MRI: Development of a Controlled-Trajectory Rapid Compression and Expansion Machine

MRI：为内燃机的基础研究而开发的轨迹可控的快速压缩膨胀机内燃机会造成空气污染和全球变暖。 随着全球对汽车需求的增加，需要新技术来提高发动机效率并减少排放。 为了设计更好的发动机，我们需要了解不同的设计如何影响发动机性能，各种燃料混合物的优点，以及发动机控制的有效策略。 该主要研究仪器（MRI）奖将开发独特的仪器，以实现燃料，先进燃烧，新发动机架构和控制的基础研究。 这些知识可能会导致新技术的出现，从而大大减少运输、建筑和农业的能源消耗和排放。 该仪器将加强明尼苏达大学的共享研究基础设施，并促进多学科研究。 此外，设计和构建仪器是学术界和工业界的关键技能。 该项目为研究生和本科生提供了一个很好的基础研究问题和仪器开发过程的培训平台。该仪器使用高压和高速液压驱动系统和独特的运动控制方法来实现精确和灵活的压缩和膨胀过程。 这种新的设计和控制方法在控制活塞的轨迹方面提供了更大的灵活性，通过实时反馈提供了更好的可重复性，并且在不需要调整机械系统的情况下提高了产量。 与传统的快速压缩机不同，所提出的仪器可以控制活塞的轨迹，以跟踪发动机性能的任何所需信号。 这种独特的功能提供了对燃烧室容积的实时控制，这会影响不同气体的温度、压力和浓度。这些功能与气体采样分析和光学测量相结合，将使研究人员能够以动态和受控的方式直接访问燃烧过程。这可以创造新的实验条件，并实现传统快速压缩机无法实现的实时测量，这可能导致该领域基础研究的重大突破。

MRI: Development of a Controlled-Trajectory Rapid Compression and Expansion Machine to Enable Fundamental Research on the Internal Combustion EngineInternal combustion engines contribute to air pollution and global warming. With increasing global demand for cars, there is a need for new technologies to enhance engine efficiency and reduce emissions. To design better engines, we need to understand how different designs affect engine performance, the advantages of various fuel mixtures, and what constitute effective strategies for engine control. This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award would develop unique instrumentation to enable fundamental research in fuels, advanced combustion, new engine architectures and control. This knowledge could lead to new technologies that significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions for transportation, construction and agriculture. This instrumentation will enhance the shared research infrastructure at the University of Minnesota and promote multi-disciplinary research. In addition, designing and constructing instrumentation is a critical skill, both for academia and industry. This project provides an excellent platform for training both graduate and undergraduate students on the fundamental research issues and the instrumentation development process.The instrumentation uses a high pressure and high speed hydraulic actuation system and unique motion control methodologies to achieve precise and flexible compression and expansion processes. This new design and control approach offers added flexibility in controlling the trajectory of the piston, better repeatability with real-time feedback, and improved throughput without the need to adjust the mechanical system. Unlike conventional rapid compression machines, the proposed instrument can control the trajectory of the piston to track any desired signal for engine performance. This unique capability offers real-time control of the combustion chamber volume, which affects the temperature, pressure and the concentrations of different gases. Such functionalities, when combined with gas sampling analysis and optical measurement, will allow researchers to directly access combustion processes in a dynamic and controlled fashion. This can create new experimental conditions and enable real-time measurements that are not possible with conventional rapid compression machines, which could lead to major breakthroughs in fundamental research in this field.