Homogeneous-Charge Compression-Ignition (HCCI)
Engines and Fuel Formulations

Section I: General Information Section II: Performance Section III: Models & Studies Section IV: Projects & Proposals Section V: Conferences
	Animation edited by G. Leung, Original from Mitsubushi Corp

Section I: General Information

• This report to the U.S. Congress (2001), Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) Technology, describes the general background, benefits and challenges, recent developments, related research, and future R & D directions for HCCI Technology.
  
  
• Lund Institute of Technology's Division of Combustion Engines (Sweden) provides background information on the Active Thermo-Atmosphere Combustion engine (ATAC) which is also referred to as the HCCI engine.
  
  
• This site provides a brief visual depiction of HCCI Engine Simulations.
  
  
• This Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory website "The Internal Combustion Engine at Work" discusses the need to model the combustion process in order to increase fuel efficiences and reduce exhaust emissions. In this discussion, the role of the HCCI engine is described.

Section II: Performance

• This U.S. DOE website describes the tradeoffs involved in optimizing HCCI Engine Performance.
  
  
• Southwest Research Institute's Internal Research & Development program includes a technical research area of Engines, Fuels, Lubricants, and Vehicle Systems, carrying out a number of projects within the HCCI research arena.
  
  
  • A project (1999) carried out under this area involved generating a fundamental understanding of HCCI combustion and applying this knowledge to the development of practical HCCI engines. Results obtained from the single-cylinder experiments have shown that fuel properties have a great effect on HCCI combustion and that choice of the correct fuel plays a crucial role in reducing the required intake air temperature and increasing power density. The most promising fuel tested to date is Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) naphtha.
    
    
  • A second project (1999) successfully demonstrated the operation of a single-cylinder research engine in HCCI mode, using commercial gasoline as a fuel, and it was demonstrated that it is possible to operate a gasoline engine on HCCI combustion mode at light loads. A range of operation was identified in which this engine could operate at much lower engine- out NOx and HC emissions than a contemporary DISI engine.

Section III: Models & Studies

• This paper (2000) Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine: A Simulation Study on the Effects of Inhomogeneities presents a new Stochastic HCCI Model. The following is the abstract for the full paper written by authors from University of Cambridge and Lund Institute of Technology. To obtain full paper please visit ASME's online store.

  A new stochastic model for the HCCI engine is presented. The model is based on the PaSPFR-IEM model and accounts for inhomogeneities in the combustion chamber while including a detailed chemical model for natural gas combustion consisting of 53 chemical species and 590 elementary chemical reactions. With this model the effect of temperature differences caused by the thermal boundary layer and crevices in the cylinder for a particular engine speed and fuel to air ratio is studied. The boundary layer is divided into a laminar film layer and a turbulent buffer zone. There arealso colder zones due to crevices. All zones are modeled by a characteristic temperature distribution. The simulation results are compared with experiments and a previous numerical study employing a PFR model. In all cases the PaSPFR-IEM model leads to a better agreement between simulations and experiment for temperature and pressure. In addition a sensitivity study on the effect of different intensities of turbulent mixing in the combustion is performed. This study reveals that the ignition delay is a function of turbulent mixing of the hot bulk and the colder boundary layer.
  
  

• This study (2001) of the HCCI Operation of a Multi-Cylinder Engine, carried out by the Lund Institute of Technology, successfully demostrates that it is possible to run a multi-cylinder engine under HCCI operation.
  
  
• This Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory study (1997) examined HCCI Methane Modeling, concluding that there is a narrow range of operational conditions that show promise of achieving the control necessary to vary power output while keeping indicated efficiency above 50% and NOx emissions levels below 100 ppm.

Section IV: Projects & Proposals

• Sandia National Laboratory Combustion Research Facility conducts research on the development of the HCCI Engine. Sandia is establishing a laboratory capable of supporting the industrial development effort. Called the Homogeneous- Charge Compression-Ignition (HCCI) / Stratified-Charge Compression-Ignition (SCCI) Engine Laboratory, it will house two base engines installed with a double-ended dynamometer and converted for balanced, single-cylinder operation and optical access.
  
  
• This California Polytechnic State University Draft Proposal FutureTruck (April 2001) seeks to retrofit a 2002 Ford Explorer with a series hybrid system involving a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) internal combustion engine, a generator, and an AC electic motor. This proposal seeks to keep the performance and drivability of the present vehicle while resulting in ultra-low emissions, increased vehicle range, and increased fuel economy. The proposal states a need to seek out collaborations to fund and implement this project.
  
  
• The California South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) HCCI Engine demonstration project (2000) seeks to support further research, in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of California at Berkeley, on this developing technology. Although the HCCI engine provides high efficiency and low emissions of NOx and particulate matter, difficulty in controlling combustion timing and producing sufficient power remains an area requiring further work.
  
  
• This University of California at Berkeley HCCI Optimization study (2000) proposes a novel numerical approach using genetic algorithms to optimize the intake operation conditions of HCCI engines.
  
  
• This University of California at Berkeley Project (1999) researches A Low Cost, Low Emission Engine to Meet the Demands of Distributed Generation in California's Restructured Electric Power Industry - A Natural Gas Fueled Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition HCCI Engine.
  
  
• This California Energy Commission proposal seeks to research Low NOx, Low Particulate (1999) Reciprocating Engine with Better Than Diesel Efficiency.

Section V: Conferences

Upcoming Conferences

• IFP International Congress - A New Generation of Engine Combustion Processes for the Future? Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 November 2001, IFP, Rueil-Malmaison, France