Ultra Efficient Engines and Fuels

这项研究旨在解决与内燃机（ICE）的知识差距，并回答“你能走多远？”该研究从两个方面考虑了减少内燃机燃料消耗的方法：首先是通过改进缸内燃烧过程，其次是通过使用可持续来源的设计燃料，使燃料化学与先进的高效燃烧系统相匹配。将研究三种新型内燃机概念，旨在实现在接近零排放的情况下逐步减少内燃机燃料消耗20-33%，并全面整合能源回收（WP1）。所研究的概念适用于商用车、乘用车和电动汽车增程器。WP2将研究新型设计燃料，包括如何定制燃料分子，以改善新型ICE燃烧系统中燃料的点火和燃烧特性。新燃料的喷射和点火过程将通过光学诊断技术的应用进行表征。WP3涵盖了内燃机燃烧概念的模拟，并评估了应用于此类燃烧系统和设计燃料的最先进建模方法的现状，这些燃料的流体特性可能与传统柴油和汽油非常不同。WP4将开发新的光学诊断技术，包括用于跟踪蒸汽浓度的双线平面诱导荧光和用于测量蒸汽温度的激光诱导热光栅光谱，并将其应用于WP1和WP2的研究，为WP3的建模提供验证。

This research seeks to address the knowledge gap with the internal combustion engine (ICE) and answer the question 'how far can you go?'. The research considers methods for reducing fuel consumption of the ICE from two directions: first by improving in-cylinder combustion processes and second through the use of designed fuels from sustainable sources, with the fuel chemistry matched to advanced high efficiency combustion systems. Three novel ICE concepts, aimed at achieving a step improvement of 20-33% reduction in fuel consumption from ICEs at near zero emissions will be investigated, with holistic integration of energy recovery (WP1). The concepts investigated are applicable to commercial vehicles, passenger cars and as electric vehicle range extenders. Novel designed fuels, will be investigated in WP2, including how the fuel molecule can be tailored to improve the ignition and combustion characteristics of the fuel in a novel ICE combustion system. The spray and ignition processes of the new fuels will be characterised through the application of optical diagnostic techniques. WP3 covers the simulation of the ICE combustion concepts and evaluation of current state of the art modelling methods when applied to such combustion systems and designed fuels, with potentially very different fluid characteristics to conventional diesel and petrol. Novel optical diagnostic techniques, including two line Planer Induced Fluorescence to track the vapour concentration and laser induced thermal grating spectroscopy to measure vapour temperature will be developed in WP4 and applied to the research in WP1 and WP2, providing validation for the modelling in WP3.