Engine downsizing is one of the most effective ways to reduce vehicle fuel consumption. Highly downsized (>50%) 4-stroke gasoline engines are constrained by knocking combustion, thermal and mechanical limits as well as high boost. Therefore a research work for a highly downsized uniflow 2-stroke engine has been proposed and carried out to unveil its potential. In this study, one-dimensional (1D) engine simulation and three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamic analysis were used to predict the performance of a boosted uniflow 2-stroke DI gasoline engine. This was experimentally complemented by the in-cylinder flow and mixture formation measurements in a newly commissioned single cylinder uniflow 2-stroke DI gasoline engine. The 3D simulation was used to assess the effects of engine configurations for engine breathing performance and in order that the design of the intake ports could be optimised. The boundary conditions for 1D engine simulation were configured by the 3D simulation output parameters, was employed to predict the engine performance with different boost systems. The fuel consumption and full load performance data from the 1D engine simulation were then included in the vehicle driving cycle analysis so that the vehicle performance and fuel consumption over the NEDC could be obtained. Based on the modelling results, a single cylinder uniflow 2-stroke engine was commissioned by incorporating a newly designed intake block and modified intake and exhaust systems. In-cylinder flow and fuel distribution were then measured by means of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) in the single cylinder engine. The numerical analysis results suggested that a 0.6 litre two-cylinder boosted uniflow 2-stroke engine with an optimised boosting system was capable of delivering comparable performance to a NA 1.6 litre four-cylinder 4-stroke engine yet with a maximum 23.5% improvement potential on fuel economy. Furthermore, simulation results on in-cylinder flow structure and fuel distribution were then verified experimentally.

In this thesis we describe the development of a real-space implementation of the Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) and use it in conjunction with a semi-empirical tight-binding model to investigate the optoelectronic properties of colloidal quantum- confined nanostructures. This novel implementation exploits the limited radial extent and small size of the atomic orbital basis to treat finite systems containing up to ∼4000 atoms in a fully many-body framework. In the first part of this thesis our tight-binding model is initially benchmarked on zincblende CdSe nanocrystals, before subsequently being used to investigate the electronic states of zincblende CdSe nanoplatelets as a function of thickness. The band-edge electronic states are found to show minimal variation for a range of thicknesses and the results of our tight-binding model show good agreement with those predicted using a 14-band k·p model for a nanoplatelet of 4 monolayers (ML) in thickness. Optical absorption spectra were also computed in the independent-particle approximation. While the results of the tight-binding model show good agreement with those of the 14-band k·p model in the low-energy region of the spectrum, agreement with experiment was poor. This reflects the need for a many-body treatment of optical absorption in nanoplatelet systems. In the second part of this thesis we apply our tight-binding plus BSE model to study the excitonic properties of CdSe nanocrystals and nanoplatelets. Simulations performed on CdSe nanocrystals examined an approximation of the BSE equivalent to configuration interaction singles (CIS), and found that both the optical gap and the low-energy spectral features were unaffected by the approximation. A comparison of exciton binding energies with those predicted by CIS demonstrates the sensitivity of results to the exact treatment of dielectric screening and the decision of whether or not to screen exchange. Our model predicts optical gaps that are in strong agreement with average experimental data for all but the smallest diameters, but was not able to reproduce low-energy spectral features that were fully consistent with experiment. This was attributed to the absence of the spin-orbit interaction in the model. Simulations performed on CdSe nanoplatelets investigate the optical gaps and exciton binding energies as a function of thickness. Exciton binding energies were found to reach ∼200 meV for the thinnest system, however, optical gaps were slightly overestimated in comparison to experiment. This is attributed to the reduced lateral dimensions used in our simulations and our bulk treatment of dielectric screening. A two-dimensional treatment of dielectric screening is expected to further increase binding energies. Calculations of the excitonic absorption spectrum reproduce the characteristic spectral features observed in experiment, and show strong agreement with the spectra of nanoplatelets, with thicknesses ranging from 3 ML to 5 ML.

Kunststofflichtwellenleiter (POFs) stellen ein verhältnismäßig neues Medium zur optische Datenkommunikation über kurzen Strecken dar. Während ihrer Einsatzdauer unterliegen POFs unterschiedlichen Arten von Umweltbeanspruchungen, hauptsächlich durch hohe Temperatur, hohe Feuchtigkeit und mechanischen Belastungen. Zahlreiche experimentelle Forschungen beschäftigten sich mit der standardisierten Prüfung der Zuverlässigkeit von im Handel erhältlichen Fasern. Jedoch gab es bisher wenig Erfolg bei der Bemühung, zwei grundlegende optische Erscheinungen, Absorption und Streuung, die die Lichtausbreitung in Fasern stark beeinflussen, zu verstehen und praktisch zu modellieren: Diese beiden Effekte beschreiben nicht nur die Qualität neuer Fasern, sondern sie werden auch stark durch die Alterungsprozess beeinflusst.<br><br> Der Hauptzweck dieser Doktorarbeit war es, ein praktisch verwendbares und theoretisch gut fundiertes Modell der Lichtausbreitung in nicht gealterten und gealterten POFs zu entwickeln und es durch optische Experimente zu verifizieren. Dabei wurden anwendungsorientierte Aspekte mit theoretischer POF-Modellierung kombiniert. Die Arbeit enthält die erste bekannte Anwendung der Wellenanalyse zur Untersuchung der winkelabhängigen Eigenschaften der Streuung in Lichtwellenleitern.<br><br> Für die praktischen Experimente wurden mehrere POF-Proben unterschiedlicher Hersteller künstlich gealtert, indem sie bis 4500 Stunden bei 100 °C gelagert wurden (ohne Feuchtekontrolle). Die Parameter der jeweiligen Simulationen wurden mittels einer systematischen Optimierung an die gemessen optischen Eigenschaften der gealterten Proben angeglichen. Die Resultate deuten an, dass der Übertragungsverlust der gealterten Fasern in den ersten Tagen und Wochen der Alterung am stärksten durch eine wesentliche physikalische Verschlechterung der Kern-Mantel-Grenzfläche verursacht wird. Chemische Effekte des Alterungsprozesses scheinen im Faserkernmaterial zuerst nach einigen Monaten aufzutreten. / This thesis discusses theoretical and practical aspects of modelling of light propagation in non-aged and aged step-index polymer optical fibres (POFs). Special attention has been paid in describing optical characteristics of non-ideal fibres, scattering and attenuation, and in combining application-oriented and theoretical approaches. The precedence has been given to practical issues, but much effort has been also spent on the theoretical analysis of basic mechanisms governing light propagation in cylindrical waveguides.<br><br>As a result a practically usable general POF model based on the raytracing approach has been developed and implemented. A systematic numerical optimisation of its parameters has been performed to obtain the best fit between simulated and measured optical characteristics of numerous non-aged and aged fibre samples. The model was verified by providing good agreement, especially for the non-aged fibres. The relations found between aging time and optimal values of model parameters contribute to a better understanding of the aging mechanisms of POFs.

Kunststofflichtwellenleiter (POFs) stellen ein verhältnismäßig neues Medium zur optische Datenkommunikation über kurzen Strecken dar. Während ihrer Einsatzdauer unterliegen POFs unterschiedlichen Arten von Umweltbeanspruchungen, hauptsächlich durch hohe Temperatur, hohe Feuchtigkeit und mechanischen Belastungen. Zahlreiche experimentelle Forschungen beschäftigten sich mit der standardisierten Prüfung der Zuverlässigkeit von im Handel erhältlichen Fasern. Jedoch gab es bisher wenig Erfolg bei der Bemühung, zwei grundlegende optische Erscheinungen, Absorption und Streuung, die die Lichtausbreitung in Fasern stark beeinflussen, zu verstehen und praktisch zu modellieren: Diese beiden Effekte beschreiben nicht nur die Qualität neuer Fasern, sondern sie werden auch stark durch die Alterungsprozess beeinflusst. <br><br> Der Hauptzweck dieser Doktorarbeit war es, ein praktisch verwendbares und theoretisch gut fundiertes Modell der Lichtausbreitung in nicht gealterten und gealterten POFs zu entwickeln und es durch optische Experimente zu verifizieren. Dabei wurden anwendungsorientierte Aspekte mit theoretischer POF-Modellierung kombiniert. Die Arbeit enthält die erste bekannte Anwendung der Wellenanalyse zur Untersuchung der winkelabhängigen Eigenschaften der Streuung in Lichtwellenleitern. <br><br> Für die praktischen Experimente wurden mehrere POF-Proben unterschiedlicher Hersteller künstlich gealtert, indem sie bis 4500 Stunden bei 100 °C gelagert wurden (ohne Feuchtekontrolle). Die Parameter der jeweiligen Simulationen wurden mittels einer systematischen Optimierung an die gemessen optischen Eigenschaften der gealterten Proben angeglichen. Die Resultate deuten an, dass der Übertragungsverlust der gealterten Fasern in den ersten Tagen und Wochen der Alterung am stärksten durch eine wesentliche physikalische Verschlechterung der Kern-Mantel-Grenzfläche verursacht wird. Chemische Effekte des Alterungsprozesses scheinen im Faserkernmaterial zuerst nach einigen Monaten aufzutreten. / This thesis discusses theoretical and practical aspects of modelling of light propagation in non-aged and aged step-index polymer optical fibres (POFs). Special attention has been paid in describing optical characteristics of non-ideal fibres, scattering and attenuation, and in combining application-oriented and theoretical approaches. The precedence has been given to practical issues, but much effort has been also spent on the theoretical analysis of basic mechanisms governing light propagation in cylindrical waveguides. <br><br> As a result a practically usable general POF model based on the raytracing approach has been developed and implemented. A systematic numerical optimisation of its parameters has been performed to obtain the best fit between simulated and measured optical characteristics of numerous non-aged and aged fibre samples. The model was verified by providing good agreement, especially for the non-aged fibres. The relations found between aging time and optimal values of model parameters contribute to a better understanding of the aging mechanisms of POFs.<br><br>