Fossil fuel reserves are projected to be decreasing, and emission regulations are becoming more stringent due to increasing atmospheric pollution. Alternative fuels for power generation in industrial gas turbines are thus required able to meet the above demands. Examples of such fuels are synthetic gas, blast furnace gas and coke oven gas. A common characteristic of these fuels is that they are multi-component fuels, whose composition varies greatly depending on their production process. This implies that their combustion characteristics will also vary significantly. Thus, accurate and yet flexible enough combustion sub-models are required for such fuels, which are used during the design stage, to ensure optimum performance during practical operating conditions. Most combustion sub-model development and validation is based on Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) studies. DNS however is computationally expensive. This, has so far limited DNS to single-component fuels such as methane and hydrogen. Furthermore, the majority of DNS conducted to date used one-step chemistry in 3D, and skeletal chemistry in 2D only. The need for 3D DNS using skeletal chemistry is thus apparent. In this study, an accurate reduced chemical mechanism suitable for multi-component fuel-air combustion is developed from a skeletal mechanism. Three-dimensional DNS of a freely propagating turbulent premixed flame is then conducted using both mechanisms to shed some light into the flame structure and turbulence-scalar interaction of such multi-component fuel flames. It is found that for the multi-component fuel flame heat is released over a wider temperature range contrary to a methane flame. This, results from the presence of individual species reactions zones which do not all overlap. The performance of the reduced mechanism is also validated using the DNS data. Results suggest it to be a good substitute of the skeletal mechanism, resulting in significant time and memory savings. The flame markers commonly used to visualize heat release rate in laser diagnostics are found to be inadequate for the multi-component fuel flame, and alternative markers are proposed. Finally, some popular mean reaction rate closures are tested for the multi-component fuel flame. Significant differences are observed between the models’ performance at the highest turbulence level considered in this study. These arise from the chemical complexity of the fuel, and further parametric studies using skeletal chemistry DNS would be useful for the refinement of the models.

The present thesis deals with the fundamental aspects of turbulent mixingand non-premixed combustion in wall-jet flows. Direct numerical simulations(DNS) of compressible turbulent flows are performed in a wall-jet configura-tion, which has a close resemblance to many industrial combustion applica-tions. The triple ”turbulence-chemistry-wall” interactions are also present inthis flow set-up. These interactions have been addressed by first focusing onturbulent flow effects on the isothermal reaction, including the near-wall issues.Then, by adding heat-release to the simulations, it has been concentrated onheat-release effects on various phenomena that occur in the reacting turbulentwall-jet flow. In the computational domain, fuel and oxidizer enter separatelyin a non-premixed manner and the flow is fully turbulent and subsonic in allsimulations. In the first phase of this study, the case of a turbulent wall-jetincluding an isothermal reaction without heat release is addressed in order toisolate the near-wall effects and the mixing characteristics of the flow and thekey statistics for combustion are studied in the absence of thermal effects. Adeeper insight into three-dimensional mixing and reaction characteristics in aturbulent wall-jet has been gained through investigation of the probability den-sity functions, higher order moments of velocities and reacting scalars and thescalar dissipation rates of different species. In the second phase, DNS of turbu-lent reacting wall-jets including heat release is performed, where a single-stepglobal exothermic reaction with an Arrhenius-type reaction rate is considered.The main target was to identify the heat-release effects on different mixingscales of turbulent wall-jet flow. The scalar dissipation rates, time scale ratios,two-point correlations, one and two-dimensional premultiplied spectra are usedto illustrate the heat release induced modifications. It is observed that heatrelease effects delay the transition process in the chemically reacting cases andenlarge the fluctuation intensities of density and pressure, but have a dampingeffect on all velocity fluctuation intensities. Finer small mixing scales were ob-served in the isothermal simulations and larger vortical structures formed afteradding significant amounts of heat-release. Simulations with different Damk ̈h-  oler numbers, but comparable temperature-rise are performed and the expectedbehavior, a thinner flame with increasing Damk ̈hler number, is observed. Finally, some heat transfer related quantities are examined. The wall heat fluxand the corresponding Nusselt numbers are addressed. The near-wall reactioneffects on the skin friction coefficient are studied and further the reaction char-acteristics are investigated throughout the domain. / QC 20110908

[pt] Chamas pré-misturadas em escoamentos turbulentos com rotação são encontradas em diversos sistemas de engenharia, como turbinas a gás e motores a jato. Neste trabalho, regimes de chamas característicos de tais sistemas são estudados numericamente num queimador de escala laboratorial. O estado da arte dos estudos numéricos de tais chamas é revisado, com respeito a simulações de grandes escalas, bem como o de modelos computacionais baseados em médias de Reynolds. Um estudo isotérmico é feito no escoamento turbulento, num domínio computacional que consiste de um swirler radial e uma câmara de combustão. O impacto de diferentes modelos de turbulência, níveis de refinamentos de malha e condições de contorno no número de swirl e na estrutura do escoamento é investigado. Os resultados revelam que os três modelos de turbulência propostos resultam em campos de escoamento e número de swirl similares, enquanto o nível de refinamento de malha e a condição de contorno de parede deslizante alteram o número de swirl significativamente. Utilizando as equações de média de Reynolds, com o fechamento do modelo k − E realizável, acoplado a um modelo de duas equações para chamas pré-misturadas de metano e ar, dois regimes de chamas são analisados. Estes regimes correspondem à chama de recirculação externa (chama tipo M) e um regime de instabilidade, que ocorre na transição entre a chama tipo V e chama tornado. A estrutura do escoamento é caracterizada em termos de velocidade e propriedades de turbulência e combustão. Uma comparação entre variáveis de progresso também é feita, utilizando resultados experimentais prévios, levando a boa concordância qualitativa para os dois regimes estudados. / [en] Lean premixed turbulent swirling flames are found in many engineering systems, such as gas turbines and jet engines. This work aims to numerically study flame regimes, representative of such systems, stabilized in a laboratory scale burner. The state of the art of the numerical studies concerning these types of flames is reviewed, with respect to Reynolds-Averaged NavierStokes and Large Eddy Simulations. A turbulent, isothermal flow study is performed within the radial swirler and the combustion chamber. The impact of different turbulence models (realizable k − E, RNG k − E and SST k−W), mesh refinement levels and boundary conditions on the swirl number and overall flow structure is investigated. The results show that the three tested turbulence models yield similar results, with respect to the obtained flow field, whereas the mesh refinement level and slip wall boundary condition alter the swirl number significantly. Using Reynolds-Averaged NavierStokes transport equations, closed by the realizable k − E model, coupled with a two-equation premixed combustion model for methane/air mixtures, two combustion regimes are analyzed. These regimes correspond to the outer recirculation zone flame (M-shaped flame) and an unstable regime, which occurs at the transition between the V-shaped flame and tornado-flame. The flow structure is characterized in terms of velocity fields, turbulence and combustion properties. A reaction progress variable comparison is also performed, using existing experimental results, yielding qualitatively similar results for both studied regimes.

Afin de pouvoir simuler la formation des principaux polluants au sein de foyers aéronautiques réalistes, un modèle de réduction de la chimie détaillée (FPI), basé sur la construction de tables à partir de calculs de flammes de prémélange laminaires élémentaires, est adapté et couplé au code d’aérothermochimie CEDRE de l’ONERA. Après une brève validation de ce modèle via la simulation de flammes laminaires canoniques, les interactions chimie/turbulence sont modélisées sous l’hypothèse des flammelettes, en approchant les PDF des paramètres d’entrée des tables par des fonctions beta. Cette approche complète est appliquée à la simulation numérique de l’écoulement au sein d’une configuration plus appliquée : la chambre PRECCINSTA. Ce cas bien connu a permis notamment l’évaluation des capacités du modèle dans un contexte plus industriel par comparaison des résultats de calcul aux données expérimentales disponibles. Il a en particulier permis de tester l’approche FPI étendue à la modélisation de la combustion partiellement prémélangée. Par ailleurs, l’utilisation d’un modèle de chimie réduite s’avère particulièrement appropriée pour prédire l’émission de substances polluantes, par exemple CO. Cependant, lorsque l’on considère la formation de NO, FPI ne peut pas être utilisé directement du fait de la lente dynamique chimique de cette espèce.Pour pallier à cette limitation, deux approches permettant de modéliser la production de NO au sein d’écoulements complexes sont proposées, fondées sur l’utilisation des tables chimiques FPI. Les capacités de ces modèles sont finalement analysées à l’aide de calculs effectués sur la configuration PRECCINSTA. / In order to simulate major pollutant formation inside realistic aeronautical combustion chambers, a detailed chemistry reduction technique (FPI), based on the construction of databases from elementary laminar premixed flame calculations, is adapted and coupled to the ONERA household CFD code : CEDRE. After a short validation of this model based on the numerical simulation of simplified laminar flames, the chemistry turbulence interactions are modeled under the laminar flamelet hypothesis, by assuming the shape of the FPI progress variable PDFs using beta functions. This comprehensive approach is then applied to the numerical simulation of the flow inside a realistic geometry :the PRECCINSTA combustion chamber. This well-known configuration has enabled the evaluation of the model’s abilities within an industrial framework using numerical/experimental results comparisons. It has especially allowed to test an extension of the model to partially premixed combution. Furthermore, the use of a tabulated chemistry model turns out to be particularly appropriate to predict pollutant species formation such as CO. However, when considering the formation of nitrogen oxides,FPI cannot be applied directly because of the slow dynamics of the chemical processes involved. Toovercome these limitations, two approaches allowing NO production modeling within complexe flowsare proposed, derived from the use of the tabulated data. The capacities of these models are finally analysed using computations performed on the PRECCINSTA chamber.

<div>Studies of turbulent combustion in the past mainly focus on problems with single-regime combustion. In practical combustion systems, however, combustion rarely occurs in a single regime, and different regimes of combustion can be observed in the same system. This creates a significant gap between our existing knowledge of combustion in single regime and the practical need in multi-regime combustion. In this work, we aim to extend the traditional single-regime combustion models to problems involving different regimes of combustion. Among the existing modeling methods, Transported Probability Density Function (PDF) method is attractive for its intrinsic closure of treating detailed chemical kinetics and has been demonstrated to be promising in predicting low-probability but practically important combustion events like local extinction and re-ignition. In this work, we focus on the model assessment and advancement of the Large Eddy Simulation (LES)/ PDF method in predicting turbulent multi-regime combustion.</div><div><br></div><div><div>Two combustion benchmark problems are considered for the model assessment. One is a recently designed turbulent piloted jet flame that features statistically transient processes, the Sydney turbulent pulsed piloted jet flame. A direct comparison of the predicted and measured time series of the axial velocity demonstrates a satisfactory prediction of the flow and turbulence fields of the pulsed jet flame by the employed LES/PDF modeling method. A comparison of the PLIF-OH images and the predicted OH mass fraction contours at a few selected times shows that the method captures the different combustion stages including healthy burning, significant extinction, and the re-establishment of healthy burning, in the statistically transient process. The temporal history of the conditional PDF of OH mass fraction/temperature at around stoichiometric conditions at different axial locations suggests that the method predicts the extinction and re-establishment timings accurately at upstream locations but less accurately at downstream locations with a delay of burning reestablishment. The other test case is a unified series of existing turbulent piloted flames. To facilitate model assessment across different combustion regimes, we develop a model validation framework by unifying several existing pilot stabilized turbulent jet flames in different combustion regimes. The characteristic similarity and difference of the employed piloted flames are examined, including the Sydney piloted flames L, B, and M, the Sandia piloted flames D, E, and F, a series of piloted premixed Bunsen flames, and the Sydney/Sandia inhomogeneous inlet piloted jet flames. Proper parameterization and a regime diagram are introduced to characterize the pilot stabilized flames covering non-premixed, partially premixed, and premixed flames. A preliminary model assessment is carried out to examine the simultaneous model performance of the LES/PDF method for the piloted jet flames across different combustion regimes.</div><div><br></div><div>With the assessment work in the above two test cases, it is found that the LES/PDF method can predict the statistically transient combustion and multi-regime combustion reasonably well but some modeling limitations are also identified. Thus, further model advancement is needed for the LES/PDF method. In this work, we focus on two model advancement studies related to the molecular diffusion and sub-filter scale mixing processes in turbulent combustion. The first study is to deal with differential molecular diffusion (DMD) among different species. The importance of theDMD effects on combustion has been found in many applications. However, in most previous combustion models equal molecular diffusivity is assumed. To incorporate the DMD effects accurately, we develop a model called Variance Consistent Mean Shift (VCMS) model. The second model advancement focuses on the sub-filter scale mixing in high-Karlovitz (Ka) number turbulent combustion. We analyze the DNS data of a Sandia high-Ka premixed jet flame to gain insights into the modeling of sub-filter scale mixing. A sub-filter scale mixing time scale is analyzed with respect to the filter size to examine the validity of a power-law scaling model for the mixing time scale.</div></div>

Le moteur essence à allumage par compression (GCI), reposant sur la combustion partiellement prémélangée de l'essence (GPPC), peut potentiellement assurer des opérations efficaces et propres. Le moteur GCI s'est avéré efficace à forte charge, mais l'indice d'octane élevé de l'essence limite considérablement les opérations à faible charge. Le présent travail étudie le potentiel de l'utilisation de l'ozone, fort agent oxydant, pour améliorer la réactivité de l'essence et permettre le fonctionnement à faible charge de GCI. L'ozone peut être produit on board en équipant le moteur d'un générateur d'ozone, sans impact dramatique sur le coût du moteur et sur la complexité du contrôle du moteur. Les essais effectués avec un moteur monocylindre ont montré que l'ozone favorise la combustion HCCI de l'essence, permettant d'étendre la limite d’auto-inflammation et de réduire la température minimale nécessaire de celle-ci. Les diagnostics optiques ont montré que ces propriétés sont liées à une prolifération radicale accrue, amenées par des réactions à basse température induites par l'ozone. En parallèle, le processus de combustion GCI a été étudié dans des conditions de faible charge. Sans ozone, la température d'admission doit être considérablement augmentée pour permettre l'auto-inflammationdes mélanges essence-air pauvres. De plus, les résultats indiquent que le monoxyde d’azote (NO) contenu dans les gaz brûlés résiduels peut, dans certaines conditions, favoriser fortement la combustion GCI. Ensuite,l'effet de l'ozone a été étudié dans des conditions d'injection directe GCI. Les résultats démontrent qu’une stratégie avec double injection est nécessaire pour maximiser l’effet promoteur de l’ozone et pour contrôler le processus de combustion GCI. Enfin, l'utilisation d’une forte concentration d’ozone a permis d’atteindre des opérations à faible charge en mode GCI, avec des faibles émissions de NOx et de suie, et cela, sans avoir besoin d'augmenter la température ou la pression d'admission. / Gasoline Compression Ignition (GCI) engine, relying on Gasoline Partially Premixed Combustion (GPPC) has potential for efficient and clean operations. GCI engine showed to be effective at high load, however, the highoctane number of gasoline dramatically limits low load operations. The present work investigates the potential of using ozone, a strong oxidizing agent, to improve gasoline reactivity and enabling low load GCI operation.Ozone can be produced in-situ and on-demand by equipping the engine with an ozone generator, without a dramatic impact on the engine cost and the engine control complexity. Experiments in a single cylinder engine showed that ozone promotes gasoline HCCI combustion, making possible to extend the lean limit and reducing the minimum temperature needed for autoignition. Optical diagnostics showed that these properties are related to an increased radical proliferation related to ozone-induced low temperature reactions. In parallel, GCI combustion process was investigated under low load conditions. Without ozone, the intake temperature should be considerable increased to enable auto ignition of lean gasoline-air mixtures. Moreover, results indicated that the NO contained into residual burnt gases can strongly promote GCI low load combustion. Finally, the effect of ozone was investigated under GCI direct-injection conditions, demonstrating that low load GCI operation with low NOx and Soot emission can be achieved by seeding the intake of the engine with ozone without needing of increasing the intake charge temperature or boosting the intake pressure.

La propagation de flammes turbulentes dans des milieux réactifs inhomogènes concerne un grand nombre d’applications pratiques, y compris celles qui reposent sur des cycles de combustion à volume constant. Les hétérogénéités de composition (richesse, température,dilution par des gaz brûlés, etc.) sont issues de plusieurs facteurs distincts tels que la dispersion du spray de gouttelettes de combustible et son évaporation, la topologie de l’écoulement ainsi que la présence éventuelle de gaz brûlés résiduels issus du cycle précédent. La structure des flammes partiellement prémélangées qui en résultent est significativement plus complexe que celles des flammes plus classiques de diffusion ou de prémélange. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est donc de contribuer à l’amélioration de leur connaissance, en s’appuyant sur la génération et l’analyse de base de données de simulations numériques directes ou DNS (Direct Numerical Simulation). Celles-ci sont conduites avec le code de calcul Asphodele qui est basé sur l’approximation de faible nombre de Mach. Le combustible de référence retenu est l’iso-octane.La base de données est structurée suivant cinq paramètres qui permettent de caractériser l’écoulement turbulent ainsi que l’hétérogénéité de composition du milieu réactif. Dans un premier temps, des configurations bidimensionnelles ont été considérées en raison du coût élevé induit par la description détaillée de la cinétique chimique. L’étude des ces différents cas de calcul a permis de mettre en lumière plusieurs mécanismes fondamentaux de propagation dans les milieux hétérogènes en composition. Une réduction significative des coûts de calcula pu ensuite être obtenue grâce au développement d’un modèle chimique simplifié optimisé.Son utilisation a permis d’étendre les analyses à de / The propagation of turbulent flames in non-homogeneous reactive mixtures of reactants concerns a large number of practical applications, including those based on constant volume combustion cycles. The composition heterogeneities (equivalence ratio, temperature, dilution by burnt gases, etc.) result from several distinct factors such as the dispersion of the spray of fuel droplets and its evaporation, the flow field topology as well as the possible presence of residual burnt gases issued from the previous cycle. The resulting partially premixed flames structure is significantly more complex than the one of more conventional diffusion or premixed flames.The aim of this thesis work is therefore to contribute to the improvement of their understanding, by proceeding to the generation and analysis of a new set of direct numerical simulations (DNS) databases. The present computations are performed with the low-Mach number DNS solver Asphodele. The database is structured according to five parameters that characterize the turbulent flow as well as the composition heterogeneity of the reactive mixture. First, because of the high numerical costs induced by the detailed description of chemical kinetics, two-dimensional configurations were considered. The study of these various simulations highlights several fundamental mechanisms of flame propagation in heterogeneous mixtures. Then, a significant computational cost saving has been achieved through the development of an optimized simplified chemistry model. The use of the latter allowed to overcome the major bottleneck of high CPU costs related to chemical kinetics description and thus to extend the analysis to three-dimensional configurations. Some of the conclusions obtained previously were reinforced.

[EN] The research work presented on this thesis has been performed in the framework of the development and optimization of the combustion system of a novel two-stroke CI engine, with a scavenging configuration through poppet-valves, which has been specifically designed for a light-duty vehicle application. The main objective of this investigation is to improve the existing understanding about two-stroke poppet-valves engines, and assess the main relationships between the gas exchange and combustion processes in this type of architecture, with the aim of evaluating their impact on the exhaust emissions formation processes and on final engine efficiency. Then, the performance of this two-stroke engine is going to be optimized while operating in conventional diesel mixing-controlled controlled combustion; and in a second step, two advanced premixed combustion concepts will be evaluated to identify their potential for decreasing NOx and soot emissions compared to CDC as well as its main technological limitations. The methodology proposed on this thesis combines both a theoretical and experimental approach, that allows maximizing the available information about the basic phenomena involved in the various processes under study, while also keeping an efficient optimization approach to reduce as much as possible the number of necessary experimental tests. Additionally, to analyze in detail the physical relationships between the local cylinder gas conditions (such as the oxygen concentration, the combustion temperature and the equivalence ratio) and the formation of exhaust emissions, particularly NOx and soot, it was necessary to develop and setup different theoretical tools to complement and support the experimentally measured trends. To achieve these objectives, the research work has been divided in two sequential stages: first, the conventional diesel combustion is studied and optimized, based on a proper combination of engine settings that have a strong influence over the characteristics of the mixing-controlled combustion; and in a second step, two advanced combustion concepts are implemented and analyzed, the highly-premixed combustion (HPC) of diesel and the partially premixed combustion (PPC) using a fuel with higher resistance to autoignition (in this case it has been used a RON95 gasoline). In this phase of the research, special emphasis has been made to the gasoline PPC concept, since this combustion mode showed the highest potential and most promising results during the initial implementation studies. Accordingly, the last stage of the research was mainly focused on the detailed study of the effect of different injection settings over the characteristics of the gasoline PPC concept. Finally, the main results obtained with the gasoline PPC concept have been compared against the optimized points found in CDC, in regards to the final exhaust emissions levels, specific fuel consumption and indicated efficiency. / [ES] El trabajo de investigación presentado en esta tesis doctoral está enmarcado en el desarrollo y optimización del sistema de combustión de un novedoso motor de dos tiempos de encendido por compresión, que presenta una arquitectura de barrido por válvulas en culata, y que ha sido diseñado para aplicaciones de automoción dentro de la gama de coches compactos. El objetivo principal de esta investigación ha consistido en mejorar el conocimiento existente sobre los motores dos tiempos con arquitectura de barrido por válvulas, y a la vez identificar los principales vínculos entre los procesos de renovación de la carga y de combustión, con el fin de cuantificar su impacto sobre la formación de emisiones contaminantes y el rendimiento térmico del motor. Adicionalmente, se desea optimizar las prestaciones de este motor de dos tiempos operando con el proceso de combustión diésel convencional controlada por mezcla, así como evaluar el potencial de distintos conceptos avanzados de combustión de baja temperatura con fase de premezcla extendida, con el fin de reducir los niveles de emisiones contaminantes y mejorar el consumo específico de combustible del motor. La metodología utilizada en esta tesis ha sido concebida combinando un enfoque teórico-experimental, que permite maximizar la información que se puede obtener acerca de los fenómenos físicos involucrados en los diferentes procesos objeto de estudio, y a la vez conservar un enfoque de optimización eficiente reduciendo en la medida de lo posible el número de ensayos experimentales requeridos. Con la finalidad de analizar en detalle la relación que existe entre las condiciones en el cilindro (como lo es la concentración de oxígeno, la temperatura de combustión y el dosado local) y el proceso de formación de emisiones contaminantes, especialmente de NOx y hollín, se desarrollaron y utilizaron distintas herramientas teóricas para complementar y sustentar los comportamientos y tendencias observadas mediante los ensayos experimentales, tanto para el modo de combustión diésel convencional como para los conceptos avanzados de combustión. Para la consecución de dichos objetivos se ha seguido una estructura secuencial en la cual el trabajo de investigación ha sido desarrollado en dos grandes bloques: primero, se analizó y optimizó el proceso de combustión diésel convencional, mediante la combinación adecuada de parámetros de operación del motor que modifican apreciablemente las características del proceso de combustión controlada por mezcla; y segundo, se logró implementar y evaluar el desempeño de dos conceptos avanzados de combustión, específicamente el modo combustión altamente premezclado de tipo HPC utilizando diésel como combustible (acrónimo de "Highly-Premixed Combustion") y el modo de combustión parcialmente premezclada de tipo PPC ("Partially Premixed Combustion") utilizando un combustible con mayor resistencia a la auto-ignición (en este caso se utilizó gasolina de octanaje 95). En esta segunda fase, se hizo énfasis en el análisis del concepto de combustión PPC con gasolina, ya que este arrojó los resultados más prometedores durante la fase inicial de implementación. Consecuentemente, la última etapa de la investigación se centró en el estudio detallado del efecto de distintos parámetros de inyección sobre las características del proceso de combustión de tipo PPC. Finalmente, se ha comparado críticamente dicha operación en modo PPC con los resultados obtenidos operando con el modo de combustión diésel convencional, en cuanto al nivel final de emisiones contaminantes, al consumo de combustible y rendimiento indicado y al desempeño general del motor. / [CAT] El treball d'investigació presentat en esta tesi està emmarcat en el desenvolupament i optimització del sistema de combustió d'un nou motor dos temps d'encesa per compressió, amb configuració d'escombratge per vàlvules, i que ha estat dissenyat per a aplicacions d'automoció dins de la gamma de cotxes compactes. L'objectiu principal d'esta investigació ha consistit a millorar el coneixement existent sobre els motors dos temps amb configuració d'escombratge per vàlvules, així com també identificar els principals vincles entre els processos de renovació de la càrrega i de combustió, a fi de quantificar el seu impacte sobre la formació d'emissions contaminants i el rendiment tèrmic del motor. Addicionalment, es desitja optimitzar les prestacions d'este nou motor operant amb el mode convencional de combustió dièsel per difusió, així com avaluar el potencial de noves maneres de combustió de baixa temperatura amb fase de premescla extesa, per a controlar el nivell d'emissions i el consum de combustible. La metodologia utilitzada en esta tesi s'ha plantejat des d'un punt de vista teóric experimental, que permet maximitzar la informació que es pot obtindre sobre els fenòmens basics involucrats en els diferents processos objecte d'estudi, i al mateix temps conservar un enfocament d'optimització eficient reduïnt en la mesura del possible el nombre d'proves experimentals requerit. Amb la finalitat d'analitzar en detall la relació que existeix entre les condicions en el cilindre (com ho és la concentració d'oxigen, la temperatura de combustió i el dosatge local) i el procés de formació d'emissions contaminants, especialment de NOx i sutge, es van desenvolupar i van utilitzar distintes eines teòriques per a complementar i sustentar els comportaments i tendències observades per mitjà dels assajos experimentals, tant per al mode de combustió dièsel convencional com per als conceptes avançats de combustió. Per a abordar eixe objectiu, s'ha seguit una estructura seqüencial, en la qual el treball d'investigació s'ha desenvolupat en en dos grans blocs: en primer lloc, es va analitzar i va optimitzar el procés de combustió dièsel convencional, per mitjà de la combinació adequada de paràmetres d'operació del motor que modifiquen apreciablement les característiques del procés de combustió controlada per difusió; i en segon lloc, es va aconseguir implementar i avaluar les prestacions de dos conceptes avançats de combustió de baixa temperatura premesclats, específicament el mode combustió altament premesclat HPC (acrònim de "Highly-Premixed Combustion") utilitzant dièsel com a combustible i el mode de combustió parcialment premesclat PPC ("Partially Premixed Combustion") utilitzant un combustible amb major resistència a l'autoignició (en aquest cas s'ha utilitzat gasolina d'octanatge 95). En esta segona etapa, es va fer èmfasi en l'anàlisi del concepte de combustió PPC amb gasolina, ja que aquest va presentar els resultats més prometedors durant la fase inicial d'implementació. Conseqüentment, l'última etapa de la investigació es va centrar en l'estudi detallat de l'efecte de distints paràmetres d'injecció sobre les característiques del mode de combustió PPC. Finalment, s'ha comparat críticament la dita operació en mode PPC amb els resultats obtinguts operant amb el mode de combustió dièsel convencional, quant al nivell final d'emissions contaminants, al consum de combustible i rendiment indicat, i a les prestacions generals del motor. / De Lima Moradell, DA. (2016). Analysis of combustion concepts in a poppet valve two-stroke downsized compression ignition engine designed for passenger car applications [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/68502 / TESIS

[ES] El trabajo de investigación presentado en esta tesis es el resultado de varios años dedicados al desarrollo, la implementación y la optimización de dos tecnologías combinadas: un concepto de combustión innovador y una arquitectura de motor de nuevo diseño. Esta investigacion se ha realizado en el marco de una colaboración con Renault SA, como continuación de las actividades realizadas en el proyecto europeo POWERFUL (POWERtrain for FUture Light-duty vehicles) por un lado,y en el marco del proyecto europeo REWARD (Real World Advanced technologies foR Diesel engines), devenido como continuación del proyecto POWERFUL en el marco del programa de investigación Horizonte 2020, por otro lado. Los principales objetivos de estos estudios eran evaluar el potencial del concepto de combustión parcialmente premezclada (PPC) operando con gasolina como combustible en un innovador motor de 2 tiempos de válvulas en culata, y luego diseñar una nueva geometría de motor de 2 tiempos utilizando la arquitectura Uniflujo para superar los principales problemas y limitaciones observados durante la primera etapa, que se pueden resumir principalmente en el rendimiento de barrido (especialmente trabajando en cargas elevadas). La metodología diseñada para este trabajo de investigación sigue un enfoque teórico-experimental. La evaluación del concepto de combustión PPC operando con gasolina se llevó a cabo principalmente con un enfoque experimental con el apoyo del análisis en línea directamente en el banco de ensayo, seguido de un exhaustivo tratamiento posterior de los datos y de un análisis detallado del proceso de combustión utilizando herramientas de diagnóstico. Por el contrario, el desarrollo del nuevo motor Uniflujo de 2 tiempos consistió principalmente en iteraciones sobre modelado 3D-CFD, si bien las actividades experimentales fueron fundamentales para validar las diferentes soluciones propuestas y evaluar su sensibilidad ante diferentes parámetros de interés utilizando una metodología de Diseño de Experimentos (DoE). La primera parte del trabajo se ha dedicado a la comprensión de los procesos termodinámicos involucrados en la combustión operando con el concepto PPC en un motor de 2 tiempos de válvulas en culata utilizando gasolina como combustible, y a evaluar su potencial en términos de emisiones contaminantes, consumo de combustible y ruido. Por último, se ha realizado un trabajo de exploración para ampliar en la medida de lo posible el rango de funcionamiento de este concepto de combustión en esta configuración específica del motor, investigando especialmente el rendimiento en cargas bajas en todo el rango de regímenes de giro del motor, y estableciendo también las principales limitaciones para la operación en cargas altas. La segunda parte de la tesis se ha centrado en el desarrollo y optimización teórica de un motor Uniflujo de 2 tiempos de nuevo diseño, incluyendo su fabricación y validación experimental. El objetivo principal era optimizar, utilizando principalmente simulaciones 3D-CFD, el rendimiento de barrido de esta arquitectura de 2 tiempos mediante el diseño de nuevas geometrías de puertos de admisión, permitiendo un gran control sobre el flujo de aire hacia y a través del cilindro para barrer al máximo los gases quemados y minimizar el cortocircuito de aire fresco hacia el escape. Las soluciones óptimas se evaluaron experimentalmente siguiendo la metodología DoE, antes de comparar finalmente los resultados de rendimiento de barrido con la anterior arquitectura de motor de 2 tiempos con válvulas en culata. / [CA] El treball de recerca presentat en aquesta tesi és el resultat de diversos anys dedicats al desenvolupament, la implementació i l'optimització de dues tecnologies combinades: un concepte de combustió innovador i una arquitectura de motor de nou disseny. Aquesta recerca s'ha realitzat en el marc d'una col·laboració amb Renault SA, com a continuació de les activitats del projecte europeu *POWERFUL (*POWERtrain *for *FUture Light-*duty *vehicles) d'una banda, i en el marc del projecte europeu *REWARD (Real *World *Advanced *technologies *foR Dièsel *engines), es devingut com a continuació del projecte *POWERFUL en el marc del programa d'investigació Horitzó 2020, d'altra banda. Els principals objectius d'aquests estudis eren avaluar el potencial del concepte de combustió parcialment premesclada (PPC) operant amb gasolina com a combustible en un innovador motor de 2 temps de vàlvules en culata, i després dissenyar una nova geometria de motor de 2 temps utilitzant l'arquitectura Uniflux per a superar els principals problemes i limitacions observats durant la primera etapa, que es poden resumir principalment en el rendiment d'escombratge (especialment treballant en càrregues elevades). La metodologia dissenyada per a realitzar aquests treballs de recerca segueix un enfocament tant experimental com teòric. L'avaluació del concepte de combustió PPC operant amb gasolina es va dur a terme principalment amb un enfocament experimental, però sempre amb el suport de l'anàlisi en línia directament en el banc d'assaig, seguit d'un exhaustiu tractament posterior de les dades combinat amb una anàlisi detallada del procés de combustió utilitzant eines de diagnòstic. Per contra, el desenvolupament i el disseny del nou motor Uniflux de 2 temps va consistir principalment en iteracions sobre modelatge 3D-CFD, si bé les activitats experimentals van ser fonamentals per a validar les diferents solucions proposades i avaluar la seua sensibilitat davant una sèrie de paràmetres d'interés utilitzant una metodologia de Disseny d'Experiments (DoE). La primera part del treball s'ha dedicat a la comprensió dels processos termodinàmics involucrats en la combustió operant amb el concepte de combustió PPC en un motor de 2 temps de vàlvules en culata utilitzant gasolina com a combustible, i a avaluar el seu potencial en termes d'emissions contaminants, consum de combustible i també de soroll. Finalment, s'ha fet un treball d'exploració per a ampliar en la mesura que siga possible el rang de funcionament d'aquest concepte de combustió utilitzant eixa configuració específica del motor, investigant especialment el rendiment en càrregues baixes en tot el rang de règims de gir del motor, i establint també les principals limitacions per a l'operació en càrregues altes. La segona part de la tesi s'ha centrat en el desenvolupament i optimització teòrica d'un motor Uniflux de 2 temps de nou disseny, incloent la seua fabricació i validació experimental. L'objectiu principal era optimitzar, utilitzant principalment simulacions 3D-CFD, el rendiment d'escombratge d'aquesta arquitectura de 2 temps mitjançant el disseny de noves geometries de ports d'admissió, permetent un gran control sobre el flux d'aire cap a i a través del cilindre per a escombrar al màxim els gasos cremats i minimitzar el curtcircuit d'aire fresc cap a l'escapament. Les solucions òptimes es van fabricar i van avaluar experimentalment seguint la metodologia DoE, abans de comparar finalment els resultats de rendiment d'escombratge amb l'anterior arquitectura de motor de 2 temps amb vàlvules en culata. / [EN] The research work presented in this thesis is the result of several years dedicated to the development, implementation and optimization of two combined technologies: an innovative combustion concept and a newly designed engine architecture. These investigations have been performed in the framework of a research collaboration with Renault SA following up the activities performed along the European POWERFUL project (POWERtrain for FUture Light-duty vehicles) on the one hand, and in the framework of the European REWARD project (REal World Advanced technologies foR Diesel engines), brought as a continuation of the POWERFUL project in the frame of the Horizon 2020 research program, on the other hand. The main objectives of these studies were to evaluate the potential of the Partially Premixed Combustion (PPC) concept operating with gasoline fuel in an innovative 2-Stroke poppet-valve engine, and then to design a new 2-Stroke engine geometry using the Uniflow architecture to overcome the main problems and limitations observed during the first stage, which can be mainly summarized to the scavenging performance (especially at high loads). The methodology designed for performing these investigation is based on both experimental and theoretical approaches. The evaluation of the gasoline PPC concept was carried out mainly experimentally, but always supported by online analysis directly on the test-bench and followed by a thorough post-processing of the data combined with a detailed analysis of the combustion using combustion diagnostic tools. On the contrary, the development and design of the new 2-Stroke Uniflow engine consisted mainly of 3D-CFD iterations, but experimental testing was crucial to validate the different solutions proposed and evaluate their sensitivity to a set of parameters of interest using a Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology. The first part of the work has been dedicated to the understanding of the thermodynamical processes involved in the combustion in a poppet-valve 2-Stroke engine operating with the gasoline PPC concept, and to evaluate its potential in terms of pollutant emissions, fuel consumption and also noise. Finally, a wide exploration has been performed to extend as much as possible the operating range of this combustion concept using that specific engine configuration, especially investigating the low loads performance throughout the full range of engine speeds, and also laying out the main limitations for high-to-full load operations. The second part of the thesis has been focused on the development and theoretical optimization of a newly designed 2-Stroke Uniflow engine, leading to manufacture and experimental validation. The main objective was to optimize, using mainly 3D-CFD modeling simulations, the scavenging performance of this 2-Stroke architecture by designing new intake ports geometries and to enable a great control over the air flow into and through the cylinder in order to scavenge the burnt gases as much as possible while minimizing the fresh air short-circuit to the exhaust. The optimum solutions were then manufactured and experimentally tested following a DoE methodology, before finally comparing the results of the scavenging performance to the previous 2-Stroke poppet-valve engine architecture. / Thein, KJL. (2021). Evaluation of combustion concepts and scavenging configurations in a 2-Stroke compression-ignition engine for future automotive powerplants [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/164044 / TESIS

Combustion with a high surface area continuous solid immersed within the flame, referred to as combustion in porous media, is an innovative approach to combustion as the solid within the flame acts as an internal regenerator distributing heat from the combustion byproducts to the upstream reactants. By including the solid structure, radiative energy extraction becomes viable, while the solid enables a vast extension of flammability limits compared to conventional flames, while offering dramatically reduced emissions of NOx and CO, and dramatically increased burning velocities. Efforts documented within are used for the development of a streamlined set of design principles, and characterization of the flame's behavior when operating under such conditions, to aid in the development of future combustors for lean burn applications in open flow systems. Principles described herein were developed from a combination of experimental work and reactor network modeling using CHEMKIN-PRO. Experimental work consisted of a parametric analysis of operating conditions pertaining to reactant flow, combustion chamber geometric considerations and the viability of liquid fuel applications. Experimental behavior observed, when utilizing gaseous fuels, was then used to validate model outputs through comparing thermal outputs of both systems. Specific details pertaining to a streamlined chemical mechanism to be used in simulations, included within the appendix, and characterization of surface area of the porous solid are also discussed. Beyond modeling the experimental system, considerations are also undertaken to examine the applicability of exhaust gas recirculation and staged combustion as a means of controlling the thermal and environmental output of porous combustion systems. This work was supported by ACS PRF "51768-ND10 and NSF IIP 1343454.