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A fundamental study on the control of the HCCI combustion and emissions by fuel design concept combined with controllable EGR. Part 2. Effect of operating conditions and EGR on HCCI combustion
*, Wei Chen, Zhen Huang Xing-Cai Lu
School of Mecanical and Power Engineering, Institute of Internal Combustion Engine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030, Peoples Republic of China Received 12 June 2004; received in revised form 11 October 2004; accepted 15 December 2004 Available online 29 January 2005

Abstract In Part 1, the effects of octane number of primary reference fuels and equivalence ration on combustion characteristics of a single-cylinder HCCI engine were studied. In this part, the inuence of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate, intake charge temperature, coolant temperature, and engine speed on the HCCI combustion characteristics and its emissions were evaluated. The experimental results indicate that the ignition timing of the rst-stage combustion and second-stage combustion retard, and the combustion duration prolongs with the introduction of cooled EGR. At the same time, the HCCI combustion using high cetane number fuels can tolerate with a higher EGR rate, but only 45% EGR rate for RON75 at 1800 rpm. Furthermore, there is a moderate effect of EGR rate on CO and UHC emissions for HCCI combustion engines fueled with n-heptane and RON25, but a distinct effect on emissions for higher octane number fuels. Moreover, the combustion phase advances, and the combustion duration shorten with the increase of intake charge temperature and the coolant out temperature, and the decrease of the engine speed. At last, it can be found that the intake charge temperature gives the most sensitive inuence on the HCCI combustion characteristics. q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI); Primary reference fuels (PFRs); Intake charge temperature; Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR); Operation parameters

1. Introduction To avoid the part combustion, misre, and knock combustion, the key problems of real HCCI engine are the control of the ignition phasing and the burn rate. It is widely accepted that HCCI combustion is predominated by chemical kinetics, which means that HCCI ignition is determined by the charge mixture composition and its time temperature history. Several factors including turbulence and mixing of in-cylinder gas mixture, inlet charge
* Corresponding author. Tel.: C86 21 6407 4085; fax: C86 21 6407 8095. ). E-mail address: lyuxc@sjtu.edu.cn (X.-C. Lu 0016-2361/$ - see front matter q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2004.12.015

temperature, coolant temperature, residual gas and external exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), engine speed, equivalence ration, fuel property, and others will make a signicant impact on HCCI ignition and combustion. In order to develop an appreciable control method to optimize ignition timing and smoothly heat release rate, it is very important to understand the effects of all external factors on the ignition timing and combustion rate. In Part 1, the basic parameters of HCCI combustion using different fuels on the HCCI combustion were investigated in detail. This part, the operating parameters including EGR rates, intake charge temperature, coolant temperature, and engine speed on the HCCI combustion and emissions were evaluated.

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2. Effect of cooled EGR on HCCI combustion and emission EGR is widely used as the main method to depress the NOx emission from diesel engines [14]. Currently, EGR is also used as the basic method to control the ignition timing and burn rate of HCCI combustion [57]. The application of EGR on HCCI combustion engine has a number of effects on the combustion process and emissions [6]. Firstly, preheating effectthe inlet charge temperature increased when the hot EGR mixed with the air/fuel mixture. Secondly, dilution effectthe introduction of EGR leads to a substantial reduction of the oxygen concentration. Thirdly, heat capacity effectthe total heat capacity of mixture of EGR, air, and fuel will be higher owing to the higher heat capacity of carbon dioxide and water vapor. This will lead to a reduction of gas temperature at the end of the compression stroke. Fourth, chemical effectcombustion products in the EGR will take part in the chemical reactions. There are two ways of the chemical effect. In the case of some two-stroke engines with very high residual gas rates and stratication between the burned gas and fresh charge some radical could persist. Then the active radical will affect the ignition timing. The other way, unburned hydrocarbon, CO, CO2, NO, H2O, etc. in EGR take part in the chemical reactions, and this leads a moderate effects on the reaction rates. In this part, the effects of cooled EGR on HCCI combustion using different fuels were evaluated. The fuel deliver rate was xed at 18.88 mg/cycle for all operating conditions. The intake chare temperature (temperature of mixture of EGR, fresh air, and fuel) was kept between 28 and 32 8C. Fig. 1 shows the effect of cooled EGR rate on the gas pressure and heat release traces of HCCI combustion using n-heptane and RON75. In case of n-heptane, the onset of HCCI combustion retard and gradually close to the top dead center (TDC) with the increase of EGR rate. While, the combustion event completed before the TDC till the EGR rate increased to 45%. And there has a slightly effect of

EGR rate on the maximum gas pressure and peak of heat release. But it shows a remarkable effect of EGR rate on the HCCI combustion parameters using RON75. With the increasing if EGR rate, the start of combustion delay, the maximum gas pressure decrease, and the peak value of heat release rate also decreases. When the EGR rate increases to 45%, the HCCI combustion is close to the incomplete combustion limit. Based on this reason, the EGR rate for all fuels was limited to 45%. Fig. 2 shows the effect of cooled EGR rates on the basic combustion parameters including the ignition timing of the rst-stage and the second-stage combustion and the burn rate of HCCI combustion. According to the chemical kinetics [810], the two-stage combustion of hydrocarbons was largely dependent on the low-temperature and mediumtemperature chemical reactions. The main factor, which affects the reaction rate, includes fuel concentrations and mixture temperature. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the onset of cool ame slightly delayed with the introduction of cooled EGR. When the intake charge temperature was kept constant, the effects of EGR on HCCI combustion are mainly due to three reasons. Firstly, the heat capacity of mixtures increases with the increase of EGR rate. As a result, the pressure rising rate during the compression stroke decreases compared that without or lower EGR. Secondly, the fuel concentration reduces for the dilution effect. Moreover, the productions including CO, CO2, NO, H2O presence in the EGR makes the concentrations of the nal production increase, this prevents the oxidation reaction and promotes the reverse reactions. Integrating all these effects, the start of cool ame postponed. Accordingly, the combustion timing of overall HCCI combustion also delayed. Fig. 2c shows the effects of EGR rate on burn duration. According to chemical kinetics, the most important chainbranching mechanism at high temperature due to the following reaction: H C O2 Z O C OH

Fig. 1. Effect of cooled EGR rate on the gas pressure and heat release curves.

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Fig. 2. Effect of cooled EGR rate on HCCI combustion parameters.

That means oxygen concentrations at high temperature play an important role on reaction rate. The increasing of EGR rate leads to a notably reduction of oxygen concentration in the cylinder. As a result, the burn duration of n-heptane and RON25 increase slightly with the increase of EGR rate, but the burn duration of RON50 and RON75 show a rapid increase as the increase of EGR. It is speculated that the ignition timing induces this difference. Despite the ignition timing of n-heptane and RON25 was delayed by EGR, the HCCI combustion event completed before the TDC. Suffer from squish effect of combustion, the burn duration increase slightly. While, for RON50, the ignition timing occurs before TDC, but the main part of combustion completed after the TDC. Then the combustion duration increase more than that of RON25 and n-heptane. Fig. 3 shows the gas temperature history of HCCI engine using different EGR rate. It can be found that the EGR has a limit effect on the combustion temperature of RON50. While, the peaks of the combustion temperature decrease remarkably with the increase of EGR rate. It is speculate that this difference can be used to explain the effect of EGR on UHC emissions for different fuels.

HCCI engines produce a high level of CO emissions. Fig. 4a shows the CO emissions for different fuels versus EGR rate at a xed fuel consumption rate. It can be found that EGR rate has very slightly effect for n-heptane and RON25 even the EGR increased up to 45%. While, the CO emissions for RON50 and RON75 exhibit rapidly increase with the increase of EGR rate till to 40%. Particularly, when the EGR rare increase up to 45%, a partial combustion of RON75 occurs, CO emission increase sharply. CO emission from internal combustion engine is primary controlled by chemical reaction. It mainly comes from the low-temperature regions, such as boundary layer, near the walls, and crevice layer, etc. Essentially, CO emission levels are predominated by the in-cylinder gas temperature. For high cetane number fuels, the ignition timing and combustion events occur at zone before the TDC. The incomplete oxidation products in boundary layers and crevice layer were squished into the center of combustion chamber by the combustion turbulence. As a result, the incompleted oxidation productions were further oxidized. This is the reason why EGR rate has a slight effect on CO emissions. But for high octane number fuels, such as RON50

Fig. 3. Effects of EGR rate on temperature history.

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Fig. 4. CO and UHC emissions using cooled EGR.

and RON75, the ignition and combustion events occur near the TDC, and then the incompleted reaction products in the boundary layer and crevice layer discharged into the exhaust pipe during the expansion stroke. Furthermore, the gas temperature decreases with the increase of EGR rate, the further oxidation in exhaust pipe also reduced. These reasons lead to higher CO levels with the increase of EGR rate. HCCI engines produce a high level of unburned hydrocarbon in part due to the use of ultra-lean fuel mixtures and low combustion temperature. Fig. 4b shows the UHC emissions for different fuels versus EGR rate. The emission level is not highly dependent on EGR for n-heptane, RON25, and RON50. But the UHC levels of RON75 increase gradually with the increase of EGR induction rate.

3. Effect of inlet temperature on HCCI combustion HCCI combustion is predominated by chemical reaction, and then the intake charge temperature becomes the most important factor that effects the HCCI ignition. In this

chapter, the inuence of intake charge temperature under a xed EGR rate condition on the HCCI ignition timing, burn duration, and the emissions were evaluated. The inlet temperature was changed by adjusting the cooling water ow rate. Fig. 5 illustrates the pressure traces and heat release rate curves for n-heptane and RON75 when the inlet temperature was changed from 30 to 55 8C. For a specic EGR rate and fuel consumption rate, the ignition timing advances for all fuels with the increase of inlet charge temperature. But the gas pressure of RON75 increases, while n-heptane nearly remains constant with the increase of inlet temperature. Fig. 6 compares the inuence of inlet charge temperature on the start of the rst- and second-stage combustion. In general, the start of cool ame at low temperate region and hot ame at high temperature regions advance lineally with the inlet temperature rising up. While, it can be found that the ignition timing of RON75 advances rapidly than other fuels. This can be explained by the following reasons. During the compression stroke, the gas temperature rising rate is largely dependent on the heat capacity of gas mixture and low-temperature heat release. For a specic EGR rate,

Fig. 5. Effect of intake charge temperature on the gas pressure and heat release rate.

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Fig. 6. Effect of intake charge temperature on igniting timing (nZ1800 rpm, 30%EGR, bZ18.88 mg/cycle).

the temperature rising rate is only dependent on the low-temperature reactions. A small temperature variation at the end of compression stroke leads to a signicant impact on the ignition timing. Before the TDC, the gas

temperature of n-heptane, RON25, and RON50 have achieved the auto-ignition temperature, and the ignition advances gradually with the intake charge temperature increase. While, for RON75, the low-temperature heat

Fig. 7. Effect of intake charge temperature on HCCI emissions (nZ1800 rpm, 30%EGR, bZ18.88 mg/cycle).

Fig. 8. Effects of coolant temperature on pressure and heat release traces.

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release is very faint. The temperature rising rate is mainly due to the compression work. Based on this reason, intake temperatures show a signicant effect on combustion phasing. Inlet charge temperature has a different effect on HCCI emissions which dependent on the fuel chemical properties.

Fig. 7 shows the UHC, CO and NOx emission of different octane number fuels versus inlet charge temperature. For high cetane number fuels, such as n-heptane and RON25, the CO and UHC levels nearly kept constant with the increase of intake charge temperature; CO and UHC emissions of RON50 slightly improved with the inlet

Fig. 9. Effects of coolant temperature on HCCI combustion parameters (nZ1800 rpm, 30%EGR, bZ18.88 mg/cycle).

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charge preheating. While, CO and UHC emissions of RON75 notably improved with the inlet charge preheating. Regarding the NOx emissions, NOx levels of n-heptane increase linear with the intake charge temperature. But there is only a slight increase of RON25, RON50, and RON75 when the temperature rise up. The higher NOx emissions of n-heptane may be induced by a light knock combustion when the temperature increase.

4. Effect of coolant temperature on HCCI combustion and emissions Engine operating parameters including coolant temperature and engine speed play an important role on HCCI combustion. Fig. 8 shows the effect of coolant temperature on combustion pressure and heat release rate. With the increase of coolant temperate, the combustion phase advances, the maximum heat release rate increases for all fuel. Moreover, the maximum combustion pressure for the high octane number fuels also increased. Fig. 9 gives a detail evaluates of the effect of coolant temperature on HCCI combustion parameters. Fig. 9a and d shows that the start of combustion of the rst- and the second-stage combustion advance slightly with the coolant temperature rising up. It is well known that the start of the cool ame and hot ame are predominated by the temperature, in particular the temperature of the center in the combustion chamber. The increase of the coolant temperature is helpful to increase the overall gas temperature in the cylinder. This leads to an early ignition. Compare Fig. 9 with Fig. 6, it can be found that the effect of coolant temperature on HCCI combustion timing is smaller than that of intake charge temperature. This indicates that the inlet charge temperature is the most important factor which affects the HCCI combustion. Fig. 9b and c gives the initial temperature and end temperature of the rst combustion, respectively. The gure

indicates that the initial temperature of the cool ame is about 800900 K, and ended at the range of 9001100 K. Moreover, from Fig. 9c and d, it can be found that the combustion phasing of the second stage was decide by the ended temperature of the cool ame. The terminated temperature for n-heptane and RON25 close to 1100 K, the combustion is early; the ended temperature of RON50 is slightly higher than 1000 K, the combustion occurs near the TDC; but the terminated temperature of RON75 is slightly lower than 1000 K, then the combustion occurs after the TDC. Based on the chemical kinetics, the decomposition temperature of H2O2 is about 1000 K. Then, it is speculate that all methods which was used to control the HCCI combustion phasing is realized by advancing or delaying the time that the gas temperature achieve to the decomposition temperature of H2O2. The HCCI combustion rate increase, the combustion duration shortens, and the peak value of the heat release rises with the rising of the coolant temperature. But the increase rate of higher cetane number fuels is lower than that of high octane number fuels. Fig. 10 shows the effect of coolant temperature on HCCI engine emissions. The UHC and CO emissions of HCCI engine are mainly come from boundary layer, near the walls, and crevice layers. When the coolant temperature rising, the temperature of above cool region increased. This is helpful to reduce the UHC and CO emissions. But there is a no discernible effect on n-heptane and RON25. The NOx emissions show a slight increase for all fuels when the coolant temperature increases.

5. Effect of engine speed on HCCI combustion Fig. 11 gives a simple analysis of the effect of engine speed on HCCI combustion. when the engine speed varies from 1500 to 2200 rpm, the equivalence ration was xed at 0.32. It is evident that both the rst-stage and

Fig. 10. Effect of coolant temperature on HCCI emissions (nZ1800 rpm, 30%EGR, bZ18.88 mg/cycle).

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Fig. 11. Effect of engine speed on HCCI combustion.

the second-stage ignition timing delays with the increase of the engine speed. As shown above, the HCCI ignition timing was decided by the time that the gas temperature achieves to the H2O2 decomposition temperature. This temperature is about 1000 K. In a real HCCI engine, the ignition timing is controlled by the relationship between two time-scales. These two scales are the chemical time scale and physical time scale. The chemical time scale is the time that the gas temperature achieves to H2O2 decomposition temperature only by its chemical reactions. The physical time is the compression time. Other factors including turbulence and mixing do slight effect on the combustion timing. For a xed equivalence ratio and initial temperature, the chemical time scale keeps constant. While, the physical time reduces with the increase of engine speed. As a result, the ignition timing delays with the increase of engine speed. When the engine speed increase up to 2200 rpm, the combustion time of the second stage delays sharply. This means that the HCCI operating range is limited by the fuel octane number. The effects of engine speed on combustion duration are very complex. With the increase of engine speed, the combustion duration may be shortened due to the strong turbulence and mixing. On the other side, the crank angle degree prolongs for same burn rate with the higher engine speed. It can be found from Fig. 11 that, the combustion duration shows a slightly increase with the engine speed rise. This also indicates that the turbulence and mixing show limited effect on HCCI combustion.

and emissions. Based on these discussions, some conclusions may be obtained. (1) The combustion phase of the rst stage and second stage retard, the combustion duration prolongs with the introduction of cooling EGR. At the same time, the HCCI engines fueled with high cetane number fuels can tolerate with a higher EGR rate, but only 45% EGR rate for RON75 at 1800 rpm. (2) There is a moderate effect of EGR rate on CO and UHC emissions of HCCI engines fueled with n-heptane and RON25, but a distinct effect on emission for higher octane number fuels. (3) The combustion phase advances, and the combustion duration shorten with the increase of intake charge temperature and the coolant out temperature and the decrease of engine speed. (4) It can be found that the intake charge temperature plays the most sensitive inuence on the HCCI combustion characteristics.

Acknowledgements This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program (Grant No. 2002CB209208), and the Key Project of the National Nature Science Foundation (Grant No. 50136040).

References 6. Conclusions This part discussed the effect of engine operating parameters including EGR rate, intake charge temperature, coolant temperature, and engine speed on HCCI combustion
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