HCCI and Stratified-Charge CI Engine Combustion Research

John E. Dec
Wontae Hwang and Yi Yang

Sandia National Laboratories

May 19, 2009 10:00 a.m. U.S. DOE, Office of Vehicle Technologies Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Program Manager: Gurpreet Singh Project ID: ace_04_dec

This presentation does not contain any proprietary, confidential, or otherwise restricted information.

Overview
Project provides fundamental
Timeline

Extend HCCI (LTC) operating range

Barriers

research to support DOE/Industry advanced engine projects.

Project directions and continuation are evaluated annually. Project funded by DOE/VT:
FY08 $695k FY09 $700k

to higher loads. Improved understanding of in-cylinder processes. Control HC & CO emiss. at low loads.

Budget

Project Lead: Sandia John E. Dec Part of Advanced Engine Combustion

(AEC) working group:

Partners / Collaborators

15 Industrial partners: auto, engine & energy 5 National Labs & Univ. of Wisconsin GM bimonthly meetings & discussion Chevron funds complementary project LLNL 1) support kinetic-mechanism
devel., 2) CFD modeling, & 3) cooperative project on detailed exhaust speciation.
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Objectives
Project objective: to provide the fundamental understanding (science-base) required to overcome the technical barriers to the development of practical HCCI and HCCI-like engines by industry.

FY09 Objectives:

Determine the development of natural thermal stratification in an HCCI engine, using planar-imaging thermometry.

Thermal-imaging diagnostic developed as part of this task.

Evaluate the potential of intake boost for extending the high-load limit of HCCI by using EGR to control combst.-phasing advance multi-year task.

FY09:

Determine potential of boost with EGR for gasoline at rep. engine speed.

Determine the performance of ethanol as a fuel for HCCI engines.

Conducted cooperatively with M. Sjberg in the Advanced SI-Engine Fuels Lab.

Support CFD modeling and the development/improvement of chemicalkinetic mechanisms for HCCI at LLNL provide data and analysis.
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Milestones
FY2008

Complete analysis of detailed exhaust-gas speciation measurements for iso-octane. (February 2008) Status: Completed Determine the potential benefits of EGR for reducing the maximum pressure-rise rate and extending the high-load HCCI limit. (August 2008) Status: Completed

FY2009

Determine the magnitude and distribution of the natural thermal stratification in an HCCI engine at a typical operating condition. (February 2009) Status: Completed. Determine the potential of EGR for increasing the allowable intakepressure boost for gasoline-like fuels, at a representative engine speed. (August 2009) Status: ~60% complete as of March 2009.

Approach
Use a combination of metal- and optical-engine experiments and modeling
to build a comprehensive understanding of HCCI processes.

Metal engine design well-characterized experiments to isolate specific aspects of HCCI/SCCI combustion & relationships between parameters.

Intake boost:

Systematically increase boost adjust Tin and/or EGR to retard timing to allow max. fueling at each Pin without knock, but with good stability.

Optical engine detailed investigations of in-cylinder processes.

Thermal stratification (TS):

Develop temperature-imaging diagnostic Apply to obtain T-map images showing temporal and spatial development of TS.

Computational Modeling supplement experiments by showing causeand-effect relationships that are not easily measured.

Initiating LES modeling with J. Oefelein, Sandia to understand mechanism of TS. In-house CHEMKIN (Senkin) single- and multi-zone kinetic modeling. Collaborate with LLNL to improve kinetic mechanisms, and on CFD modeling.

Combination of techniques provides a more complete understanding. Transfer results to industry.

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Sandia HCCI / SCCI Engine Laboratory

Matching all-metal & optical HCCI research engines.
Single-cylinder conversion from Cummins B-series diesel.

Flame Arrestor Optical Engine

Intake Plenum Exhaust Plenum Water & Oil Pumps & Heaters

All-Metal Engine

Optical Engine

Optics Table Dynamometer All-Metal Engine

Bore x Stroke = 102 x 120 mm 0.98 liters, CR=14

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Accomplishments

Determined the evolution of natural thermal stratification in an HCCI engine, including its distribution and magnitude at a typical operating condition.

Developed a planar temp.-imaging diagnostic for TS in HCCI engines.

Conducted initial investigation showing the potential of intake boost for extending the high-load limit of HCCI for gasoline fuel.

Showed that EGR is effective for controlling boost-induced timing advance. Achieved a substantial load increase at a rep. 1200 rpm operating condition.

Determined the behavior of ethanol as an HCCI fuel over a range of operating conditions.

Cooperatively with M. Sjberg of the Advanced SI-Engine Fuels Lab.

Initiated detailed exhaust-speciation analysis for PRF80 2-stage ignition.

Project conducted in cooperation L. Davisson at LLNL.

Supported chemical-kinetic and CFD modeling work at LLNL.

Provided data and analysis for:

1) improving chemical-kinetic mechanisms, and 2) CFD modeling of fuel stratification to improve low-load comb. eff. & emissions.
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Importance of Thermal Stratification (TS)

TS causes autoignition to occur sequentially from hottest region to coldest.

Bottom-View Side-View

Reduces max. pressure-rise rate (PRR). Allows higher fueling without knock.

Amplify the benefit of the TS by retarding combst. timing further increases in load. Chemilum. images show:

Non-uniformities over whole field of view. Hot reactions start intermittently near the
Cylinder Pressure [bar]
55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20
Pressure HRR PRR * 10 Chemilum.

210 180 150 120 90 60 30 0

TS of the bulk gas is critical for highload HCCI operation. Understanding TS is important for increasing the high-load limit of HCCI.

360

364 368 372 Crank Angle [ ATDC]

376
8

HRR [J/CA] & PRR x 10 [bar/CA]

mid-plane. At time of max. PRR most combustion is from bulk gases (central region). BL combust. occurs after max. PRR.

60

240

Planar Imaging Thermometry

Diagnostic: single-laser toluene PLIF.

PLIF intensity varies with temperature. Good sensitivity in desired range, 600 1050 K.
PLIF setup:

Nd:YAG 266 nm

2% toluene + 98% iso-octane Laser excitation: 266 nm, 58 mm wide sheet. Intensified camera with 277nm LP & UG5 filters. Run inert with N2 to prevent quenching.
OK since TS develops prior to combustion.

Calibrate temp. sensitivity in-cylinder. For well-mixed fueling, variations in PLIF intensity correspond to temp. variation

Raw PLIF

Temperature fluctuations shown relative

to the mean of each image. Bright regions in raw image correspond to cold pockets.

T-map

Temporal Evolution of TS

Laser elevation adjusted with crank angle to remain in mid-plane (20 - 4 mm below F-D).

Representative of bulk gas.

TS develops progressively as cold pockets convected into central region.

305CA

330CA

340CA

Temperature nearly uniform at 305CA.

> Virtually no TS remains from intake. > Insufficient time with Tgas > Twall.

Substantial TS by TDC (360CA) +/- 35 K.

> Sufficient for significant spread in
autoignition time of various regions.

350CA

355CA

TDC 360CA

TS distribution is random cycle-to-cycle. Scale of cold pockets near TDC is 5 11 mm, similar to 8mm TDC clearance height.
(Fine-grain speckle pattern is shot noise.)
365CA 370CA 380CA

Magnitude of TS appears to diminish after TDC.

10 390CA

PDF Analysis of TS Images

Apply probability density functions (PDF)
Mass PDF 0.15

to quantify changes in temp. distribution with crank angle.

Before TDC
0.12 0.09 0.06 0.03 0.00 0.06 -40

305 320 330 340 345 350 355 360

305CA:

PDF very narrow.

> Little time for development of TS. > Analysis almost all width is shot noise.

330 - 340CA: 340 - 360CA: 360 - 390CA:

Significant broadening.
Mass PDF

Progressive increase.

After TDC

-30

-20

-10

0 10 T [K]

20

30

PDF width decreases, in agreement with images. cause?

0.03 0.00 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 T [K] 20 30

36040 365 370 375 380 390

Define:

40

multi-zone model results.

Normalize by TMEAN to remove effects of

compression & expansion.

30 20 10 0 300

0.04 0.03 0.02 0.01 400

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Reduces, but not eliminate TW decrs. ATDC.

Heat transfer dominant changes at TDC.

320

340 360 380 Crank Angle [ CA]

TW/T MEAN

Max. TW at TDC 50 K agrees with

Thermal Width [K]

thermal width (TW) = 5 - 95% of PDF width.

60 50 40

TW - 5 to 95% TW/Tmean

0.07 0.06 0.05

Thermal Distribution of Boundary Layer (BL)

Incrementally scan laser from mid-plane
to outer BL (to 0.8 mm below firedeck).
mid-plane

330CA

330CA: 360CA:

bulk-gas temp. is nearly uniform. Significant TS only for z/h -0.43. TS developed throughout bulk gas. TS greater in outer BL, z/h -0.5.

z/h = -1

z/h = -0.76

z/h = -0.54

Avg. T profiles also show deficits for these z/h. TS progresses inward from wall, 330360 Most BL temp. deficit occurs in last 0.8 mm
at the wall drops to Twall 400 K.
Average Temperature [K]

z/h = -0.43 mid-plane

z/h = -0.22

z/h = -0.09

360CA

BL thickness based on a 5% deficit from

centerline value 1-1.5mm.
1050 1000 950 900 850 800 750 -1.0 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0.0
360 CAD 330 CAD

z/h = -1

z/h = -0.75

z/h = -0.5

Agrees with

z/h = -0.38

previous chemilum. & PLIF studies.

z/h = -0.25

z/h = -0.2

z/h

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Intake Boost for Extending High-Load Limit

Investigate the potential of boosting for
extending HCCI to higher-loads.
18 16 14 IMEPg [bar] 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 50 100
Ringing Inten. [MW/m2] & Corr. Std-Dev. of IMEPg [%]

Required to match full-load diesel or SI.

Current work: gasoline, 1200 rpm. Boost enhances autoignition

advances comb. timing Knock!

Pin = 320 kPa Pin = 280 kPa Pin = 240 kPa Pin = 240 kPa Pin = 200 kPa Pin = 200 kPa Pin = 160 kPa Pin = 160 kPa 100 Max. 100 kPa Pin = IMEPg

Compensate with reduced Tin. For Pin > 160 kPa, Tin Tamb
limits allowable fueling.

Increase Fueling

Add cooled EGR to further slow autoignition. Achieved IMEPg = 16.3 bar, Pin = 324 kPa.
Very high IMEPg for HCCI/LTC, conventl fuel. Near stoich., C/F = 38.5, EGR = 60%,
Pexhaust = 326 kPa, Texhaust = 407C.

150 200 250 300 Intake Pressure [kPa abs.]

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Intake Pressure [kPa abs.]
Ringing Intensity Corr. Std-Dev. of IMEPg

350

At Max. IMEPg

Ringing 5 MW/m2, No Knocking. Std-Dev of IMEPg 1%, very good stability.

350

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Efficiency and NOx for Boosted High-Load

Indicated Thermal Eff. [%]

Indicated Thermal Eff. increases

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 50
2000 1900 1800 1700 1600 1500 1400 1300 1200 1100 1000 50

104 102 100 98 96 At Max. IMEPg

Thermal Eff. Combustion Eff.

slightly with boost. Th. Eff. ~45%.

Combustion Eff. increases, 97 99%. NOx emissions below US-2010 stds.

(should also meet tier II, bin 5).
( < 0.1 g/kg-fuel, ~1-2 ppm).

Higher wall temps. improve combst. Increased EGR reduces HC & CO emiss.

94 92 90 350

100

150 200 250 300 Intake Pressure [kPa abs.]

Peak Charge Temperature [K]

Extremely low for all boosted cases NOx higher for Pin = 100, Tpeak > 1900K.

Correlates with low peak charge temp.

Ind. Thermal Eff. = 47% Comb. Eff. = 99% NOx = 0.015 g/kg-fuel, Tpeak = 1750 K.

For max. IMEPg = 16.3 bar, Pin = 3.2 bar.

1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 At Max. IMEPg 0.4 Peak Charge Temp. 0.3 NOx 0.2 0.1 0.0 100 150 200 250 300 350 Intake Pressure [kPa abs.]

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NOx [g/kg-fuel]

Combustion Efficiency [%]

For maximum IMEPg at each boost

50

106

Ethanol as an HCCI Fuel

Ethanol is a component in most pump gasoline (0 15% fraction).
Also being considered as an alternative fuel at levels up to 85%. Ignition quality RON = 107, MON = 89 Effect on performance and operating
range, i.e. speeds, boost, etc.
= 0.38 PRF90 PRF80 CA50 = 372CA PRF70 Pin = 100 kPa

Important to understand ethanols potential for HCCI.

180
Ethanol Gasoline 30%nC7, 40% Tol, 30% iC8

Intake Temperature [C]

Speed sweep CA50 = 372CA

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 300 600

BDC Temperature [C]

Autoig. similar to gasoline for RPM >900. Most fuels: Tin < 100C as speed is
reduced indicates LTHR (cool flame). Ethanol shows no LTHR!

Boost has only moderate effect on Tin.

900
180 160 140 120 100

Engine Speed [rpm]

1200

1500 1800

2100 2400

Performs similarly to gasoline, conds. studied. Good potential for HCCI fuel / fuel-component. Ethanol is a true single-stage ignition fuel.

Ethanol, Model Ethanol, Experiment

May offer advantages for control & boosted oper.

= 0.38 CA50 = 372CA 1500 rpm 90 100 110 120 130 140 Intake Pressure [kPa] 15 150

Detailed Exhaust Speciation PRF80

Joint project with LLNL spec. analysis. Conducted fueling()-sweep & data for
near-misfire conditions. Results provide:
Main Species
7.0 Percent Fuel Carbon [%] 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.04
HC + OHC HC (no OHC Carbon) OHC (all OHC Carbon) Fuel = Iso-Oct + n-hep. Iso-Octane Ethene Methane 2-Methyl-1-Propene Acetone 2-Methyl-2-Propenal n-Heptane

Sandia engine op. & data interpretation.

Data for aftertreatment & model validation. Improved understanding of combst. process.

PRF80 is a 2-stage ignition fuel at

conditions studied. Affects emissions compared to iso-octane & gasoline.

0.08

0.12

0.16 0.2 0.24 0.28 Equivalence Ratio []

0.32

0.36

OHC fraction is greater for PRF80. Unreacted-fuel fraction is much lower.

Selected Species
Percent Fuel Carbon [%] 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3
Ethene Methane 2-Methyl-1-Propene Acetone 2-Methyl-2-Propenal Formaldehyde Isomers, Dimethyl-Pentene n-Heptane Phenol n-Heptene 2,4,4-Trimethyl-1-pentene

Cool-flame reactions incr. fuel breakdown.

Ratio of n-heptane / iso-octane is 19-23%,

compared to 25% in fuel.

n-Heptane breaks down more readily, but it

induces substantial iso-octane breakdown.

Relatively high conc. of n-Heptene & Phenol

former due to n-Heptane reactions.

0.2 0.1 0.0 0.04 0.08 0.12 0.16 0.2 0.24 0.28 0.32 0.36 Equivalence Ratio [] 16

Future Work

Complete investigation of intake boost for extending the high-load limit of gasoline-fueled HCCI at a representative speed,1200 rpm (FY09). (FY10) Expand boost study to include a range of higher engine speeds, boost levels, and back-pressures for realistic turbo-charger efficiencies.

Two-stage fuels to be done as part of Chevron-funded project.

Extend TS study: 1) improve diagnostic S/N & optical setup, 2) investigate methods of increasing TS, and 3) determine cause of flows producing TS.

Collaborate with J. Oefelein to apply LES modeling mechanism / enhancement.

Additional ethanol studies over a wide range of operating parameters: EGR, load, & boost to high levels with M. Sjberg, Adv. SI-Fuels Lab. Complete exhaust-speciation analysis for 2-stage ignition fuel, PRF80, and compare with single-stage ignition fuels, gasoline and iso-oct. with LLNL.

Analyze emiss. species for near misfire with single- and two-stage ignition fuels.
Continue to collaborate with LLNL on improving chemical-kinetic mechanisms and on CFD/kinetic modeling.
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Summary

Quantitative temperature-map images show that thermal strat. (TS) develops progressively during latter compression stroke throughout charge. Data indicate that TS results from wall-heat transfer and convection.

Future work will focus on understanding the mechanism for bulk-gas TS, and
potential methods for increasing it to increase the high-load limit of HCCI.

EGR substantially improves boosted HCCI operation with gasoline fuel.

Achieved 16.3 bar IMEPg, Ind. Thermal-Eff. = 47%, no Knock & no NOx or PM. Near high-load limit for conventional diesel. Shows significant potential for
extending HCCI range full time HCCI?

Ethanol is a promising HCCI fuel. Performance is generally similar to gasoline, but no low-temp. (cool-flame) chemistry.

Possible advantages for control and for boosted op. additional studies reqd.
Detailed exhaust speciation of a two-stage ig. fuel (PRF80), shows significantly different behavior from single-stage fuels, iso-octane & gasoline.

More breakdown of fuel & fuel-like species to smaller species, higher OHC fract.
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