Computational analysis of the lean-burn direct-injection jet ignition hydrogen engine

Abstract

This paper presents a new in-cylinder mixture preparation and ignition system for various gaseous fuels including hydrogen. The system consists of a centrally located direct-injection (DI) injector and a jet ignition (JI) device for combustion of the main chamber (MC) mixture. The fuel is injected in the MC with a new-generation, fast-actuating, high-pressure, high-flowrate DI injector capable of injection shaping and multiple events. This injector produces a bulk lean stratified mixture. The JI system uses a second DI injector to inject a small amount of fuel in a small pre-chamber (PC). A spark plug then ignites a slightly rich mixture. The MC mixture is then bulk ignited through multiple jets of hot reacting gases. Bulk ignition and combustion of the lean jet-controlled stratified MC mixture resulting from coupling DI with JI makes it possible to burn MC mixtures with fuel-to-air equivalence ratios reducing almost to zero for a throttleless control of load diesel-like and high efficiencies over almost the full range of loads. Computations are performed with hydrogen as the PC and MC fuel.