HCCI engine
HCCI engine
• The system features lower-temperature combustion compared to ordinary
gasoline engines, resulting in nearly no NOx emissions.
• It offers the highest potential heat efficiency among internal-combustion
engine systems, leading to projections of major cuts in CO2 emissions.
• HCCI engines achieve extremely low levels of oxides of nitrogen emissions
(NOx) without a catalytic converter.
• Hydrocarbons (unburnt fuels and oils) and carbon monoxide emissions still
require treatment to meet automobile emissions control regulations.
• A form of internal combustion in which well-mixed fuel and oxidizer (typically
air) are compressed to the point of auto-ignition. As in other forms of
combustion, this exothermic reaction releases energy that can be transformed
in an engine into work and heat energy.
• HCCI injects fuel during the intake stroke. However, rather than using an electric
discharge (spark) to ignite a portion of the mixture, HCCI raises density and
temperature by compression until the entire mixture reacts spontaneously.
contd.
• For improving fuel efficiency and emissions reduction.
• An HCCI engine is a mix of both conventional homogeneous charged
spark-ignition and stratified charged diesel compression ignition
technology. The blending of these two designs offers diesel-like high
efficiency without the difficulty—and expensive—to deal with NOx and
particulate matter emissions.
• In its most basic form, it simply means that fuel (gasoline) is
homogeneously (thoroughly and completely) mixed with air in the
combustion chamber (very similar to a regular spark-ignited gasoline
engine), but with a very high proportion of air to fuel (lean mixture).
• As the engine's piston reaches its highest point (top dead center) on the
compression stroke, the air/fuel mixture auto-ignites (spontaneously
and completely combusts with no spark plug assist) from compression
heat, much like a diesel engine.
• On the intake stroke, fuel is injected into each cylinder's combustion
chamber via fuel injectors mounted directly in the cylinder head. This
is achieved independently from air induction which takes place
through the intake plenum. By the end of the intake stroke, fuel and
air have been fully introduced and mixed in the cylinder's combustion
chamber.
• As the piston begins to move back up during the compression stroke,
heat begins to build in the combustion chamber. When the piston
reaches the end of this stroke, sufficient heat has accumulated to
cause the fuel/air mixture to spontaneously combust (no spark is
necessary) and force the piston down for the power stroke.
• Unlike conventional spark engines (and even diesels), the combustion
process is a lean, low temperature and flameless release of energy
across the entire combustion chamber. The entire fuel mixture is
burned simultaneously producing equivalent power, but using much
less fuel and releasing far fewer emissions in the process.
• It can achieve gasoline like emissions and diesel like combustion &
efficiency.
• At the end of the power stroke, the piston reverses direction again
and initiates the exhaust stroke, but before all of the exhaust gases
can be evacuated, the exhaust valves close early, trapping some of the
latent combustion heat. This heat is preserved, and a small quantity
of fuel is injected into the combustion chamber for a pre-charge (to
help control combustion temperatures and emissions) before the next
intake stroke begins.
• In an HCCI engine (which is based on the four-stroke Otto cycle), fuel
delivery control is of paramount importance in controlling the
combustion process.
• Stratified charge compression ignition also relies on temperature and
density increase resulting from compression. However, it injects fuel
later, during the compression stroke. Combustion occurs at the
boundary of the fuel and air, producing higher emissions, but allowing
a leaner and higher compression burn, producing greater efficiency.
Challenges
• Problem with HCCI engines is controlling the combustion .
• In traditional spark engines, combustion timing is easily adjusted by
the engine management control module changing the spark event
and perhaps fuel delivery. It's not nearly so easy with HCCI's flameless
combustion.
contd.
• Combustion chamber temperature and mixture composition must be
tightly controlled within quickly changing and very narrow thresholds
that include parameters such as cylinder pressure, engine load and
RPMs and throttle position, ambient air temperature extremes and
atmospheric pressure changes.
• Most of these conditions are compensated with sensors and
automatic adjustments. Included are individual cylinder pressure
sensors, variable hydraulic valve lift and electromechanical phasers
for camshaft timing.
Advantages
• Lean combustion returns 15 percent increase in fuel efficiency over a
conventional spark ignition engine.
• Cleaner combustion and lower emissions (especially NOx) than a
conventional spark ignition engine.
• Compatible with gasoline as well as E85 (ethanol) fuel.
• Fuel is burned quicker and at lower temperatures, reducing heat energy
loss compared to a conventional spark engine.
• Throttleless induction system eliminates frictional pumping losses
incurred in traditional (throttle body) spark engines.
Disadvantages
• High cylinder pressures require stronger (and more expensive)
engine construction.
• More limited power range than a conventional spark engine.
• The many phases of combustion characteristics are difficult
(and more expensive) to control
