Numerical and experimental study on knocking combustion in turbocharged direct-injection engines for a wide range of operating conditions

Abstract

A combined experimental and numerical study is conducted on knocking combustion in turbocharged direct-injection spark-ignition engines. The experimental study is based on parameter variations in the intake-manifold temperature and pressure, as well as the air-fuel equivalence ratio. The transition between knocking and non-knocking operating conditions is studied by conducting a spark timing sweep for each operating parameter. By correlating combustion and global knock quantities, the global knock trends of the mean cycles are identified. Further insight is gained by a detailed analysis based on single cycles. The extensive experimental data is then used as an input to support numerical investigations. Based on 0D knock modeling, the global knock trends are investigated for all operation points. Taking into consideration the influence of nitric oxide on auto-ignition significantly improves the knock model prediction. Additionally, the origin of the observed cyclic variability of knock is investigated. The crank angle at knock onset in 1000 consecutive single cycles is determined using a multi-cycle 0D knock simulation based on detailed single-cycle experimental data. The overall trend is captured well by the simulation, while fluctuations are underpredicted. As one potential reason for the remaining differences of the 0D model predictions local phenomena are investigated. Therefore, 3D CFD simulations of selected operating points are performed to explore local inhomogeneities in the mixture fraction and temperature. The previously developed generalized Knock Integral Method (gKIM), which considers the detailed kinetics and turbulence-chemistry interaction of an ignition progress variable, is improved and applied. The determined influence of spark timing on the mean crank angle at knock onset agrees well with experimental data. In addition, spatially resolved information on the expected position of auto-ignition is analyzed to investigate causes of knocking combustion.