Effects of the injection parameters on the premixed charge compression ignition combustion and the emissions in a heavy-duty diesel engine

Abstract

Numerous combustion strategies have been suggested for compression ignition engines in order to meet the stringent emission regulations with minimal sacrifice in the fuel economy. Premixed charge compression ignition combustion has the potential to reduce the nitrogen oxide emissions and the soot emissions while maintaining a high thermal efficiency and has become the research focus recently. Experiments and simulations were used to study the effects of the injection mode and the injection timing on the premixed charge compression ignition combustion and the emissions in a heavy-duty diesel engine at low and medium loads. The results reveal the following. At low loads, when the injection timing of a single injection is 35° crank angle before top dead centre because of the impinging position of the spray, the mixture is divided into two parts: the fuel above the chamber and the fuel in the piston bowl. This helps to utilize fully the in-cylinder air to form a homogeneous mixture. Also the nitrogen oxide emissions are the lowest. At medium loads, with a single injection, the injection mass is increased, the injection duration is prolonged and the mixing timing is reduced. As a result, the soot emissions, the carbon monoxide emissions and the unburned hydrocarbon emissions are increased dramatically; the best emissions are gained at an injection timing of 35° crank angle before top dead centre owing to the combined effect of the optimized mixing time and the optimized mixing space. At medium loads, with multiple injections, the injection mass is divided into four pulses, the mixing timings of which are all increased. The mixing space of the fuel–air mixture is also improved, and a more homogeneous mixture is obtained, which is beneficial to decreasing the soot emissions, the carbon monoxide emissions and the unburned hydrocarbon emissions in comparison with those for the single-injection case. When the injection timings of multiple injections are 80° crank angle before top dead centre, 65° crank angle before top dead centre, 50° crank angle before top dead centre and 35° crank angle before top dead centre, the best trade-off between the performance and the emissions can be achieved at medium loads.