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Internal Combustion Engines 2018

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2019) | Viewed by 30041

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Morgan Heikal

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Guest Editor

Advanced Engineering Centre, School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
Interests: IC engines; heat transfer; compact heat exchangers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit your work to this Special Issue of Energies. I am sure you appreciate that the Internal Combustion Engine, which has served us faithfully for over 100 years, is going through a testing time and is evolving rapidly to meet ever stringent emission regulations and environmental concerns. This is coupled with fast developments in the fuels industry and total energy management.

Many of us believe that the Internal Combustion Engine is here to stay for a considerable time as there does not seem to be a viable alternative that can cover all applications. This Special Issue provides a valuable and timely opportunity for researchers, engineers and inventors from around the world to publish their novel research and demonstrate how their work can help to meet regulations by reducing emissions and boosting fuel economy, while delivering the best, overall powertrain performance.

We are looking forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Morgan Heikal
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

novel cycles
fuel/engine co-optimization
biofuels
modelling and simulation
novel experimental techniques
new engine concepts

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

45 pages, 9146 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Proposal of a Predictive Mixed Experimental- Numerical Approach for Assessing the Performance of Farm Tractor Engines Fuelled with Diesel- Biodiesel-Bioethanol Blends

by Marco Bietresato, Carlo Caligiuri, Anna Bolla, Massimiliano Renzi and Fabrizio Mazzetto

Energies 2019, 12(12), 2287; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12122287 - 14 Jun 2019

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3163

Abstract

The effect of biofuel blends on the engine performance and emissions of agricultural machines can be extremely complex to predict even if the properties and the effects of the pure substances in the blends can be sourced from the literature. Indeed, on the one hand, internal combustion engines (ICEs) have a high intrinsic operational complexity; on the other hand, biofuels show antithetic effects on engine performance and present positive or negative interactions that are difficult to determine a priori. This study applies the Response Surface Methodology (RSM), a numerical method typically applied in other disciplines (e.g., industrial engineering) and for other purposes (e.g., set-up of production machines), to analyse a large set of experimental data regarding the mechanical and environmental performances of an ICE used to power a farm tractor. The aim is twofold: i) to demonstrate the effectiveness of RSM in quantitatively assessing the effects of biofuels on a complex system like an ICE; ii) to supply easy-to-use correlations for the users to predict the effect of biofuel blends on performance and emissions of tractor engines. The methodology showed good prediction capabilities and yielded interesting outcomes. The effects of biofuel blends and physical fuel parameters were adopted to study the engine performance. Among all possible parameters depending on the fuel mixture, the viscosity of a fuel blend demonstrated a high statistical significance on some system responses directly related to the engine mechanical performances. This parameter can constitute an interesting indirect estimator of the mechanical performances of an engine fuelled with such blend, while it showed poor accuracy in predicting the emissions of the ICE (NO_x, CO concentration and opacity of the exhaust gases) due to a higher influence of the chemical composition of the fuel blend on these parameters; rather, the blend composition showed a much higher accuracy in the assessment of the mechanical performance of the ICE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Internal Combustion Engines 2018)

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21 pages, 15350 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diesel-Injection Equipment Parts Deterioration after Prolonged Use of Biodiesel

by Dimitrios N. Tziourtzioumis and Anastassios M. Stamatelos

Energies 2019, 12(10), 1953; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12101953 - 22 May 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 7144

Abstract

The application of biodiesel blends is known to significantly affect operation of diesel-injection equipment, especially the injectors and fuel pump. This paper summarizes experience on this subject from burning fuel blends with high-percentages of biodiesel (up to 70%) on a common-rail, high-pressure-injection diesel engine and a conventional DI engine. Both engines were unable to start after running for 100 h each and staying shut off for more than two months. In order to understand the wear characteristics of the injector nozzle, pump pistons, and elastomer parts (in the case of the high-pressure pump of the common-rail engine), due to the prolonged operation with high-percentage biodiesel blends, their injectors and pumps parts were examined and compared by performing normal photography and low magnification microscopy. Additionally, the various elastomer parts of the high-pressure fuel pump of the common-rail engine were examined for wear and deterioration. The results are compared with existing literature results from other researchers. The observed deterioration of diesel-injection equipment is caused by use of high-percentage biodiesel blends and subsequent engine shut down. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Internal Combustion Engines 2018)

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22 pages, 10640 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Control Strategies for the Diagnosis of Injector Performance in an Internal Combustion Engine via Turbocharger Speed

by Michele Becciani, Luca Romani, Giovanni Vichi, Alessandro Bianchini, Go Asai, Ryota Minamino, Alessandro Bellissima and Giovanni Ferrara

Energies 2019, 12(8), 1420; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12081420 - 12 Apr 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2915

Abstract

In order to ensure a high level of performance and to comply with the increasingly severe limitations in terms of fuel consumption and pollution emissions, modern diesel engines need continuous monitoring of their operating conditions by their control units. With particular focus on turbocharged engines, which are presently the standard in a large number of applications, the use of the average and the instantaneous turbocharger speeds is thought to represent a valuable feedback of the engine behavior, especially for the identification of the cylinder-to-cylinder injection variations. The correct operation of the injectors and control of the injected fuel quantity allow the controller to ensure the right combustion process and maintain engine performance. In the present study, two different techniques are presented to fit this scope. The techniques are discussed and experimentally validated, leading to the definition of an integrated control strategy, which features the main benefits of the two, and is able to correctly detect the cylinder-to-cylinder injection variation and, consequently, properly correct the injection in each cylinder in order to balance the engine behavior. In addition, the possibility of detecting misfiring events was assessed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Internal Combustion Engines 2018)

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32 pages, 7186 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Real-Time Simulation of Torque and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions in an 11.0 L Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine for Model-Based Combustion Control

by Roberto Finesso, Gilles Hardy, Alessandro Mancarella, Omar Marello, Antonio Mittica and Ezio Spessa

Energies 2019, 12(3), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12030460 - 31 Jan 2019

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3615

Abstract

A real-time combustion model was assessed and applied to simulate BMEP (Brake Mean Effective Pressure) and NO_x (Nitrogen Oxide) emissions in an 11.0 L FPT Cursor 11 diesel engine for heavy-duty applications. The activity was carried out in the frame of the IMPERIUM H2020 EU Project. The developed model was used as a starting base to derive a model-based combustion controller, which is able to control indicated mean effective pressure and NO_x emissions by acting on the injected fuel quantity and main injection timing. The combustion model was tested and assessed at steady-state conditions and in transient operation over several load ramps. The average root mean square error of the model is of the order of 110 ppm for the NO_x simulation and of 0.3 bar for the BMEP simulation Moreover, a statistical robustness analysis was performed on the basis of the expected input parameter deviations, and a calibration sensitivity analysis was carried out, which showed that the accuracy is almost unaffected when reducing the calibration dataset by about 80%. The model was also tested on a rapid prototyping device and it was verified that it features real-time capability, since the computational time is of the order of 300–400 µs. Finally, the basic functionality of the model-based combustion controller was tested offline at steady-state conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Internal Combustion Engines 2018)

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20 pages, 5434 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Analysis of the Flow Field from Connection Cones to Monolith Reactors

by Mingfei Mu, Jonas Sjöblom, Henrik Ström and Xinghu Li

Energies 2019, 12(3), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12030455 - 31 Jan 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3232

Abstract

The connection cones between an exhaust pipe and an exhaust after-treatment system (EATS) will affect the flow into the first monolith. In this study, a new streamlined connection cone using non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) is applied to optimize the flow uniformity inside two different monoliths (a gasoline particulate filter and an un-coated monolith). NURBS and conventional cones were created using 3D printing with two different cone angles. The velocities after the monolith were collected to present the uniformity of the flows under different cones and different velocities. The test results indicate that NURBS cones exhibit better performance. Furthermore, all of the pressure drops of the bench test were measured and compared with those of the conventional cones, demonstrating that the NURBS cones can reduce the pressure drop by up to 12%. The computer fluid dynamics simulations depict detailed changes in the flow before and after entering the monolith. The results show that the NURBS cone avoids the generation of a recirculating zone associated with conventional cones and creates a more uniform flow, which causes a lower pressure drop. Meanwhile, the package structure of the NURBS cone can reduce the space requirements. Finally, the implications of the flow distributions are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Internal Combustion Engines 2018)

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20 pages, 4393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving the Thermal Efficiency of the Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine by Using Various Combustion Patterns

by Yuh-Yih Wu, James H. Wang and Faizan Mushtaq Mir

Energies 2018, 11(11), 3002; https://doi.org/10.3390/en11113002 - 01 Nov 2018

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5961

Abstract

The efficiency of an internal combustion engine (ICE) is essential for automobiles and motorcycles. Several studies have demonstrated that the homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is a promising technology for realizing engines with high efficiency and low emissions. This study investigated the combustion characteristics of the HCCI using a 125 cc motorcycle engine with n-heptane fuel. The engine performance, combustion characteristics, and thermal efficiency were analyzed from experimental data. The results revealed that a leaner air–fuel mixture led to higher engine efficiency and output. The improvement of engine output is contradictory to the general trend. Energy balance analysis revealed that lower heat loss, due to the low cylinder gas temperature of lean combustion, contributed to higher efficiency. A double-Wiebe function provided excellent simulation of the mass fraction burned (MFB) of the HCCI. Air cycle simulation with the MFB, provided by the double-Wiebe function, was executed to investigate this phenomenon. The results indicated that a better combustion pattern led to higher thermal efficiency, and thus the engine output and thermal efficiency do not require a fast combustion rate in an HCCI engine. A better combustion pattern can be achieved by adjusting air–fuel ratio (AFR) and the rates of dual fuel and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Internal Combustion Engines 2018)

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16 pages, 12212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Visualization Investigation of the Influence of Chamber Profile and Injection Parameters on Fuel Spray Spreading in a Double-Layer Diverging Combustion Chamber for a DI Diesel Engine

by Yao Fu, Liyan Feng, Hua Tian, Wuqiang Long, Dongsheng Dong and Xianyin Leng

Energies 2018, 11(9), 2343; https://doi.org/10.3390/en11092343 - 05 Sep 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3091

Abstract

The double-layer diverging combustion chamber (DLDC chamber) aims to improve the fuel–air mixing formation and promote in-cylinder air utilization by changing fuel spray spreading characteristics. In order to investigate how the DLDC chamber profile and injection parameters affect the fuel spray spreading, visualization of fuel injection and impingement tests were carried out on two different DLDC chambers with different fuel injection parameters. The visualization test results showed that double-layer fuel spray spreading was obtained in the two DLDC chambers and the peripheral top clearance of each chamber was utilized efficiently. The DLDC chamber with a 50% upper layer volume provided a larger fuel spray distribution region after the start of injection. The DLDC chamber with a 70% upper layer volume obtained a larger fuel spray distribution region with better top clearance utilization at the later stage of injection. The injection parameters mentioned in this research showed significant effects on the fuel spray spreading in the DLDC chamber. Increasing the injection pressure provided a larger fuel spray distribution area at the beginning of injection. Decreasing the nozzle hole diameter had a positive influence on obtaining a larger fuel spray distribution. Advancing the injection timing enabled the enlarging of the fuel distribution region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Internal Combustion Engines 2018)

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