Title: Ethanol diesel dual fuel clean combustion with FPGA enabled control

Authors: Xiaoye Han; Jimi Tjong; Graham T. Reader; Ming Zheng

Addresses: Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada ' Ford Motor Company, Ford PERDC Engineering, 1 Quality Way, Windsor, Ontario, N9A6X3, Canada ' Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada ' Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada

Abstract: Sophisticated engine controls have progressively become vital enablers for implementing clean and efficient combustion. The low temperature combustion in diesel engines is a viable combustion mode that offers ultra-low nitrogen oxides and dry soot emissions, yet only feasible under tightly controlled operating conditions. In this work, the dual fuel application of ethanol and diesel is studied for clean and efficient combustion. A set of real-time controllers has been configured to control the common-rail pressure and injection events, in concert with the use of two fuels in a high compression ratio diesel engine. An improved control algorithm has been implemented into the field programmable gate array devices to promptly execute the injection commands of the port and direct injection events. Such reliable and prompt control of fuel injection has been identified as critical to safely enable simultaneously low nitrogen oxides and soot combustion, especially when excessive or inadequate rate of exhaust gas recirculation is imminent. High load clean combustion was achieved with the improved control system.

Keywords: low temperature combustion; LTC; field programmable gate arrays; FPGA enabled control; injection control; dual fuel; ethanol diesel; low NOx; low soot; high load clean combustion; engine control; diesel engines; nitrogen oxides; exhaust gas recirculation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPT.2014.060888

International Journal of Powertrains, 2014 Vol.3 No.2, pp.242 - 257

Received: 22 Oct 2012
Accepted: 25 Mar 2013
Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

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