a means to reduce GHG emissions from both mobile and stationary power generation engines. In this study, an experimental investigation of the combustion performance and emissions characteristics of a 4th generation Tour split-cycle engine was undertaken while operating on 100% methane and various hydrogen/methane fuel blends (30%, 40%, and 50% by volume

Bhanage, Pratik, Cho, Kukwon, Anderson, Bradley, Kemmet, Ryan, Tour, Gilad, Atkinson, Chris, Tour, Hugo, Tour, Oded

Assessment of a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Retrofitted to Dual-Fuel and Neat Methanol SI Operation

2025-01-8440

04/01/2025

This paper explores the potential of leveraging methanol's knock-resistant properties to facilitate both dual fuel (DF) and spark ignition (SI) operation in retrofitted heavy-duty (HD), high-speed marine engines. The study involves retrofitting an original 6-cylinder 7.15L CI diesel engine with port fuel injection (PFI) of methanol to enable DF operation. Later, the diesel injectors were replaced with six spark plugs allowing SI operation. Notably, efforts were made to minimize adaptations to the existing diesel engine, maintaining the compression ratio (CR) at 17.6:1 and retaining the same turbocharging pressure. This research aims to assess the feasibility of retrofitting conventional HD diesel engines (high CR, large bore) for dual-fuel and SI operation on methanol, with a focus on optimizing engine performance, while preserving key characteristics for HD applications, e.g. high torque and high power density. The high CR required spark retarding to prevent knock at higher loads in

Dejaegere, Quinten, Ballerini, Alberto, Demiddeleer, Sheldon, Vanderbeken, Thomas, Bracke, Kwinten, Gyselinck, Ben, D'Errico, Gianluca, Verhelst, Sebastian

Exploring the Effects of Varying Pre-Chamber Geometry in a Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Optical Engine under Dilution Conditions

2025-01-8407

04/01/2025

Pre-chamber combustion is an advanced ignition strategy that has been shown to enhance spark ignition (SI) combustion stability in natural gas (NG) engines by providing distributed ignition sites from turbulent jets and enhancing main-chamber turbulence. Pre-chamber combustion has been proven especially advantageous compared to SI in ultra-lean and dilute operating conditions. This work involves experimental investigation of the effects of varying passive pre-chamber nozzle configuration on pre-chamber and main chamber combustion under simulated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) dilution (0 and 20%) conditions in a heavy-duty, single-cylinder, optically accessible NG engine at stoichiometric fuel-air ratio. Pre-chamber nozzle configurations include four pre-chambers with constant nozzle area to pre-chamber volume ratio (A/V) with different nozzle sizes and orientations and one configuration with larger nozzles. The optical engine is operated in a skip-fire sequence consisting of 18

Dhotre, Akash, Nyrenstedt, Gustav, Rajasegar, Rajavasanth, Varma, Arun, Singh, Satbir, Northrop, William, Srna, Ales

A Computational Investigation of Hydrogen Pre-Chamber and Spark-Ignition Combustion Engines at Different Load Conditions

2025-01-8406

04/01/2025

Pre-chamber (PC) technology has demonstrated its capability to achieve clean and stable combustion in internal combustion engines (ICEs) under lean conditions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of PC in direct injection (DI) hydrogen (H2)-ICEs compared to conventional spark ignition (SI) operation using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulations across a range of load conditions. Various loads were attained by systematically adjusting intake pressure and injected H2 mass. The primary hypothesis posits that highly turbulent PC jets facilitate rapid mixing and combustion of ultra-lean mixtures. The comparative analysis revealed that DI fueling in both PC and SI modes did not achieve perfectly homogeneous mixtures, particularly under high load conditions, although PC slightly enhanced mixture uniformity. Combustion behavior exhibited a non-monotonic trend, with SI outperforming PC at low and high loads, while PC demonstrated superior performance at medium loads despite

Menaca, Rafael, Liu, Xinlei, Mohan, Balaji, Cenker, Emre, AlRamadan, Abdullah, Im, Hong

Development and Control System Design of an Electro-Pneumatic Variable Valve Actuator to Be Retrofitted to an SI Engine

2025-01-8377

04/01/2025

In a conventional cam-based valve actuation system, the valve events are tied up with the rotation of the crankshaft. In contrast, the electronic variable valve actuation (VVA) system enables flexible control of valve events independent of the crankshaft rotation. The present article discusses the development and control system design of a single-acting electro-pneumatic variable valve actuation (EPVVA) system that can be retrofitted to a conventional SI engine. The EPVVA system utilizes fast switching solenoid valves which modulate the flow of pressurized air in and out of a pneumatic chamber. The control system design is conducted in MATLAB Simulink platform using model-based approach. The valve actuator model is formulated such that it simulates the trajectory of the motion of the engine valve by numerically integrating a set of coupled differential equations that govern the thermo-fluid-dynamics and applied mechanics aspects of the valve actuation of the EPVVA system. The timings

Satalagaon, Ajay Kumar, Guha, Abhijit, Srivastava, Dhananjay Kumar

A Study on Reconstructing in-Cylinder Combustion Images Based on Local Images

2025-01-8381

04/01/2025

The current leading experimental platform for engine visualization research is the optical engine, which features transparent window components classified into two types: partially visible windows and fully visible windows. Due to structural limitations, fully visible windows cannot be employed under certain complex or extreme operating conditions, leading to the acquisition of only local in-cylinder combustion images and resulting in information loss. This study introduces a method for reconstructing in-cylinder combustion images from local images using deep learning techniques. The experiments were conducted using an optical engine specifically designed for spark-ignition combustion modes, capturing in-cylinder flame images under various conditions with high-speed cameras. The primary focus was on reconstructing the flame edge, with in-cylinder combustion images categorized into three types: images where the flame edge is fully within the partially visible window, partly within the

Wang, Mianheng, Zhang, Yixiao, Du, Haoyu, Xiao, Ma, Mao, Jianshu, Fang, Yuwen

Ammonia-Hydrogen Combustion in a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Converted to Spark Ignition Operation

2025-01-8448

04/01/2025

Ammonia is a carbon-free fuel alternative for the internal combustion engine decarbonization. However, its toxicity and less advantageous combustion characteristics including higher nitrogen-based engine-out emissions have delayed its use in power generation applications. Therefore, the use of a secondary and also carbon-free fuel such as hydrogen was proposed in the literature as a solution to promote and improve ammonia combustion while minimizing any modifications in engine parameters and control strategy that may be required when compared to using conventional hydrocarbon-based fuels. In addition, the higher resistance to autoignition of ammonia can allow operation at higher compression ratios in spark ignition applications, therefore increasing the thermal efficiency. The study presented here used a single-cylinder heavy-duty research engine converted to spark ignition operation to investigate medium load engine operation with ammonia-hydrogen blends in which hydrogen represented

Alvarez, Luis, Saenz Prado, Stefany, Trujillo Grisales, Juan, Dumitrescu, Cosmin

Effect of Geometrical Manipulation of the Pre-Chamber Design Parameters on the Combustion Performance of an Argon Power Cycle Engine

2025-01-8405

04/01/2025

Most of the power produced by manufacturing industry in the United States is via combined heat and power (CHP) systems, with most CHP installations using reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE). RICE CHP systems offer several advantages, such as low installation and operational costs, high performance, load flexibility, and adaptability to various applications spanning from kilowatt to megawatt scales. Noble Thermodynamic Systems' (NTS) core technology, the Argon Power Cycle (APC), is a revolutionary, new power generation system that boosts the efficiency of RICE CHP generation systems while emitting zero greenhouse gasses or producing zero air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx). The APC uses the noble gas argon, a monatomic gas, which dramatically increases the specific heat ratio of the working fluid, resulting in a significantly higher ideal Otto cycle efficiency. The APC presents a promising solution to reach a carbon-neutral future for the energy needs of pivotal

Sharma, Eshan, Kim, Joohan, Strickland, Tyler, Scarcelli, Riccardo, Beardsell, Guillaume, Nilsen, Christopher, Sierra Aznar, Miguel

Knock Assessment in Wankel Rotary Engine Adopting Low Octane Rating Fuels

2025-01-8452

04/01/2025

Series hybrid vehicles with internal combustion range extenders are a promising solution for sustainable transportation. In this application, net zero carbon emissions can be achieved using renewable fuels. Fischer-Tropsch-derived e-gasolines/naptha allow for high energy density and safe liquid fuels. However, Fischer-Tropsch naptha fuel derivatives must undergo several processing stages to reach current engine-grade octane ratings, negatively affecting the synthesis's profitability and energy efficiency. Gasoline engine technologies capable of operating with low-octane fuels could allow the adoption of unprocessed Fischer-Tropsch gasoline. The rotary Wankel engine design suits range extenders thanks to its high power-to-size ratio. In this study, the knocking tendency of homogenous charge spark-ignition rotary Wankel engines is numerically assessed through Chemkin-Pro spark-ignition engine zonal model for knock assessment. Rotary Wankel engines are modeled by providing the

Brunialti, Sirio, Vorraro, Giovanni, Turner, James, Sarathy, Mani

Combustion and Emissions Improvement of Engine Idling Via Advanced Ignition Strategies

2025-01-8404

04/01/2025

During engine idling, the low engine speed, typically from 600 rpm to 800 rpm, together with the low throttle opening angle, makes it challenging for a proper fuel air mixing process. The uneven intake charge distribution and high portion of internal EGR because of the inefficient gas exchange process further make the air fuel ratio unstable, which is challenging for a robust ignition and combustion process. In this paper, the challenge of achieving proper combustion phasing while maintaining acceptable combustion stability is investigated, and a specially designed common-coil pack was utilized to improve engine idling performance by supplying prolonged ignition duration and elevated discharge current amplitude. The common-coil pack, which comprises three parallel connected ignition coils, was shared by all 4 cylinders of the engine. The ignition strategy shows the capability to advance the combustion phasing for higher IMEP output, while maintaining the combustion stability, and

Yu, Xiao, Chen, Guangyun, Qian, Jin, Leblanc, Simon, Wang, Linyan, Zheng, Ming

Correlation of Total Aromatics and Speciated Aromatic Analysis by ASTM D5769 (Determination of Aromatics) and ASTM D6730 (Detailed Hydrocarbon Analysis) of US Market Gasoline Samples

2025-01-8453

04/01/2025

The Standard Test Method for Determination of Benzene, Toluene, and Total Aromatics in Finished Gasolines by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry, also known as ASTM D5769, identifies aromatic compounds ranging from carbon groups six to twelve (C6-C12). This method provides determination in less than 15 minutes of twenty-three target aromatics, quantification of uncalibrated Indans, as well as C10, C11, and C12 aromatics using extracted ions. In contrast, the Standard Test Method for Determination of Individual Components in Spark Ignition Engine Fuels by 100-MetreCapillary (with Precolumn) High-Resolution Gas Chromatography (ASTM D6730) offers a more comprehensive identification of compounds of multiple classes in gasoline samples also using a mass spectrometer (MS), focusing on aromatics from C6 to C14 for this research. This method uses a standard template of identified fuel components and corrects responses based on theoretical Flame Ionized Detector (FID) hydrocarbon responses

Dozier, Jonathan, Goralski, Sarah, Geng, Pat, Reilly, Veronica

Performance and Emissions Analysis of a Hydrogen-Powered Heavy-Duty High Compression Ratio SI Engine Across Various Loads and Speed at Ultra-Lean Condition

2025-01-8428

04/01/2025

With the global shift towards sustainable and low-emission transportation, hydrogen-fueled engines stand out as a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels, offering significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the performance and emissions characteristics of a hydrogen-powered heavy-duty compression ignition engine, which has been modified to operate as a Spark Ignition (SI) engine with a high compression ratio of 17:1. The evaluation was conducted across various speeds, loads, and spark timings under ultra-lean combustion conditions. The analysis utilized a modified 6-cylinder, 13-liter Volvo D13 diesel engine, configured to operate in single-cylinder mode with the addition of a spark plug for SI operation. The study examined key performance metrics, including brake thermal efficiency (BTE), power output, and specific fuel consumption, under the selected operating conditions. Emissions profiles for nitrogen oxides

Dyuisenakhmetov, Aibolat, Panithasan, Mebin Samuel, Cenker, Emre, AlRamadan, Abdullah, Im, Hong, Turner, James

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Different Dilution Techniques in a High-Performance H2 - Fueled SI Engine

2025-01-8424

04/01/2025

Nowadays, hydrogen (H2) is rising as a key solution to fuel internal combustion engines (ICE) since it allows carbon free combustion process. At the same time, ICE fueled with H2 can reach similar performance and driving experience of gasoline fueled ones. In stoichiometric conditions, hydrogen shows higher flame speed, lower ignition energy and lower quenching distance than gasoline. Mainly for these reasons, H2 combustion is characterized by a high risk of abnormal combustion (i.e. knock and pre-ignition), relevant NOx emissions and high heat losses. On the other hand, the wide flammability range and high combustion stability of H2 allow the use of different techniques to reduce combustion reactivity. This work presents a combined approach, experimental and numerical, to assess the benefits of three mixture dilution methods. The experimental campaign, in different operating conditions, was carried out on a production derived high specific power gasoline Single Cylinder Engine (SCE

Tonelli, Roberto, Medda, Massimo, Gullino, Fabrizio, Silvestri, Nicola, Zaffino, Francesco, Mariconti, Roberto, Rossi, Vincenzo

Development of a 6.7L Direct Injection, Lean Burn H2 Spark Ignition Engine for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Commercial Vehicles

2025-01-8393

04/01/2025

This work is part of a production-intent program at Cummins to develop a 6.7L direct injection (DI), lean burn H2 spark ignition (SI) engine for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles that are intended to be compliant with global VII criteria pollutants emissions standards. The engine features a low-pressure DI fuel injection system, a tumble-based combustion system with a pent-roof combustion chamber, two-stage boosting system without EGR, and dual overhead cams (DOHC) with cam phasers. The paper focuses primarily on the performance system architecture development encompassing combustion system, air-handling system, and valve strategy. Comprehensive 3D-CFD guided design analysis has been conducted to define the tumble ports, injection spray pattern, and injection strategy to optimize charge homogeneity and turbulence kinetic energy (TKE). In addition, the boosting system architecture and the valve strategy have been thoroughly evaluated through 1-D system-level engine cycle

Liu, Lei, Zhang, Yu, Qin, Xiao, Hui, He, Min, Xu, Leggott, Paul

Investigation on the Effects of Fuel Injection Systems on Evaporation for a Heavy-Duty Spark Ignition Ethanol Engine and Comparison with Methane

2025-01-8433

04/01/2025

Since the obvious difficulties in realizing a lightweight long-range full electric powertrain, Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) are still the most suitable solution for heavy-duty mobility. In a fossil fuel free scenario, bioethanol is one of the most interesting alternative fuels. Its high-octane number, high latent heat of vaporization and high laminar flame speed guarantee high performance with reduced pollutant emissions compared to other Spark Ignition (SI) engine fuels. However, ethanol evaporation and corrosivity represent quite serious challenges. This work aims at investigating the actual performance of a heavy-duty turbocharged SI ICE fueled with ethanol at full load and different engine speeds. A 1-D numerical model that includes fuel evaporation sub-models was developed in order to evaluate the engine performance, ensuring ethanol evaporation in each operating condition. The 1-D numerical model was validated through an experimental campaign carried out with the above

Falbo, Biagio, Perrone, Diego, Castiglione, Teresa

Development of a Detailed Ignition Model with Energy Deposition and its Application to Full Engine Simulation

2025-01-8360

04/01/2025

A multi-dimensional model of the spark ignition process for SI engines was developed as a user-defined function (UDF) integrated into the commercial engine simulation software CONVERGE CFD. The model presented in this paper simulates energy deposition from the ignition circuit into the fuel-air mixture inside the cylinder. The model is based on interaction and collision between electrons in the plasma arc and the gas molecules inside the cylinder using parameters from the ignition circuit and gas inside the cylinder. Full engine simulations using CONVERGE CFD with the developed ignition model including the ignition circuit model, arc propagation model, and energy deposition model were performed to evaluate the validity and performance of the model and to compare with the ignition model provided by CONVERGE CFD. A low turbulent port fuel injected single-cylinder CFR engine was used for comparison. Continuous multi-cycle RANS simulations showed cycle-to-cycle variations. The range of the

Kim, Kyeongmin, Hall, Matthew, Joshi, Sachin, Matthews, Ron

Investigation into Abnormal Combustion Events in a PFI and DI Hydrogen Spark-Ignition Engine

2025-01-8399

04/01/2025

The hydrogen internal combustion engine technology, with its potential for almost full carbon emissions reduction and adaptability to a wide range of fossil fuel-based internal combustion engine (ICE) platforms, offers a promising future. However, as with any innovative technology, it also presents challenges, such as abnormal combustion phenomena. These challenges, including intake backfire, which is more common when using port fuel injection (PFI), and pre-ignition in the combustion chamber, which can be experienced with PFI or direct injection (DI), require detailed investigation to understand and optimize the engine’s performance and efficiencies. This study comprehensively investigates the main abnormal combustion events that could happen in a spark ignition (SI) hydrogen engine. It examines both direct and port fuel injection systems and uses high-resolution in-cylinder, intake, and exhaust pressure measurements alongside a suite of fast-response gas analyzers. The study provides

Mohamed, Mohamed, Mirshahi, Milad, Wang, Xinyan, Zhao, Hua, Harrington, Anthony, Hall, Jonathan, Peckham, Mark

A Comparison of Stoichiometric and Lean Burn Ammonia-Hydrogen Co-Fuelling in a Modern Spark Ignition Engine

2025-01-8432

04/01/2025

Ammonia (NH3) is emerging as a promising fuel for longer range decarbonised heavy transport, predominantly due to relative favourable characteristics as an effective hydrogen carrier. This is despite generally unfavourable combustion and toxicity attributes, restricting ammonia’s end use to applications where robust health and safety protocols can always be assured. In the currently reported work, a spark ignited thermodynamic single cylinder research engine was equipped with separate gaseous ammonia and hydrogen port injection fuelling, with the aim of understanding the impact of varied co-fuelling upon combustion, fuel economy and engine-out emissions (and the arising implications upon future emissions after-treatment). Under stoichiometric conditions, the engine could be operated in a stable manner on pure NH3 at low-to-medium speeds and medium-to-high engine loads, with up to ~20% hydrogen (by energy) required at the lowest engine loads. Engine-out NH3 emissions remained relatively

Ambalakatte, Ajith, Geng, Sikai, Murugan, Reese, Varaei, Amirata, Cairns, Alasdair, Harrington, Anthony, Hall, Jonathan, Bassett, Michael

Nitrogen Oxides Reduction Potential Via Water Direct Injection in a Single-Cylinder Hydrogen-Fueled Direct Injection Spark Ignition Engine

2025-01-8427

04/01/2025

In hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine (H2ICE), there are some ways to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. Using the wide flammability range of hydrogen, such as conducting lean combustion to reduce nitrogen oxides and employing exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), have been adopted. However, challenges exist in terms of load expansion, and due to the absence of high heat capacity of carbon dioxides in the exhaust, EGR also struggles to exhibit significant effects. In such a scenario, there is growing interest in injecting water into the H2ICE as an alternative to augment the EGR effect. In this study, the spark ignition (SI) single-cylinder engine equipped with two direct injectors was used to evaluate the hydrogen and the water dual direct injection combustion system. This system involved the direct injection of hydrogen using a wall-guided gasoline direct injector and the direct injection of water into the combustion chamber using a diesel injector. This approach utilizes the

Kim, Kiyeon, Lee, Seungil, Kim, Seungjae, Lee, Seunghyun, Min, Kyoungdoug, Oh, Sechul, Son, Jongyoon, Lee, Jeongwoo

Characterization of Spark Ignition Energy Transfer at Different Phases Using Pressure-Rise Calorimetry

2025-01-8402

04/01/2025

The paper presents novel studies on the electrical-to-thermal energy deposition to gas at different phases of a spark. The experiments utilized a 10.9 milliliter custom-built spark calorimeter. The energy transfer efficiencies across spark phases—breakdown+arc, and glow are quantified, emphasizing their importances in ensuring robust ignition. An AC capacitive ignition system was considered in the experiments. The spark plugs used in the experiments were of dual-nickel standard J-gap design of a fixed electrode gap. Test results show the breakdown+arc phases are highly efficient in converting electrical to thermal energy, crucial for ignition. The glow phase, offering control flexibility, is found to be less effective in energy transfer from spark to gas. In addition, a maximum threshold for both glow current and duration is found. Exceeding the threshold reduces the net energy deposition to the gas, indicating an increase in thermal energy losses, primarily to the spark plug

Saha, Anupam, Tunestal, Per, Aengeby, Jakob, Andersson, Oivind

Comparison of Gasoline Particulate Indices Using U.S. Market Gasoline Samples

2025-01-8449

04/01/2025

Simulated distillation (SimDis) uses wide bore capillary gas chromatography (GC) to provide a detailed volatility profile of blended gasoline. The boiling point distribution from SimDis analysis is correlated to the hydrocarbon contents of spark ignition fuels and provide the resolution necessary to characterize the compositions of the fuel. Recent publications on simulated distillation applied to spark ignition fuel reveal the merits of indexing a gasoline fuel so that it can be correlated to the tendency of particulate emissions from vehicles. With this in mind, SimDis can be a useful and quick tool in assessing the PM-formation potential of market gasolines. Heavy aromatic compounds are compounds identified as having at least 10 Carbons and 1 aromatic ring. These compounds that are present in spark ignition fuels are major contributors to vehicle particulate emissions. These compounds can be found in the higher boiling portion (T70+) of the distillation profiles. As demonstrated in

Goralski, Sarah, Geng, Pat, Dozier, Jon, Butler, Aron

Decarbonization of Off-Road Engines by Methanol Mixing-Controlled Compression Ignition with Ignition Enhancer

2025-01-8411

04/01/2025

Methanol is one of the most promising fuels for the decarbonization of the off-road and transportation sectors. Although methanol is typically considered an alternative fuel for spark ignition engines, mixing-controlled compression ignition (MCCI) combustion is typically preferred in most off-road and medium-and heavy-duty applications due to its high reliability, durability and high-efficiency. In this paper, methanol MCCI combustion was enabled using ignition improvers and the potential benefits of this approach compared to conventional diesel combustion were investigated. Methanol was blended with 7%vol of 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN) and experiments were performed in a single-cylinder production-like diesel engine with a displacement volume of 0.8315 L and a compression ratio of 16.5:1. The conditions of the ISO 8178 C1 regulatory cycle for off-road engines were tested, and performance and emissions over the cycle were calculated. Methanol MCCI shows 5.3% lower fuel consumption (in

Lee, Sanguk, Lopez Pintor, Dario, MacDonald, James, Narayanan, Abhinandhan, Chan, Adrian

High-Speed Optical Diagnostics of Misfire Limits in a Spark-Ignited Heavy-Duty Hydrogen Engine

2025-01-8401

04/01/2025

This study investigates the ignitability of hydrogen in an optical heavy-duty SI engine. While the ignition energy of hydrogen is exceptionally low, the high load and lean mixtures used in heavy-duty hydrogen engines lead to a high gas density, resulting in a much higher breakdown voltage than in light-duty SI engines. Spark plug wear is a concern, so there is a need to minimise the spark energy while maintaining combustion stability, even at challenging conditions for ignition. This work consists of a two-stage experimental study performed in an optical engine. In the first part, we mapped the combustion stability and frequency of misfires with two different ignition systems: a DC inductive discharge ignition system, and a closed-loop controlled capacitive AC system. The equivalence ratio and dwell time were varied for the inductive system while the capacitive system instead varied spark duration and spark current in addition to equivalence ratio. A key finding was that spark energy

Hallstadius, Peter, Saha, Anupam, Sridhara, Aravind, Andersson, Öivind

Exploring H ₂ /O ₂ Injection in an Active Pre-Chamber Ignition Engine

03-18-02-0013

03/04/2025

Active fuel injection into a pre-chamber (PC) promotes high-temperature and highly turbulent jets, which ignite the cylinder gas with a very high exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) ratio, reducing emissions such as NOx. In the present study, two active PC injection strategies were designed to investigate the effect of injected hydrogen mass and PC mixture air-to-fuel equivalence ratio λ on PC combustion, jet formation, and main chamber (MC) combustion. Stoichiometric or rich hydrogen/oxygen mixtures are actively injected into the PC to enhance the combustion processes in the PC and the MC. A three-dimensional numerical engine model is developed using the commercial CFD code CONVERGE. The engine geometry and parameters adopt a modified GM 4-cylinder 2.0 L GDI gasoline engine. The local developments of gas temperature and velocity are resolved with the adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). The turbulence of the flow is computed with the k-epsilon model of the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS

Yu, Tianxiao, Lee, Dong Eun, Alam, Afaque, Gore, Jay P., Qiao, Li

Designing Next-Generation Piston Geometry for LPG Powered Spark Ignition Engines: An Integrated CFD and Experimental Approach

2025-28-0123

02/07/2025

The efficiency of combustion has a major impact on the performance and emission characteristics of a spark-ignited LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) engine. The shape of the combustion chamber determines the homogeneous charge intake velocity, which is crucial for the turbulent motion that encourages flame propagation and quickens combustion. It need the right amount of compression ratio, charge squish velocity and turbulent kinetic energy to sustain combustion and propel laminar flames. There are a number of names for the motion of the charge within the cylinder: swirl, squish, tumble and turbulence. All of these terms affect how air and fuel are mixed and burned. Piston shape affects in-cylinder motion, which in turn reduces fuel consumption and improves combustion characteristics. The shape of the piston quench zone has a substantial impact on the charge velocity inside the combustion chamber. The impact on charge motion was analyzed using computer modeling using STAR-CD on pentroof

Sagaya Raj, Gnana, R L, Krupakaran, Pasupuleti, Thejasree, Natarajan, Manikandan

Effects of Injection Parameters On the Evaporation, Mixing, Combustion and Emission Characteristics of a Spark Ignition Methanol Engine

2025-01-7119

01/31/2025

The combustion performance test under different injection parameters was carried out on an inline 6-cylinder spark-ignition (SI) methanol engine, and the influence mechanism of injection parameters on methanol evaporation, mixing, combustion and emission was revealed through simulation. The results indicate that compared to the low-flow nozzle scheme (14*D0.26), when adopting the high-flow nozzle scheme (16*D0.30), the injection duration is shorter. The evaporation rate of methanol in the intake port is increased, the amount of methanol droplets and wall-attached liquid film in the cylinder is reduced, and the temperature in the cylinder is elevated. Moreover, the changes are more significant under high-load operating conditions. The change in the methanol charge rate during the intake process leads to a slightly higher inhomogeneity of the in-cylinder mixture. The relatively high temperature in the cylinder and the appropriate increase in the mixture concentration on the exhaust side

Zhang, Zhi, Liu, Haifeng, Li, Yongzhi, Chang, Weide, Shu, Zanqiao, Ju, Chengyuan, Ratlamwala, Tahir Abdul Hussain, Yao, Mingfa

AFR Adaptation Strategy Based on Lambda Sensor for a Methanol Engine

2025-01-7039

01/31/2025

Methanol is an main type clean energy and it taken important part for the future internal combustion engine technology. The Equivalent air-fuel ratio (AFR) is very import for the engine combustion of methanol. And a lot of case the ratio between methanol and gasoline is not the constant number. There are no studies about AFR when fuel ratio is arbitrary in the currently. The AFR changes obviously if the tank was fueled with gasoline by mistake at a methanol spark ignition engine. Emission will be affected heavily at this situation because the AFR of gasoline is 2 times more than methanol. Some fuel trim adaptation error will be detected by engine controller or even the engine will stall if engine controller keep use the previous AFR to do the fuel injection control. The Investigation provide a relevant AFR adaption strategy based on lambda sensor and the fuel pipes configuration. The strategy was proved valid by some simulation cases to reduce lambda disturbance, optimize emission

Liu, Yiqiang, Zhong, Jun, Qian, Pengfei, Qiao, Zhiwei, Zhu, Delei, Zhong, Shuanglei, Dong, Yanzhao, Yu, Xiuju

Control Re-Optimization of a Series-Parallel Hybrid Powertrain Fueled with High-Octane Gasoline

2025-01-7028

01/31/2025

High-octane gasoline has the potential to improve engine efficiency but has been reported to marginally reduce and even increase vehicle fuel consumption. The objective of this study is to evaluate the fuel-saving effect of high-octane gasoline on series-parallel hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) under the re-optimized powertrain control, including engine control and energy management. Firstly, a bench test was conducted on a spark ignition engine fueled with three fuels with research octane numbers of approximately 92, 95, and 98, named 92#, 95#, and 98#. Then the engine control parameter (i.e., spark advance) was re-optimized for maximum engine efficiency and acceptable particle number emissions with the knock constraint. Finally, the energy management was re-optimized for a series-parallel hybrid powertrain equipped with the engine. It was found that 95# and 98# even increased vehicle fuel consumption by 0.2% and 0.6% without the re-optimization of powertrain control compared with 92

Tan, Guikun, Li, Ji, Li, Yanfei, Wang, Changhui, Sun, Yuncai, Xu, Anzhao, Shuai, Shijin, Xu, Hongming

Prediction of Combustion Characteristic Parameters of High Efficiency and Low Emission Hydrogen-Enriched Compressed Natural Gas Engine Under Closed-Loop Control

2025-01-7103

01/31/2025

Closed-loop combustion control is highly beneficial for improving the efficiency and reducing the emissions of spark ignition internal combustion engines. In this paper, the key parameter (CA50) of closed-loop combustion control and its effect on the combustion and emissions were explored experimentally in a six-cylinder hydrogen enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG) engine. Moreover, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) back propagation neural network (BPNN) algorithm improved by various hybrid strategies was employed for CA50 prediction. The experimental results reveal that CA50 has a significant impact on the combustion characteristics and emissions of the HCNG engine. Meanwhile, statistical analysis illustrates that CA50 follows a normal distribution and has no self-correlation. Considering the one-to-one correspondence between CA50 and the spark timing, it is suitable to select CA50 as the feedback parameter. The simulation results indicate that the CA50 prediction model

Duan, Hao, Yan, Yu, Ren, Xianfeng, Yin, Xiaojun, Wang, Jinhua, Zeng, Ke

Jet-Induced Compression Ignition (JICI)—Application of Spark-Assisted Compression Ignition (SACI) in a Combustion System with Active Pre-Chamber

03-18-01-0009

01/17/2025

The application of short burn durations at lean engine operation has the potential to increase the efficiency of spark-ignition engines. To achieve short burn durations, spark-assisted compression ignition (SACI) as well as active pre-chamber (PC) combustion systems are suitable technologies. Since a combination of these two combustion concepts has the potential to achieve shorter burn durations than the application of only one of these concepts, the concept of jet-induced compression ignition (JICI) was investigated in this study. With the JICI, the fuel is ignited in the PC, and the combustion products igniting the charge in the main combustion chamber (MC) triggered the autoignition of the MC charge. A conventional gasoline fuel (RON 95 E10) and a Porsche synthetic fuel (POSYN) were investigated to assess the fuel influence on the JICI. Variations of the relative air/fuel ratio in the exhaust gas (λex) were performed to evaluate both the occurrence of the JICI and the dilution

Burkardt, Patrick, Günther, Marco, Villforth, Jonas, Pischinger, Stefan

Efficient Estimation of Laminar Flame Speed in Dual-Fuel SI Engines: A Simplified Methodology for 1-D Predictive Combustion Simulation

2024-36-0184

12/20/2024

The increasing impacts of the greenhouse effect have driven the need to reduce pollutant emissions from internal combustion engines. Renewable fuels are promising alternatives for emission reduction, and enhancing engine efficiency can further decrease specific emissions. This study explores the development of dual-fuel engines to meet these goals, focusing on dual-fuel combustion in spark-ignition (SI) engines using two different bioethanol and natural gas mixtures. A novel methodology for 1-D predictive combustion simulation in dual-fuel SI engines was developed and implemented in GT-Suite software. The approach involves a straightforward estimation of the laminar flame speed of the fuel mixture and the calibration of turbulent combustion parameters using a genetic optimization algorithm, without the need for complex chemical kinetics models. The results indicate that the proposed methodology can reproduce combustion characteristics, achieving satisfactory outcomes across most tested

Pasa, Giovanni Duarte, Martins, Clarissa, Cota, Filipe, Dornelles, Henrique, Duarte, Thales, Rosalen, Rodrigo, Pujatti, Fabrício José Pacheco

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