Combustion in CI Engines

Baskara sethupathi.P

Combustion in CI Engine
The combustion process proceeds by the following stages: Ignition delay (ab) - fuel is injected directly into the cylinder towards the end of the compression stroke. The liquid fuel atomizes into small drops /droplets and penetrates into the combustion chamber. The fuel vaporizes and mixes with the high-temperature, high-pressure air. Uncontrolled combustion [Premixed combustion phase (bc)] combustion of the fuel which has mixed with the air to within the flammability limits (air at hightemperature and high-pressure) during the ignition delay period occurs rapidly in a few crank angles. Rapid or Controlled Combustion [Mixing controlled combustion phase (cd)] after the premixed gas is consumed, the burning rate is controlled by the rate at which mixture becomes available for burning. The burning rate is controlled primarily by the fuel-air mixing process. After Burning [Late combustion phase (de)] heat release may proceed at a lower rate well into the expansion stroke (no additional fuel injected during this phase). Combustion of any unburned liquid fuel and soot is responsible for this.

Stages of combustion (P- curve)

c d e b

( )

Four Stages of Combustion in CI Engines

(Heat Release)

Start of injection

End of injection

Delay period
1. Physical Delay
The period of physical delay is the time between the beginning of injection and the attainment of chemical reaction conditions. During this time, the fuel is atomized, vapourised, mixed with air and the temperature is raised

2. Chemical Delay During this period, preflame reaction start slowly and then accelerate until the local inflammation or ignition takes place.

 The delay period refers to the sum of physical and chemical delay. In most CI engines, the ignition delay is shorter than the duration of injection. Ignition lag in SI engines is equivalent to the chemical delay in CI engines. The delay period in the CI engines affects the rate of pressure rise and hence, knocking. Iot also affects the engine startability.

Delay period
The pressure reached during the second phase of combustion depends up on delay period. The longer the delay period, the more rapid is the pressure rise, since more fuel will be present in the cylinder before the rate of burning comes under control. Therefore the diesel engine designers aim to keep the delay period as short as possible.

Delay period
But, some delay period is necessary, otherwise the droplets would not be dispersed in the air for complete combustion.

Variables affecting delay period

1. Fuel
Self ignition temperature Cetane number Volatility Viscosity Surface tension

Variables affecting delay period

2. Injection pressure or size of droplet Fuel should be injected at the smallest size to obtain largest surface to volume ratio Rate of burning depends upon the rate at which the products of combustion can be removed from the surface and replaced by fresh oxygen. Smaller droplets will have lesser momentum and hence lesser relative velocity and once its initial velocity is lost it will travel in air resulting in partial suffocation by its own products of combustion. As the pressure rise after ignition depends on the area of inflammation, if the droplet size is small, more aggregate area of inflammation results in greater uncontrolled pressure rise. As the size of the droplet depends upon the injection pressure, lower the rate of pressure rise during the uncontrolled phase and smoother engine running.

Variables affecting delay period

3. Injection advance angle The delay period increases with increase in injection advance. This is due to the lower pressure and temperature when the injection begins. If the injection advance is small, the delay period reduces and operation of the engine is smoother, but the power produced is reduced as large amount of fuel burns during expansion. The optimum angle of injection advance depends upon many factors, but generally it varies between 12 to 20 before tdc. This causes the peak pressure to occur 10 to 15 after tdc.

Variables affecting delay period

4. Compression ratio
Increase in compression ratio reduces delay period as it rises both temperature and density.
1400

1200

1000

Temperature (K)

800

600

Max Air Temperature Min Auto ignition Temp

400

200

0 0 5 10 15 20 25

Compression Ratio

Variables affecting delay period

5. Intake temperature
Increasing the intake temperature results in increase in the compressed air temperature, which reduces delay period. Increasing the inlet temperature reduces density of air entering the cylinder, hence volumetric efficiency and power output. Increase in jacket water temperature increases compressed air temperature and hence delay period is reduced.

6. Jacket water temperature

7. Fuel temperature
Increase in fuel temperature reduces both physical and chemical delay period.
Increase in intake pressure or supercharging reduces the auto ignition temperature and hence reduces delay period.

8. Intake pressure and supercharging

Variables affecting delay period

9. Speed
2

57 Cetane Fuel

Ignition Delay (ms)

1.5

0.5 500 700 900 1100 1300 1500 1700 1900 2100

Engine Speed (RPM)

Variables affecting delay period

10.Air fuel ratio
With increase in air-fuel ratio (lean mixture), the combustion temperatures are less and cylinder wall temperatures are lowered and hence delay period increases. The rate of pressure rise is unaffected but the maximum pressure is reduced.

11.Engine size
The engine size has little effect on the delay period in milliseconds. As large engines operate at low rpm, the delay period in terms of crank angle is smaller and hence less fuel enters the cylinder during delay period.

12.Type of combustion chamber.

Pre combustion chambers give shorter delay period compared to open type of combustion chamber.

Effect of variables on delay period

Sl no Increase in Variable Effect on Delay Period 1 Cetane No of Fuel Reduces 2 3 4 Injection Pressure Reduces Reason Reduces SI Temperature Greater S/V ratio, hence less physical delay Pressures and temperature lower when injection begins Increases air temperature and pressure and reduces auto ignition temperature Increases air temperature

Injection Advance Increases Angle Compression Ratio Reduces

Intake Temperature Reduces

Jacket Water Temperature

Reduces

Increases wall temperature, hence air temperature

Sl no Increase in Variable 7 Fuel Temperature 8 9 Intake Pressure (Supercharging) Speed

Effect on Delay Period Reduces Reduces

Reason Better evaporation and increases chemical reaction Increases in density, reduces auto ignition temperature

10 11

Load (Fuel-Air Ratio) Engine Size

12

Type of Combustion Chamber

Reduces in Less loss of heat, more crank milliseconds, angle in a given time increases in crank angle Decreases Operating temperature increases Little effect in Low RPM milliseconds but crank angle decreases Lower for precombustion chamber

Diesel Knock
If the delay period is long, a large amount of fuel will be injected and accumulated in the chamber. The auto ignition of this large amount of fuel cause high rate of pressure rise and high maximum pressure which causes knocking in a diesel engine A long delay period not only increases the amount of fuel injected by the moment of ignition, it also improves the homogeneity of the fuel-air mixture and its chemical preparedness for explosion type of self ignition

Difference between SI and CI knock

1. In SI engines, detonation occurs near the end of combustion, whereas in the CI engine, detonation occurs near the beginning of combustion

Difference between SI and CI knock

2. The detonation of SI engine is of a homogeneous charge causing very high rate of pressure rise and very high maximum pressure. In the CI engine, the fuel and air are imperfectly mixed and hence the rate of pressure rise is normally lower than that in the detonating part of the charge in the SI engine

Difference between SI and CI knock

3. Since in the CI engine the fuel is injected into the cylinder only at the end of the compression stroke, there is no question of pre-ignition as in the case of a SI engine 4. In the SI engine, it is relatively easy to distinguish between knocking and non-knocking operation as the human ear can easily find the distinction. In the case of CI engine, the normal ignition itself is by auto-ignition and most CI engines have sufficiently high rate of pressure rise per degree of crank angle to cause audible noise.

Factors tending to reduce knocking in SI and CI engines

S. No
1
2 3 4

Factors
SI Temperature of Fuel
Delay period of fuel Compression Ratio Inlet Temperature

SI Engine
High
Long Low Low

CI Engine
Low
Short High High

5
6 7 8

Inlet Pressure
Combustion Chamber wall Temperature Speed Cylinder Size

Low
Low High Small

High
High Low Large

Methods of controlling diesel knock

a) Design and operating factors for reducing delay period The delay period can be reduced by reducing the degree of turbulence as it will reduce heat loss. However, it will increase the combustion period and thus reduce torque and thermal efficiency

Methods of controlling diesel knock

b) The delay angle is reduced (cetane number is increased) by adding chemical dopes. The two chemical dopes added are ethyl nitrate and amyl nitrate in concentrations of 8.8gm/litre and 7.7gm/litre respectively The chemical dopes increase the cetane number and accelerate the pre-flame reactions and reduce the flash point. NOx emissions will be a problem

Methods of controlling diesel knock

c) There would be high rate of pressure rise and high maximum pressure in the second stage if large amount of fuel collects during the delay period. It can be reduced by arranging the injector so that only a small amount of fuel is injected at first.

COMBUSTION CHAMBER

COMBUSTION CHAMBER Definition

The space within the cylinder when the piston is at the top of its travel. It is formed by the top of the piston and a cavity in the cylinder head. Since the air-fuel mixture burns in this space, its design and shape can greatly affect the power, fuel efficiency, and emissions of the engine.

Factors to be considered while designing a diesel engine combustion chamber

High thermal efficiency Fuel requirement ability to use less expensive fuel; multi fuel capability Ease of starting Variable speed operation Smoothness of operation, without knock Low exhaust emissions Simple nozzle design High volumetric efficiency High brake mean effective pressure

Classification of CI Engine combustion Chambers

CI Engine Combustion Chambers

Open Chamber Induction Swirl

Divided Chamber Or Turbulent Chamber

Swirl Chamber

Pre-Combustion Chamber

Air Cell Chamber

Compression Swirl

Combustion Induced Swirl

CI Engine combustion chambers

Proper mixing of fuel in a short time
Three parameters are used to characterize largescale in-cylinder fluid motion: swirl, squish, and tumble. Swirl is the rotational flow about the cylinder axis. Swirl is used to: Rapidly mix fuel and air in direct injection engines The swirl is generated during air induction into the cylinder by either: i) tangentially directing the flow into the cylinder, or ii) pre-swirling the incoming flow by the use of helical ports.

Induction Swirl and Open Combustion Chambers

Induction Swirl can be achieved by Careful formation of the air intake passages

Making or shrouding the intake valve

Squish
Induction swirl is augmented by secondary air movement called squish Squish is the radial inward movement of air towards the combustion recess by squeezing it out from between the piston and cylinder head as they approach each other at the end of the stroke.

Cylinder Swirl and its Generation

Swirl motion

Tangential injection

Helical port

Contoured valve

Squish

Important point to be noted

Air movement (swirl) formed by air intake passages is very weak In masked valve system, the flow is obstructed and volumetric efficiency is reduced. Hence, masking of the valve results in low swirl With a weak swirl, single hole nozzle cannot provide desired air-fuel mixing. Hence, always multi hole nozzle (4 to 8 @ 1.2 to 1.5mm) is preferred for open combustion chambers

Direct and indirect injection systems

Direct Injection (DI) System. In this system, fuel is injected
directly into a combustion chamber formed in the cylinder itself, i.e. between a suitably shaped non-stationary piston crown and a fixed cylinder head in which is mounted the fuel injector with its single or multiple spray orifices or nozzles.

Quiescent combustion system. Application-Four-stroke and twostroke engines mostly above 150 mm bore

Quiescent chamber for a truck Dl engine and a swirl assisted HSDI engine chamber

Fuel Atomization - multi hole nozzle

Direct injection combustion systems

The wide flat chambers are associated with high pressure injection systems and the deeper bowls are used with high swirl, low injection pressure systems. Direct injection engines depend primarily on the kinetic energy of the fuel spray to mix the air and fuel. This dependence increases the importance of the fuel injection system for optimizing the combustion system in DI engines. Increased air swirl can enhance the fuel-air mixing and extend the smoke limiting fuel-air ratio, but it increases NOx at the same time.

Direct Injection

High swirl system Application to all truck and bus engines, but increasingly to the high speed
passenger car engine

Indirect Injection
Indirect Injection (IDI) Systems as used in IDI engines in which
fuel is injected into a prechamber which communicates with the cylinder through a narrow passage. The rapid transfer of air from the main cylinder into the prechamber towards top dead centre (TDC) of the firing stroke promotes a very high degree of air motion in the prechamber which is particularly conducive to rapid fuel-air mixing.

Prechamber system-compression swirl. Application traditionally to high speed passenger car engines but now increasingly replaced by direct injection engine

Ricardo comet indirect injection system

During compression, air is forced at high velocity, from the main chamber, through the narrow connecting passage, and into the swirl chamber, or prechamber. As this air enters the prechamber, the chamber shape turns the flow and induces a strong swirl in the chamber. Fuel is injected into the swirling flow and ignited after a brief ignition delay. The fuel-air ratio in the swirl chamber is relatively rich, because only about half of the trapped air is present in the swirl chamber. This rich combustion keeps the NOx emissions low. As the pressure in the swirl chamber rises because of combustion and the pressure in the main chamber falls because of piston motion, the burning gases expand into the main chamber where the CO and unburned hydrocarbons burn with the remaining air.

Classification of indirect combustion chambers

Swirl chamber
It consists of a spherical chamber located in the cylinder head and separated from the engine cylinder by a tangential throat. About 30 to 50% of the air enters the swirl chamber during the compression stroke of the engine, producing a swirl. After combustion, the products return through the same throat to the main cylinder at much higher velocity. So more heat loss to walls of the passage takes place. This type of chamber finds application in engines in which fuel control and engine stability are more important than fuel economy.

 Precombustion chamber

Classification of indirect combustion chambers

This chamber is located at the cylinder head and is connected to the engine cylinder by small holes. It occupies 40% of the total cylinder volume. During the compression stroke, air from the main cylinder enters the precombustion chamber. At this moment, fuel is injected into the precombustion chamber and combustion begins. Pressure increases and the fuel droplets are forced through the small holes into the main cylinder, resulting in a very good mix of the fuel and air. The bulk of the combustion actually takes place in the main cylinder. This type of combustion chamber has multi-fuel capability because the temperature of the prechamber vaporizes the fuel before the main combustion event occurs

Pre-combustion chamber

Pre-combustion chamber

 Air cell chamber

Classification of indirect combustion chambers

The air cell is a small cylindrical chamber with a hole in one end. It is mounted more or less coaxially with the injector, on opposite sides, axis being parallel to the piston crown, with the injector firing across a small cavity which is open to the cylinder into the hole in the end of the air cell. The air cell is mounted so as to minimise thermal contact with the mass of the head. A pintle injector with a narrow spray pattern is used. At TDC the majority of the charge mass is contained in the cavity and air cell. Air cell injection is considered as a sort of half way stage between fully indirect and fully direct injection, gaining some of the efficiency advantages of direct injection while retaining the simplicity and ease of indirect injection

Air cell chamber

Comparison of IDI and DI engines

The DI engine has up to 20% better fuel efficiency than the IDI engine. Most of this loss is due to greater heat transfer losses in the swirl chamber and connecting passageway and to thermodynamic losses because of the late combustion process that occurs as the rich swirl chamber mixture expands into the main chamber. Throttling losses through the connecting passageway are also associated with loss (these passages are usually large enough that the pressure difference between the main chamber and the swirl chamber is not large). This effect is partially offset as the IDI engine does not have the pumping losses associated with the inlet port generated swirl typical of DI engines.

Advantages of Induction swirl

1. High excess air allows low average combustion temperature. Low turbulence and low heat losses permits thermal to approach ideal cycle efficiency 2. Intensity of swirl is low heat losses to chamber wall is less easy cold starting 3. Swirl is obtained during suction stroke no additional work for creating swirl. Hence better brake thermal and fuel economy. 4. When used in low speed engines, poor quality fuel can be used as injection spreads for a long duration of time. 5. When used in high speed engines, high cetane fuel produces good thermal efficiency with better swirl results in better economy. 6. Very simple in construction

Disadvantages of Induction swirl

1. As the swirl is of low intensity, multi hole nozzles with high injection pressure is required problems like clogging, low injection quantity etc 2. Use of shrouded valves lowers Vol. Injector has to be located at the centre of the CC, restricting the size of the valve in multi valve engines 3. Mixing of fuel and air and fuel is not easy at low speeds and high loads 4. Weak swirl necessitates excess air ie low air utilisation, hence low mean effective pressure 5. Swirl is not proportional to engine speed, hence efficiency is not maintained over a wide speed range in a variable speed engine.

Advantages of Compression swirl

1. Due to strong swirl, single orifice injector with low injection pressure can be used. Pintle type nozzle with self cleaning capacity can be used 2. Due to strong swirl, better utilization of air. Hence higher mean effective pressure. 3. As the injector is located inside the swirl chamber, valves of larger diameter can be conveniently located, hence better volumetric efficiency. 4. Swirl is proportional to speed, hence more suitable for variable speed engines. 5. Transfer of air from the main chamber to swirl chamber heats air, hence delay period can be reduced. 6. Engine operation is smooth because, the initial shock of peak pressure is absorbed by the swirl chamber.

1.

2. 3.

4. 5.

Disadvantages of Compression swirl The work done during compression and expansion are considerable. Hence mech is lower. IThermal is also lower due to low excess air. 5 to 8% excess fuel consumption. Due to the high intensity of swirl, heat losses to the CC walls is high. S/V ratio is also high as the CC is not compact. Cold starting is a very serious problem glow plug is a must. More heat is lost in the exhaust gases Cylinder construction is more expensive

Comparison of induced and compression swirl

Induction Swirl Advantages Compression Swirl Disadvantages

1. Indicated thermal efficiency high due to high excess air and low turbulence 2. Easier cold starting due to low intensity of swirl 3. No additional work required for producing swirl 4. High mechanical and brake thermal efficiency 5. Low quality of fuel can be used when used for low speed engines

1. Less excess air, low indicated thermal efficiency. 5 to 8% more fuel consumption. Decreased exhaust valve life 2. Cold starting trouble due to high heat loss due to strong swirl, greater S/V ratio. 3. Work loss during compression results in lower mechanical efficiency 4. Cylinder complicated and more expensive.

Comparison of induced and compression swirl

Induction Swirl Disadvantages Advantages Compression Swirl

1. Weak swirl, multi orifice nozzle, high injection pressure, clogging of holes. High maintenance 2. Idling and high load complications due to fuel mixing problems. 3. Shrouded valves, smaller valves, restriction in inlet passage reduces volumetric efficiency 4. Weak swirl, low air utilization, low mean effective pressure 5. Swirl not proportional to speed. Efficiency is not maintained in a variable speed engine

1. Single hole injector can be used, less maintenance 2. Large valves, higher volumetric efficiency 3. Greater air utilisation due to strong swirl 4. Swirl proportional to speed, suitable for variable speed operation 5. Smooth engine operation

M Combustion Chamber
Dr. Meurer of MAN (Germany) in 1954 developed the M-Process engine This engine was very silent, hence he named it as whisper engine This belongs to the open combustion chamber category Fuel spray impinges and spreads over the surface of the spherical cavity in the piston

M Combustion Chamber

M Combustion Chamber
1.Fuel injected tangentially from a multi hole nozzle on the surface of the chamber in the direction of the swirl. 2.Injected fuel spreads on the piston surface and forms a film of about 0.15mm thick. 3.As the film evaporates due to the heat of the piston, it starts burning. 4.Combustion of the fuel is initiated by auto ignition of a small portion of fuel which is air borne. 5.The quantity of air borne fuel is controlled by selecting a proper distance between the nozzle tip and the combustion chamber wall. 6.The heat of the piston has to be within a temperature range to achieve fuel evaporation without causing thermal decomposition and carburizing of the fuel.

M Combustion Chamber cond..

7. The fuel vapour rise from the hot surface and mix with the swirling air in successive layers and combustion takes place in a near homogeneous air-fuel mixture at the desired rate. 8. The rate of heat release is almost equal to the rate of evaporation of fuel 9. Even though, the engine works on diesel cycle, its combustion characteristics is almost like Otto cycle. 10. As thermal decomposition is prevented, soot formation is very less.

Advantages of M Combustion Chamber

Low rate of pressure rise Low smoke level Ability to operate on a wide range of liquid fuels Very less combustion noise

Disadvantages of M Combustion Chamber

Cold starting problem White smoke, diesel odour and high HC emission when the engine is cold Low volumetric efficiency

CONCLUSION
Both IDI and DI engines require small clearances between the piston and the cylinder head. This clearance restricts the timing of exhaust valve closing and intake valve opening unless valve cutouts are provided in the piston. These cutouts increase piston cost and adversely affect the in-cylinder flow field.

Thank You