Flexible and renewable fuel combustion engine research - high efficiency enabling with variable charge compression and ultra-high power expansion

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In-line with growing interests in renewable fuels by the industry and governments, the proposed research targets the efficient and clean combustion of biofuels, fuel blends, and conventional fuels. The expertise and resources of our Clean Diesel Engine Laboratory (CDEL) are to be fully utilized, with the additional thrust from the industrial partners, to make significant improvements and breakthroughs in burning a wide range of fuels at an engine cycle efficiency significantly exceeding the current diesel engines. The collaborative research aims to provide future directions of new engine development for the automotive and power production industry. Commensurate with biofuel property variations, advance fuel delivery techniques are to be developed and verified. With improved mixing, the biofuel ignition is to be tightly controlled. Dynamic exhaust gas recirculation and boost control are to be developed at existing engine combustion and control research platforms at CDEL. The variable valve actuation is to be tested to improve the biofuel mixing and ignition; it produces an effectively variable compression ratio that can raise the engine fuel efficiency substantially via a high expansion ratio engine. Extensive efforts will be made in collaboration with Ford to raise the engine power and efficiency under the clean combustion of biofuels. The renewable fuels application challenges in engines demands new control and hardware improvements, including tolerating a higher cylinder pressure under elevated boost and loads. The improved understanding on mixing, ignition, and combustion for renewable fuels, especially under the previously less attainable or even unattainable conditions will help the entire industry to improve the biofuel engine design. The efficient use of renewable fuels, including the non-food alcohol fuels and the other bio-fuels, shall help to lower the CO2 footage. Researches are to be made jointly with the industry on smart diesel and gasoline production engines to improve the clean and efficient combustion of sustainable fuels.