Methyl ether engine research for ultraclean combustion under efficient injection and ignition control

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The control of exhaust emissions are facing a moving target that gets ever more stringent once an existing regulation standard is about to be met. The primary regulated pollutants for automotive engines are the nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matters (PM), total hydrocarbons (THC), and carbon monoxide (CO). The regulations on fuel efficiency and CO2 emission are in the Euro VI and US5 emission regulations in concert with low carbon vehicles research. To meet the growing global demand for liquid transportation fuels with lower-carbon footage, more efficient, and cleaner-burning engines, methyl ether, i.e., dimethyl ether (DME) and oxymethylene ether (OME) have become an optimal replacement for diesel fuel as the fuel production from bio-sources are gaining better yield. The research project focuses on the systematic investigation and assessment of the feasibility of methyl ethers as alternative fuels in diesel engines using Ford truck engine models. DME and OME are soot-free burning fuels. The DME engines have compatible engine performance in diesel application despite of lower energy density and similar fueling and injection system to liquefied propane gas (LPG) engines, thus relatively cost-effective in after-treatment and fuel management. In parallel with the Ford Europe project which focuses on DME passenger cars, Ford Canada is taking the lead on bringing the fuel suppliers, engine expertise and supply chains to develop DME/OME pick-up trucks, and to demonstrate the DME engine production ability for on-road testing in Canada. The proposed research will include DME/OME fuel impacts on clean combustion control and emission characteristics from fueling management, boost, injection, spray, ignition, and air management to combustion behavior and pollutant formation history. The proposed industry-academic collaborations will address the challenges in developing the DME/OME engine technologies. The targeted engine will be used on the demonstration vehicles after 2-3 years. The outcomes after 5 years will be Ford demonstration DME vehicles on the road tests.