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Combustion Analysis on a Variable Valve Actuation Spark
Ignition Engine Operating With E22 and E100
Igor Trevas
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Adm José baeta
Federal Univ of Minas Gerais
Charles Pimenta, Heder Fernandes, and Matheus Carvalho
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Raphael Montemor
FEV Latin America
CITATION: Trevas, I., baeta, A., Pimenta, C., Fernandes, H. et al., "Combustion Analysis on a Variable Valve Actuation Spark Ignition
Engine Operating With E22 and E100," SAE Technical Paper 2017-01-1069, 2017, doi:10.4271/2017-01-1069.
Copyright © 2017 SAE International
Abstract
Variable Valve Actuation system (VVA) is a technology developed
for improving fuel economy, reducing emissions, and enhancing
engine performance mainly by reducing pumping losses. Many
automakers have used VVA in their engine projects with excellent
results. Usually, VVA systems are built to control the valve events in
four different ways: changing the amplitude of the valve lift, the
valve opening angle, the valve closing angle or a combination of
those modes. A special attention at the calibration activity is needed
to reach the optimum performance of this system, beyond this, it was
necessary to develop a different way to calibrate, much more focused
on the development of the combustion and the gas exchange process
requiring an intense use of a pressure indicating system.
This work presents a comparison between different way of actuation
in combustion analysis of a VVA system on a spark ignition engine.
In this work a naturally aspirated spark ignition engine equipped with
a variable valve actuation (FIAT MultiAir II) was used operating with
gasoline (E22) and Ethanol (E100) in part-load condition. The
cylinder filling was controlled by variation of the closing angle of the
intake valve. Cylinder pressure, volumetric efficiency, temperatures
and ignition angle were recorded by a pressure indicating system in
the same break mean effective pressure conditions for each valve
mode operation. The data was processed using Matlab scripts used to
calculate the apparent heat release curves, energy conversion
efficiency and generalized losses (pumping, friction and thermal).
2017-01-1069
Published 03/28/2017
Introduction
Combustion engines are nowadays the most used machines in
commercial vehicles and is not expected to disappear in the next 15
to 20 years. In the future, a considerable decrease in emissions level
due to further improvement in engine technology is expected [1, 2,
3]. This whole scenario should lead industry and engineers to develop
solutions to improve engine efficiency. As [4] showed by means of
economic models, the industry will not attempt to produce more
energy efficient automobiles, even through voluntary agreements,
unless there is a stricter regulatory measures. Brazilian government
has incentivized the adoption of strategies to improve fuel economy
with Inovar-Auto incentive program which stipulates a minimum
goal investment in fuel economy for cars and light commercial
vehicles with gasoline and/or ethanol. The automakers have to reduce
the average fuel consumption in 2017 at least 12.08% compared with
2012 to avoid tax. Automakers can also qualify for an additional 2%
discount on IPI taxes by meeting more aggressive efficiency targets.
To qualify for this additional IPI reduction of 1% and 2%, automakers
need to meet on average fuel consumption reduction which will result
in discount of one percentage point in case of an fuel consumption
reduction of 15.46%, and two percentage points in case of a reduction
of 18.84%.
As one of the mechanisms to reach the energy efficiency goal in
reciprocating engines, it is encouraged the study of new technologies,
such as incorporating Variable Valve Actuation System (VVA) in
internal combustion engines. Use of fully variable valve control
system on a four cylinder engine showed that it was possible to
reduce fuel consumption by up to 13% if compared with the same
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base engine, only by modifying the inlet valve side. It was also
possible to reach major improvements to the main engine functions
such as maximum torque curve or raw exhaust emissions [5].
Pumping losses can be reduced by the use of early or late inlet valve
closing. At VVA systems, the engine load is controlled by closing the
intake valve early or late without the necessity of using the
conventional throttling process of the incoming charge by a throttle
plate [6, 7, 8, 9].
According to [10] late inlet valve closing, which brings advantages
by increasing charge at higher speeds, results in a decrease in
volumetric efficiency at low engine speeds due to backflow. Early
inlet valve closing increases volumetric efficiency at lower speeds
due to backflow reduction, the penalty for this is the reduction of air
flow at higher speeds.
Atkinson cycle was first introduced by James Atkinson at US patent
(US367496) in august 2nd of 1887 and with his engine he realized that
if the compression in the cylinder were lowered and the power stroke
was longer than the intake stroke, the engine would work more
efficiently. At Atkinson's original, the intake valves would close early
to keep out some of the air-fuel mixture. Nowadays, the intake valve
is held open a little too long, so that when the piston moves up for the
compression stroke, a little of the gas-air mixture can escape. Each
method leads to the same end: the compression ratio is lower.
Late Intake Valve Closing (LIVC) is when the intake valve closing is
kept open during the compression stroke allowing part of the charge
to be returned to the intake manifold. The engine could then be set to
operate at an Atkinson type cycle since the expansion stroke is longer
than the compression stroke. Engine operating with LIVC as a way to
load controller suffer a loss of effective compression ratio due to the
reduction of the compression stroke. Hence the improvement in part
load efficiency for naturally aspirated internal combustion engines
does not match the reduction in pumping losses[11]. Although, it has
been observed that load control by LIVC if combined with Variable
Compression Ratio (VCR) the total improvement in efficiency
overcome the sum of the two features [12].
Engine operating on Otto cycle at full load, for good power density,
and on Atkinson cycle at part loads, for reduced fuel consumption are
called as Otto-Atkinson cycle. Howerver, using the Atkinson cycle
(LIVC) through reduced effective compression ratio, leads to poor
combustion due to the lower mixture temperature in the end of the
compression. In order to eliminate this unwanted effect, geometric
compression ratio can be increased. Increasing the geometric
compression ratio will restore the loss effective compression ratio, so
intake valve closing can be retarded further to the point of running
unthrottled at part load of engine [13]. Although, too high
compression ratio is inconvenient in case of high or maximum load
of the engine because of knock limit.
Another strategy to control the load is to run the engine without
throttle and to regulate the charge mass by Early Intake Valve Closing
(EIVC) - Called extreme Miller Cycle. The intake valve is closed
before bottom dead center leading to the effective expansion stroke to
be longer than the effective compression stroke [14]. At lower
temperatures, the expansion and subsequent compression back to the
volume at which the valve was closed is far from being nearly
isentropic and cost free in terms of energy. Comparing with Atkinson
cycle, the efficiency is improved using EIVC. To achieve maximum
power output, is necessary to increase the boost of the inlet charge in
order to compensate the reduced inlet duration [15].
The original Miller cycle is typically air-charged combustion cycle
with intercooler. The goal of this cycle, introduced by Ralph Miller in
1947 (LIVC), was he decrease of NOx and particulate pollutants of
diesel engines at maximum power output. In case of EIVC comparing
with LIVC it is necessary higher boost pressure especially in high
engine speeds. That is why the miller cycle with LIVC concept is
more useful for engines operating in wide speed range [15]. On the
other hand, the Miller concept is well used in an naturally-aspirated
configuration, as a means of achieving load control with higher
efficiency [15].
The application of mentioned cycles (Atkinson and Miller) leads to a
decrease of the in-cylinder mixture temperature at the beginning of
the compression if compared with the conventional (Otto) cycle. In
case of constant value of compression ratio, the temperature of
incylinder charge at the beginning of the combustion is also
decreased and the combustion is then slower if compared with the
standard Otto cycle. This could negatively influence the indicated
efficiency of unconventional cycles. However, the reduction in
temperature also increases gamma*, what is quite important for the
increase in useful work. Based on simulation results, engine
efficiency at part load increases due to application of both
unconventional cycles (Atkinson and Miller) at a fixed compression
ratio engine, primarily due the decrease in pumping work during the
charge exchange [11].
It was also observed (by simulation) that the positive influence of the
Atkinson cycle is partially eliminated with the increase in engine
speed on the SI engine efficiency at part load. This is due the
shortening of the time for charge backflow into intake through intake
valve during part of the compression stroke while increasing the
engine speed. Thus the decrease in the pumping work is partially
eliminated [11].
Working at Atkinson cycle engine, the efficiency improvement was
calculated around 3,8% at 1700 rpm, however, at 2900 rpm engine
improvement is roughly half of the values at 1700 rpm by the reasons
mentioned above [11].
*. Gamma is the specific heat ratio and is defined as the ratio of specific heat at constant
pressure divided by specific heat at constant volume.
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The application of the Miller cycle without boosting can also increase
the SI engine efficiency at part load (even more than due to the
application of the Atkinson cycle). Contrary to the Atkinson cycle,
the reduction in pumping work, due to the efficiency increase, is not
eliminated with the increase of the engine speed. However, time for
charge exchange is significantly shortened with increase in engine
speed and of course with shortening of the intake valve opening time
[11].
pushed from the high-pressure chamber to the middle-pressure
chamber. An additional integrated pressure accumulator helps to store
the hydraulic energy and to ensure fast refilling during the sucking
phase. The engine valve closing is guaranteed by means of a
hydraulic brake device.

Working at Miller cycle engine, efficiency improvement was

calculated around 6% and based on simulations is clear to see that the
IVC angle will be shifted closer to the conventional position (Otto
Cycle) with the increase of load of the naturally aspirated SI engine.
The main reason for this is to get enough charge into the cylinder at
high loads and generate maximum torque. Also the negative influence
of LIVC and EIVC on the in-cylinder charge temperature at the end
of the compression will be partially eliminated with the increase of
the load [11].

MAIR technology was first developed at Centro Ricerche FIAT

(CRF) and is a cam-driven electro-hydraulic variable valve actuation
system. It is a versatile system and can be applied to Diesel, gasoline
and flex fuel engines.

According to [16] The benefits of MultiAir technology for gasoline or

flex engines checked so far are:

• Maximum power is increased due to the adoption of a new

mechanical cam profile;
• Improved torque at low rpms thanks to the adoption of the
intake valve closing strategies, maximizing engine volumetric
efficiency in these conditions;
• Dynamic response of the motor is higher due to increased
pressure in the intake manifold, together with the air mass
control cycle to cycle;
• Reduction of the emissions level due to the use of optimal
control strategies air during heating of the engine and improves
the combustion in dynamic responses;
• Fuel consumption reduction due to improved engine efficiency,
higher torque at low engine speeds and reduced pumping losses.
All these benefits of MultiAir system require a special attention by
calibration side, extensively using pressure indicating system
analyses to achieve best results in fuel consumption, gas emissions
and engine performance.
MutiAir Technology
The MultiAir system is a cam-driven electro-hydraulic variable valve
actuation system and consists of pressure chamber, pump, solenoid
valve, pressure accumulator and actuator, the schematic drawing is
show in Figure 1. Max cam profile that can be achieve is described by
the cam design and its motion is transferred by means of an oil
volume to the engine valve which the amount of oil inside the high
pressure chamber is controlled by a solenoid valve. In situation when
no electric energy is supplied, the solenoid valve is normally open
and as consequence the engine valve stay closed since the oil is
Figure 1. Schematic draw of MultiAir system.
When the full lift mode is necessary, the solenoid valve will be
activated and the oil chamber will behave as a rigid body forcing the
inlet valve to follow the full cam profile.
If the solenoid valve is opened at a certain cam angle before reach the
full lift, the oil will be free to return to the engine and the system will
not behave as rigid body anymore. The valve motion will be
uncoupled and the valve will return earlier to the closed position by
means of the spring force, it will be the early intake valve closing
(EIVC) mode. The presence of one spring-loaded accumulator is
necessary to ensure that the oil will flow back to the open solenoid
valve. To make the returning movement of the valve more smooth at
any operation condition, the MultiAir system have one shock
absorber system, the hydraulic brake.
The late intake valve opening (LIVO) mode will be achieved when
have one similar actuation as the EIVC mode but retarding a little the
solenoid valve activation [17].
If there is a combination of LIVO and EIVC mode at the same cycle,
it will be performed a mode called Multi-Lift which improve the
combustion rate and the turbulence at low loads and low rpms [17].
By means of valve actuation mode control, many cam profiles can be
archived, one example of the possible valve profiles that can be used
at MultiAir systems is showed at Figure 2.
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a.
b.
c.
d.
Figure 2. Different actuation modes of a MultiAir system. a) Full Lift; b) Late
Intake Valve Opening; c) Early Intake Valve Closing; d) Multi-Lift.
MultiAir operation modes can be better explained looking at Figure
3, it shows for each operation condition, the better valve management
strategy. At maximum power and full load, the most effective strategy
is to operate at full lift mode, if the engine speed is reduced, the
intake valve closing has to be advanced to improve volumetric
efficiency [17].
In order to improve part load efficiency, various valve management
strategies can be used at part load operation. Even with significant
pumping losses late intake valve opening have a positive impact on
combustion and mechanical efficiency, ensuring the best NVH
behavior. In case of early intake valve closing the combustion quality
can be deteriorated by the over-expansion of the charge before
compression, generating lower in-cylinder pressure and temperature.
This has a negative effect in fuel economy and HC emissions, even if
this is the best strategy for pumping loss reduction. A strategy
refinement, with a small differentiation in the closing angle of the
valves, can be helpful to recover part of the combustion deterioration
[17].
Combining the strategy that gives lower pumping loss (early intake
valve closing) with the late intake valve opening (turbulence and
combustion improvement) it is possible to achieve an effective
control of the heat release rate at part load by properly defining the
lift profile for each valve [17].
The Multi-Lift operation mode guarantee best combustion efficiency
at low loads and low rpms.
Figure 3. Map of valve management strategies [17].
Objective
This work will show a more detailed study in combustion
characteristics with a 2.4L MPFI engine equipped with the MultiAir
system on the intake valves. It will detail combustion and emission
parameters when the engine is operating with early inlet valve closing
at 2000 rpm for different closing angles with gasoline and ethanol at
2 Bar of break mean effective pressure.
Methodology
This work was performed experimentally and the combustion
parameters were analyzed during all engine operating cycle (Intake,
Compression, Expansion, Exhaust) by means of the pressure signal
that was acquired with one piezoelectric sensor (AVL GH14D),
which the specifications can be seen in Figure 4, installed inside the
combustion chamber. It was used an AVL pressure indicating system®
equipment to capture the pressure signal and to acquire the pressure
data.
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Figure 4. Piezoelectric sensor specification used at the tests [18].
The correct reference of the engine for the 720° of the
thermodynamic cycle was obtained by the installation of one encoder
at the toothed well, making the reference with the TDC of the
cylinder 1 as 0°, the mounting system can be seen in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Encoder installation at the engine.
For this work it was used one 2.4 liter engine equipped with MultiAir
system on the intake valves and the main parameters is showed in
Table 1.
Table 1. Main specification of tested engine.
To measure the exhaust gases, the catalyst was instrumented as
showed in Figure 6 with the emission port, thermocouples and the
lambda sensor.
Figure 6. Catalyst instrumentation points. 1 - Thermocouple; 2 - Pressure; 3
- Emissions; 4 - O2 sensor.
The performance data such as in-cylinder pressure, break specific fuel
consumption (BSFC), rotation, load, indicated mean specific pressure
(IMEP) among others was recorded running the engine with E22 an
E100. An important operation point is the point of 2000 rpm and 2
bar of break mean effective pressure (BMEP), which is found in
almost all emission certification cycles, and thus chosen for these
analyses.
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At this point, it was performed a full valve sweep ranging 5 by 5
degrees from 637° to the minimum valve angle until the BMEP could
not be kept constant anymore or the combustion reached maximum
degraded values due to the valve angle. The lambda value was kept in
1,0 keeping the mixture stoichiometric and the spark was adjusted to
max pressure angle of 12°, which has been showed the best values.
Geometrical compression ratio is a function of the engine design and
with the engine operating at Otto cycle, the compression and
expansion ratio are the same, however when the engine is operating
at unconventional cycles it allows the compression and expansion
ratios to be preset independently. Keeping the exhaust side of the
engine unchanged, the expansion ratio will be always the same and
equal to the geometrical one. As the intake side is equipped with an
VVA device, which allows the angle to be changed, the geometrical
compression ratio will be always the same, but the effective
compression ratio will be a function of the closing angle, it happens
due to the shorter time that the charge have to be compressed. The
expected behavior of the effective compression rate during the valve
sweep is showed in Figure 7. Starting at 637°, as the angle is going
lower, the effective compression ratio increases until a maximum
value and them decreases again. The BDC of this engine is referenced
as 540°.
Figure 7. Expected behavior of the effective compression ratio when varying
the closing angle.
Figure 8. Valve diagram of the engine tested.
In Figure 8 it is shown the valve diagram of this engine, with the
correct valve lift per each valve angle. The engine is equipped with
MultiAir system in the intake valves, and the valve lift allows
opening the valve at 180° and closing at 637°, the region that is
located between 180° and 312° is used to modulate the EGR mass.
For this study the valve opening value was kept constant in 312° and
the closure has been changed in order to make the engine working at
Miller and Atkinson cycles. The exhaust valve has fix values and
opens at 143° and closes at 363°.
Results
To make a comparison between different operation cycles when the
closing angle goes from 637° to the minimum possible value, the
engine will be set to operate just at early intake valve closing mode
and the bottom dead center (BDC - 540°) will be the reference to
move between two different operation cycles. If the engine is
operating at early intake valve closing and the valve is closing before
BDC, the engine is working at Miller cycle. Although, when the
engine is operating at early intake valve closing and the valve is
closing after BDC, the engine is working at Atkinson cycle. All
working cycles trend to reduce pumping working and improve fuel
consumption. However, all working cycles also alter combustion
progress and thermodynamic state within the combustion chamber.
Two different operation cycles (Miller and Atkinson) are shown in
Figure 9 (Log P x Log V) with the engine at 2000 rpm and 2 Bar of
break mean effective pressure (BMEP). For this operating mode
comparison, as the engine presents the same behavior with E22 and
E100, it is shown the E22 values. Figure 9 shows the engine
operating with 445° of closing angle and Miller cycle and the engine
operating at 620° of closing angle and Atkinson cycle.
Observation at the indicated cylinder pressure during the gas
exchange process shows that the operation at Atkinson cycle leads to
a bigger pumping loss if compared with the operation at Miller cycle,
but both of them have lower pumping losses if compared with the
reference cycle (closing angle at 540° (BDC)).
Figure 9. Log P x Log V chart of the engine operating at different closing
angles (E22).
To better compare the difference between engine parameters of
distinct operating cycles will be used different operating angles which
leads to the same indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), for this
purpose, with E22 was chosen the angle of 630° for Atkinson
operation and 470° for Miller operation. The pressure curve for both
angles generate close values for pressure, as can be seen at Figure 10,
but different values of indicated mean effective pressure high
(IMEPH) and indicated mean effective pressure low (IMEPL) as
presented in Figure 11.
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Figure 10. Pressure x Crank angle chart of the engine operating at 470° and
630° of closing angles (E22). Figure 13. Log P x Log V chart of the engine operating at 495° and 605° of
closing angles.

The same behavior that was observed for E22 can be seen in E100
operation, instead of generating the same IMEP and same BMEP the
differences of IMEPH and IMEPL results in efficiency difference
between this different operative cycles. The fuel conversion
efficiency was calculated and is shown in Figure 14. For these two
points, the calculated fuel conversion efficiency is 25,05% for 495°
and 24,96% for 605°.

Figure 11. Log P x Log V chart of the engine operating at 470° and 630° of
closing angles (E22).

At these operation points, instead of generating the same IMEP and

same BMEP, the differences of IMEPH and IMEPL results in
efficiency difference between this different operative cycles, the fuel
conversion efficiency was calculated with equation 2.24c Ref[10] and
it is shown in Figure 12. The calculated fuel conversion efficiency for
these two points is 26,17% for 470° and 25,09% for 630°.

Figure 14. Difference of fuel conversion efficiency per each closing angle for
E100.

Figure 12. Difference of fuel conversion efficiency per each closing angle for
E22.

The angle of 605° was chosen for Atkinson operation with E100 and
495° for Miller operation. The pressure curve for both angles
generates closing values for pressure, but different values of indicated
mean effective pressure high (IMEPH) and indicated mean effective
pressure low (IMEPL) as presented in Figure 13.
Figure 15. Specific fuel consumption X Crankshaft angle per each closing
angle for E22.
Other engine parameters are also important to compare between these
two different operation cycles, bellow will be shown others main
engine parameters. It is also important to see that most part of them
follow the same behavior, all of them goes to a peak value in closing
angle of 540° (BDC) and then decrease again, following a second
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order polynomial regression trend. The specific fuel consumption for
E22 is showed in Figure 15 and trends to a maximum value when the
angle is closed at BDC and them decrease again. Comparison
between Atkinson and Miller cycle shows that for these two chosen
points, the Miller cycle have lower specific fuel consumption what is
desirable.
In Figure 16 it is possible to see the specific fuel consumption for
E100, which has behavior close to E22 and comparing between the
Atkinson and Miller operation cycle it is possible to see that for these
case, operating with Miller cycle has also lower fuel consumption.
Figure 16. Specific fuel consumption X Crankshaft angle per each closing
angle for E100.
The volumetric efficiency showed in Figure 17 for E22 and for E100
has the same behavior of the specific fuel consumption with lower
value for Miller and Atkinson cycle if compared with the BDC, this
behavior is observed because of the main feature of these cycles that
is the difference in the intake valve closing angle. The Miller cycle
closes the intake valve before BDC what leads to a smaller
volumetric efficiency and the Atkinson cycle closes the intake valve
after BDC what leads to a backflow of fresh air mass, also reducing
the volumetric efficiency if compared with BDC. Instead of getting
data regression correlation with E22, it is interesting to observe that
E100 have higher volumetric efficiency if compared with E22, what
was expected to happened.
Figure 17. Volumetric Efficiency X Crankshaft angle per each closing angle
for E22 and E100.
Indicated mean effective pressure high, showed in Figure 18, which
is the work delivered to the piston, has the same behavior of the
specific fuel consumption and the volumetric efficiency. It leads to a
peak value in a closing angle at BDC and then decreasing when the
angle move to higher or lower values. Intermediate values of closing
angles, leads to slightly higher values of IMEPH for E100 if
compared with E22.
Figure 18. Indicated Mean Effective Pressure High (IMEPH) X Crankshaft
angle per each closing angle for E22 and E100.
Indicated mean effective pressure low, which is a pumping
measurement value, is showed in Figure 19 for both fuels and trend
to a higher value also in closing angle at BDC. As it is a loss value,
high value is not desirable. It is also expected to have similar values
for E22 and for E100 considering the fact that the pumping effect is
just a function of the air flow.
Figure 19. Indicated Mean Effective Pressure Low (IMEPL) X Crankshaft
angle per each closing angle for E22 and E100.
Looking to the complete valve sweep and considering that the
compared points generate same IMEP and BMEP values for both
fuels, it is desirable to choose the point that has lower fuel
consumption (showed in Figure 15 and 16). It shows advantage for
use Miller and Atkinson cycles compared with Otto, also showing a
bigger advantage of Miller cycle over others.
Emissions also have importance as regarding the choice of the
moment of closing valves, Figure 20 and 21 shows how raw
emissions behave for both fuel tested. In Figure 20 it is shown how
NOx behaves when operating at different engine cycle, if the valve is
closing at BDC the engine tends to have bigger emission values if
comparing with any other cycle.
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Figure 20 evidence that NOx emission for E100 is lower them E22
and this behavior is explained by the fact that the low combustion
temperature of E100 what leads to lower NOx. It is also interesting to
see that at the chosen comparison points, the Miller cycle again has
advantage concerning of NOx emissions.
Figure 20. Influence of NOx raw emissions per closing angle for E22 and
E100.
Figure 21 is showing how CO2 emission behaves when change the
closing angle, leading to close values for both fuels. This behavior
also shows advantages of working in Miller cycle if compared with
any other. In case of CO2 emissions, if just the fuel was taken into
consideration, the advantage is for E100, despite having values close
to E22 it has advantage in the life cycle.
Figure 21. Influence of CO2 raw emissions per closing angle for E22 and
E100.
Operation with different valve closing angles lead to distinct
temperatures inside the combustion chamber, values of measured gas
temperature per each closing angle can be seen in Figure 22, it is
evidencing again the lower combustion temperature of E100 if
compared with E22.
Gas temperature also has same tendency of other parameters,
resulting in lower values for Miller and Atkinson operations, which
means that this cycles have lower combustion temperature if
compared with the engine closing the valve at BDC.
Figure 22. Measured gas temperature per each closing angle.
With 2000 rpm and E22 was also measured more BMEP points
(From 3 to 6 Bar) and was calculated the fuel conversion efficiency.
Figure 23 is showing the behavior of the efficiency when changing
the closing angle and break mean effective pressure. It is showed that
when the load is increased the behavior of the efficiency is the same
of the BMEP of 2 Bar, leading to worse efficiency if operating with
Otto cycle instead any other over expanded cycle. It is also showing
that to hold higher values of BMEP the angle is limited for Miller
operation but even with this limitation, lower angles leads to better
fuel consumption what happens due to lower temperatures at the end
of the compression stroke and due to lower pumping work.
For this work was not measured the maximum value of BMEP
achievable for the point of 2000 Rpm (10 Bar), so all the results were
measured at part load operation.
Figure 23. Calculated fuel conversion efficiency for E22 at different values of
BMEP.
Conclusions
The valve sweep performed at 2000 rpm and 2 Bar of BMEP with
E22 and E100 showed an interesting behavior between operation
cycles. For both fuel tested, combustion parameters demonstrate that
instead of generating lower IMEPH, Atkinson and Miller operation
cycle also trend to have lower pumping losses if compared with
closing the intake valve at BDC, what leads to an improvement in
fuel conversion efficiency and justify the implementation of variable
valve system in MPFI engines.
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Most part of parameters follow a second order tendency when
changing the valve closing angle, having worst values for angles
close to BDC. This behavior shows that as more alternative operating
cycles are used, better it is for fuel consumption and emissions.
Lower temperatures at Atkinson and Miller operation leads to poor
combustion due to lower mixture temperature at the end of the
compression stroke, what has to be observed in order to do not
sacrifice combustion stability with a view to improving fuel
consumption.
With MultiAir system the choice between operation at Atkinson and
Miller cycle is a calibrator´s decision taking into account combustion,
consumption and emission data. At the operation points analyzed it is
shown that Miller cycle is more efficiency leading to better fuel
conversion efficiency, which can be compared and comes in line with
the results obtained in [11], [19], showing that Miller cycle has
advantage in efficiency.
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Contact
Igor Cordeiro Trevas
igortrevas@hotmail.com
LATAM Product engineer
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
José Guilherme Coelho Baeta
baeta@demec.ufmg.br
Professor at UFMG
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG
Charles Quirino Pimenta
charlelito@gmail.com
LATAM Product engineer
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Heder Fernandes
heder_ufmg@yahoo.com.br
LATAM Product engineer
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
 Downloaded from SAE International by American Univ of Beirut, Monday, July 30, 2018

Raphael Bezerra de Souza Montemor LIVO - Late intake valve opening.

rbsmontemor@gmail.com HC - Hydrocarbons.
FEV Product engineer
TDC - Top dead center.
FEV Latin America
ATDC - After top dead center.
Matheus Guilherme França Carvalho BBDC - Before bottom dead center.
matheusmec2004@yahoo.com.br
BDC - Bottom dead center.
LATAM Product engineer
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles IMEP - Indicated mean effective pressure.
IMEPH - Indicated mean effective pressure high.
Acknowledgments
IMEPL - Indicated mean effective pressure low.
The authors would like to thank Fiat Chrysler Automobiles the
BMEP - Break mean effective pressure.
support provided for this work.
VCR - Variable Compression Ratio
NVH - Noise, Vibration and harshness.
Definitions/Abbreviations
BSFC - Break specific fuel consumption
VVA - Variable Valve Actuation.
EGR - Exhaust gas recirculation.
MAIR - MultiAir.
EIVC - Early intake valve closing.
 Downloaded from SAE International by American Univ of Beirut, Monday, July 30, 2018

APPENDIX

Equation 2.24c Ref[10]:

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