Abstract:
A method is disclosed for expanding the mid load operation limit in a four-stroke gasoline direct-injection controlled auto-ignition combustion engine. A system is employed for variably actuating the intake and exhaust valves and for operating the valves with an exhaust re-compression or exhaust re-breathing valve strategy. A spark plug is provided. A fuel injector having multiple injection capability is employed. A first fuel charge is injected into the combustion chamber to form a lean air-fuel mixture. A second fuel charge is injected into the combustion chamber to form a stratified air-fuel mixture having an ignitable mixture located near the spark plug. The ignitable mixture is ignited at the spark gap, thereby causing spark-ignition combustion that causes a sufficient increase in chamber pressure and temperature to trigger auto-ignition of the lean air-fuel mixture, resulting in the obtaining of a higher engine load before a pressure rise rate in the combustion chamber exceeds a prescribed threshold value.
Abstract:
Low load operating point for a controlled auto-ignition four-stroke internal combustion engine is reduced without compromising combustion stability through a valve control operative to establish sub-atmospheric pressure conditions within the combustion chamber into which fuel and exhaust gases are introduced.
Abstract:
Operation of a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine is adapted to fuel variations. A variable valve actuating system is employed to effect conditions conducive to homogeneous charge compression ignition operation. Nominal valve timing is selected and adjustments thereto are made based on deviations in combustion phasing from a desired combustion phasing. Fuel delivery timing and quantity are adjusted once valve timing authority limits are reached to achieve further combustion phasing improvement.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed for expanding the mid load range of a four-stroke gasoline direct-injection controlled auto-ignition combustion engine. The engine includes at least one cylinder containing a piston reciprocably connected with a crank and defining a variable volume combustion chamber including an intake valve controlling communication with an air intake and an exhaust valve controlling communication with an exhaust outlet. A system is employed for variably actuating the intake and exhaust valves. The valve actuating system is employable to operate the intake and exhaust valves with an exhaust re-compression or an exhaust re-breathing valve strategy. A reservoir chamber in communication with the combustion chamber is provided for temporary holding of residual burned gas. Residual burned gas in the combustion chamber and the exhaust outlet enters into the reservoir chamber and then loses thermal energy while in the reservoir chamber before being drawn back into the combustion chamber.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed for controlling the air-fuel ratio in a four-stroke gasoline direct-injection controlled auto-ignition combustion. The engine is operated with two sequential pairs of expansion and contraction strokes during two revolutions of the engine crank, the two revolutions defining a combustion cycle. A system is employed for variably actuating the intake and exhaust valves and adjusting the flow of air and burned gases entering the combustion chamber. Adjusting the flow affects the resulting air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber. The valve actuating system is employable to operate the intake and exhaust valves with an exhaust re-compression or an exhaust re-breathing valve strategy. Either valve strategy affects the air-fuel ratio in the cylinder and causes a proportion of burned gases from previous combustion cycles to be retained in the cylinder to provide the necessary conditions for auto-ignition of the air-fuel mixture.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for controlling engine operation to compensate for effects of combustion chamber deposits (CCDs) on combustion in a controlled auto-ignition engine is presented. Control methodologies comprise operation of variable valve actuation, fuel injection, spark timing, and intake air and coolant temperature to dynamically compensate for the effect of CCDs. A sensitivity to core gas temperature and chamber wall thermal conditions is shown, which is correlatable to in-cylinder CCD formation. Intake charge or coolant temperature control can be used to compensate for CCD effects. An engine control scheme relies upon a parametric input that quantifies instantaneous CCD formation in the combustion chamber. The result is further applicable to control pre-ignition in a conventional spark-ignition engine.
Abstract:
A method to control combustion in an HCCI engine, to mitigate effects of combustion chamber deposits is detailed. The method comprises applying a specific surface coating to a combustion chamber surface. The surface coating has thermal properties substantially similar to the combustion chamber deposits. The thermal properties preferably include a) thermal conductivity, b) heat capacity, and c) thermal diffusivity. Applying a surface coating results in a reduction of combustion variability due to variation in combustion chamber deposits, and an improvement on combustion stability at low loads due to reduced heat loss. A preferred thermally insulating surface coating includes thermal parameters of a heat capacity in a range of 0.03×106 J/m3-K to 2.0×106 J/m3-K; a thermal conductivity in a range of 0.25 W/m-K to 2.5 W/m-K; and, a thermal diffusivity in a range of 1×10−7 m2/s to 8×10−6 m2/s.
Abstract:
A direct injection controlled auto-ignition engine is operated at steady state, within a homogeneous charge compression-ignition (HCCI) load range and with fuel-air-diluent mixtures at predetermined conditions, for each speed and load, of engine control inputs, including at least fueling mass flow rate, injection timing (FI), spark timing (SI) and exhaust recompression obtained by negative valve overlap (NVO). During load change rates below a predetermined threshold, SI, FI and NVO change rates are synchronized to current changes in the fueling mass flow rate. For fast load increases above the threshold, the cylinder charge is temporarily enriched by increasing the percentage of residual gas or reducing the percentage of fresh air mass in the charge sufficiently to maintain auto-ignition temperature during the load change. This may be done by delaying NVO action for a predetermined speed-dependent number of engine cycles. At very low loads, stable fuel rate reduction may require an alternate method involving deceleration fuel cut-off followed by a step change during refire.