Ceramic coatings tailored for improved thermal efficiency and performance of IC engines

汽油发动机、柴油发动机、插电式混合动力车、电池或氢燃料电池似乎令人困惑，但在短期或长期内作为动力总成是必要的。所有型号系列都需要通过更先进的技术不断提高效率。汽油内燃机在过去的几年里经历了显著的发展，通过发动机小型化、可变配气正时、直接喷射、涡轮增压和减少内耗等。然而，为了充分利用先进的燃烧技术，活塞和燃烧室壁面如果有陶瓷涂层(作为保护盔甲)，一方面可以更好地抵御压缩负荷和热量，另一方面，陶瓷涂层将减少燃烧热损失到冷却剂，导致高热效率，从而降低燃油消耗和排放；此外，合适涂层厚度的陶瓷涂层可以减小对进气的升温效应，从而减少发动机爆震问题的倾向。该研究项目的目标是在内燃机燃烧室壁面上开发具有合适的热管理性能的智能陶瓷氧化物涂层，以提高发动机的热效率和动力性能。如果加拿大20%的车辆使用智能涂层技术，预计智能涂层技术将使加拿大的燃油经济性提高5%-10%，从而减少100万吨二氧化碳排放。该项目将招聘1名PDF、1名博士、1.5名硕士、1名研究助理和几名Co-op学生在大学和工业研发环境中进行HQP培训，并为汽车和制造业提供人才。这项研究的结果将使汽车制造商能够采用对环境负责的解决方案，以实现他们的排放和燃油效率目标。因此，拟议中的项目将对加拿大的环境保护、技术进步以及创造和保留就业机会具有非常重要的意义。

Petrol engines, diesel engines, plug-in hybrids, battery or hydrogen fuel cells seem confusing but necessary varieties as powertrains in the near or long term future. Enhanced efficiency through more advanced technology is needed consistently across all model series. Petrol internal combustion (IC) engine has experienced a remarkable development in the past years, through the engine downsizing, variable valve timing, direct injection, turbocharging and internal friction reduction, etc. However, to fully utilize the advanced combustion technology, it would be beneficial if the pistons and combustion chamber walls have a ceramic coating surface (as a protection armour) better against compression loads and heat on one hand; on the other hand, the ceramic coating would reduce combustion heat loss to coolant, leading to high thermal efficiency and thus lower fuel consumption and emission; additionally, the ceramic coating with a proper coating thickness can decrease the heating-up effect to intake air which would reduce tendency of the engine knocking problem. The objective of this proposed research project is to develop smart ceramic oxide coatings on IC engine combustion chamber walls which have appropriate thermal management properties tailored for enhancement of both engine thermal efficiency and power performance. It is expected that the smart coating technology would result in 5-10% improvement in fuel economy and thus reduction of 1 million tons of CO2 emission in Canada if 20% Canadian vehicles use the technology.The project will hire 1 PDF, 1 Ph.D., 1.5 Master's, 1 Research Associate, and a few Co-op students for their HQP training in university and industrial R&D environments and provide talents for automotive and manufacturing sectors. The outcome of this research would allow automakers to adopt environmentally responsible solutions to reach their emissions and fuel efficiency targets. Thus, the proposed project will be very significant in environmental protection, technological advancement, and job creation and retaining for Canada.