Stable, Premixed-Charge Compression-Ignition (PCCI) Engine Using Real-Time Combustion Feedback

Mainstream Engineering Corp. (MEC) proposes developing a Pressure-Feedback, Premixed-Charge Compression-Ignition (PF-PCCI) retrofit kit for military diesel engines. PCCI combustion uses extremely early injection under certain load/speed points to dramatically improve combustion efficiency and reduce emissions. PCCI also improves the overall fuel-conversion efficiency by allowing the combustion of very lean mixtures which are more favorable thermodynamically. Unfortunately, PCCI combustion, which has received a great deal of recent attention by the engine research community, is difficult to control because the combustion depends strongly on the complex chemical kinetics of the fuel. MEC will address this problem by using a new class of pressure sensor to provide real-time feedback on the combustion phasing. That real-time control signal, in conjunction with a high-pressure electronic fuel injection system, will be used to stabilize PCCI combustion. In Phase I, MEC will design and implement the PF-PCCI hardware and ECU software and perform dynamometer testing to demonstrate its brake fuel consumption, emissions, and noise. In Phase II, MEC will transition the Phase I prototype hardware to a nearly production-ready retrofit kit that will be delivered to the Marine Corp for further evaluation.