Determinação do desempenho de um motor à combustão interna com ignição por centelha, sem modificação em sua taxa de compressão volumétrica, usando álcool etílico vaporizado como combustível. Para facilidade de obtenção de dados usou-se um sistema de aquecimento elétrico para a geração do vapor do álcool etílico. Mediu-se as descargas de ar e combustível, a potência no eixo e a temperatura dos gases de escape para vários ângulos de avanço de centelha e rotações do eixo do motor. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com o desempenho do mesmo motor funcionando com gasolina e álcool, pelo sistema de mistura usando carburador. O processo de vaporização pode ser aplicado a motores do tipo ciclo Otto , que poderão funcionar com álcool etílico ou gasolina, com poucas alterações em seu desempenho. / Performance determination of a spark-ignition combustion-engine, without modification in compression ratio, fueled with etanol vapours. The data acquisition was simplified by the use of an electric heater to generate the etanol vapours. The data acquired are flow of air and fuel, net power and escape gases temperature to various spark advance angles and engine speed. The performance was compared with those obtained with the carburator system motor, gasoline and etanol as fuel. The vaporization process will be applied in Otto cycle engines that may work with etanol or gasoline as fuels, with few performance alterations.

Uma maneira ecologicamente correta de manejar os recursos energéticos disponíveis e reduzir as emissões de gases de efeito estufa é utilizar biocombustíveis ao invés de combustíveis de origem fóssil em motores de combustão interna. Entretanto, o preço mais alto dos biocombustíveis pode ser um fator limitante para o aumento e viabilização do seu uso. Em relação ao etanol, para se obter misturas com mais de 80% de etanol em água o custo de produção cresce exponencialmente. Assim, se misturas de etanol com alto percentual de água, de menor custo, puderem ser utilizadas em motores de combustão interna com sucesso, esse combustível pode se tornar mais atrativo e mais amplamente utilizado. Este trabalho analisa o desempenho de um motor de ignição por centelha operando com etanol em diferentes percentuais de hidratação, através de simulações computacionais e procedimentos experimentais. Foi utilizado um motor monocilíndrico de 0,668L e naturalmente aspirado, com relação de compressão de 19:1 e injeção direta em pré-câmara, ciclo Diesel, foi modificado para operação em ciclo Otto - injeção de combustível no duto de admissão e relação de compressão de 12:1. Testes em dinamômetro foram conduzidos com o etanol hidratado comercial (95% de etanol e 5% de água) e com misturas de etanol e água com maiores percentuais de hidratação (conteúdo volumétrico de até 60% de etanol e 40% de água). Simulação computacional através de software de volumes finitos unidimensional foi utilizada para realizar a análise da combustão. Foi possível alcançar operação estável com misturas de até 40% de água em etanol e ocorreu aumento de eficiência térmica para misturas de até 30% de água. / An environmentally friendly way to manage the available energetic resources and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to use bio instead of fossil fuels in internal combustion engines. However, the sometimes higher prices of biofuels can be a limiting factor for their widespread and viable use. Concerning ethanol and its production costs, to obtain above 80% ethanol-in-water mixtures demands an exponentially increasing energy supply. Hence, if a low-cost high water content ethanol could be successfully burned in internal combustion engines it would be even more attractive and extensively used. This work analyzes the performance of a spark ignition engine running with ethanol with different percentages of hydration through numeric and experimental simulations. To achieve this goal, a 0,668L naturally aspirated single cylinder engine, with compression ratio of 19:1 and pre-chamber direct injection, operating at Diesel cycle was modified to operate in Otto cycle - port fuel injection, with a compression ratio of 12:1. Dynamometer tests were carried out with commercial hydrous ethanol (95% ethanol and 5% water) and water-in-ethanol blends with higher hydration levels (volumetric content up to 60% ethanol and 40% water). Computer simulation through one-dimensional finite volume software was carried out to perform a heat release analysis. It was possible to achieve stable operation with up to 40% water-in-ethanol blends and thermal efficiency increase was achieved for blends with up to 30% of water.

This thesis describes experiments to investigate high-altitude relight of a lean direct injection (LDI) combustor. The features that make LDI technology less polluting in terms of NOx compared to conventional combustors are expected to impede relight performance. Therefore an improved understanding of ignition behaviour is required to ensure that stringent relight requirements can be satisfied. Realistic operating conditions are simulated in a ground-based test facility. The application of laser diagnostics presents particular difficulties due to the large quantities ofliquid fuel that impinge on the combustor walls during relight. Advances are made in the application of planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) to monitor fuel placement in a combustor under these conditions. A novel apparatus is developed to deliver a laser sheet to the combustion chamber while protecting all optical surfaces from contamination. The PLIF images are compared with the cold flow field obtained from CFD modelling. These results indicate that fuel becomes trapped inside the central recirculation zone in highconcentrations. High-speed flame imaging performed simultaneously with the PLIF measurements provides important insights into the motion and breakup of flame during relight. An algorithm developed to track the flame activity reveals that the initial spark kernel is convected downstream, before breaking apart and moving upstream towards a recovery origin close to the fuel injector. Analysis of many ignition events has revealed several distinct modes of ignition failure.

The main aim of this thesis is the analysis of influence of inlet valve opening length and compression ratio on performance and thermodynamic parameters of Miller cycle using GT-SUITE software. Next step was an optimization of inlet and exhaust valve timing with goal of increasing motor effective power. For chosen option was designed cam shaft with regard of kinematic and dynamic magnitude courses.

Recently, some new technologies (e.g., downsizing, turbocharging) have been widely used in spark-ignition (SI) engines to achieve higher efficiencies and less emissions. However, the improved power density and in-cylinder pressure promote more engine knock, causing violent pressure oscillations and threatening engine integrity. Therefore, it is imperative to study engine knocking combustion more than ever; In-depth understandings of knock mechanism and characteristics are of utmost importance for controlling knock. With this emphasis, this thesis implements systematic studies to bridge the gap between knocking combustion characteristics and knock suppressing strategies. To investigate knock with optical and laser diagnostics, an optical compression-ignition (CI) engine was modified to operate under SI mode. A home-made metal liner with multiple spark plugs was used to trigger more controllable knock events via different spark strategies. Up to six pressure sensors were installed to collect the pressure signals from different sides. Next, the relationships between in-cylinder pressure, knock intensity, pressure fluctuation, heat release, and measurement location are analyzed to study the knock mechanism, influential factors, and measurement methods. The findings indicate a trade-off between the mass fraction and temperature of end-gas. The effects of compression ratio and fuel octane number are also explored. Moreover, the multichannel pressure monitoring is synchronized with high-speed imaging to investigate the flame propagation and knock development processes regarding the different spark strategies. The results give insights into the in-cylinder temperature inhomogeneity and how it affects the spatial distribution of auto-ignition sites. Furthermore, a new method is proposed to detect the local pressure fluctuations by setting a series of virtual flame monitors instead of pressure sensors. The results validate that this method provides a convenient and reliable way to study knock oscillations. Finally, this study presents a hydraulically actuated VCR (variable compression ratio) piston design to address knock challenges. The numerical simulation results show this VCR piston has a good adaptability and could help achieve high engine efficiencies, while keeping reasonable peak pressure to avoid heavy knock at high loads. However, more analysis work still needs to be implemented on its practical applications, e.g., the thermal stress and frictions under different operating conditions.

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Recent approval of emission standards for small utility engines by the California Air Resources Board suggested that substantial reductions in emissions from small utility engines will soon be required. Although the 1994 standards can be met by simple engine modifications, the 1999 standards may require the use of emission control technologies such as catalytic converters because they are more stringent. In this research catalytic control of individual hydrocarbons such as methane, ethylene, benzene, and toluene were evaluated. A platinum coated catalyst treated emissions from a 107cc, four-cycle gasoline engine loaded with a 1.4KW portable generator. Determination of emissions was performed at three different load levels: 0%, 50% and 92% of the engine rated load. Among the four hydrocarbons, toluene was oxidized as much as 60%, and benzene 40%, whereas ethylene remained unaffected by the catalyst. Also, a 5% to 10% methane oxidation occurred in one trial. / Master of Science

The motivation for this work stems from the enacting of stricter emissions requirements for the mid 1990's by the California Air Resources Board. It is foreseen that these requirements will favor the use of alcohol fuels in quantities comparable to the present usage of gasoline and diesel in order to reduce emissions of carbon monoxides (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The use of alcohol fuels at this level will substantially increase the amount of aldehyde emissions. This poses a problem in that aldehydes are odorants, components of photochemical smog, and volatile aldehydes are eye and respiratory tract irritants; therefore, it is only a matter of time before they too are strictly regulated. This thesis focuses on a systematic analysis of aldehyde emissions from alcohol fuels with respect to compression ratio. Compression ratio has been selected as the primary variable for this study, because alcohol-fueled vehicles are usually modified to have higher compression ratios than their gasoline-fueled counterparts in order to take advantage of alcohols' higher octane rating. The investigation is being conducted using a single-cylinder variable-compression ratio Waukesha-CFR engine. The aldehyde emissions are measured for various fuel alcohol percentages at different compression ratios and MBT timing. The effects on conventional vehicle emissions (Le. NOx, CO, unburned hydrocarbons) are also being measured so that tradeoffs between conventional emissions and aldehyde emissions can be determined. The goal of this research was to locate any trends between alcohol fuels and compression ratios which will allow for an optimization of these parameters to minimize aldehyde emissions. It was desired that this be achieved without sacrificing engine performance or increasing other regulated emissions. The variance of compression ratio was found to affect the pollutant formation process via its effects on temperature. The increasing expansion ratio, which accompanies increasing compression ratio, resulted in lower post .. expansion burned-gas temperatures. Temperature's influence on the rate of reactions was found to be the driving force in the formation of most of the pollutants. The experiment showed a definitive reduction in CO emissions with the use of alcohol fuels. The results also indicated an inherent tradeoff between NOx and formaldehyde emissions. / Master of Science