Experimental study on the spray and combustion characteristics of SIDI CNG

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is regarded as one of the most promising alternative fuels. In the spark-ignition (SI) engine, direct injection (DI) technology can significantly increase the engine volumetric efficiency and reduce “pumping losses” in engines without a throttle valve. DI allows engine operation with the stratified charge which enables relatively higher combustion efficiency. In this study, a combustion chamber with a visualization system is designed. The spray development and combustion propagation process of spark-ignition direct injection (SIDI) CNG were digital recorded and analyzed. The ignition probability was also examined. The results of this study can contribute important data for the design and optimization of the SIDI CNG engine.     

Powertrain system optimization for a heavy-duty hybrid electric bus

This research concerns the design of a powertrain system for a plug-in parallel diesel hybrid electric bus equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and presents a new design paradigm for the plug-in hybrid electric bus (HEB). The criteria and method for selecting and sizing powertrain components equipped in the plug-in HEB are presented. The plug-in HEB is designed to overcome the vulnerable limitations of driving range and performance of a purely electric vehicle (EV), and it is also designed to improve the fuel economy and exhaust emissions of conventional buses and conventional HEBs. Optimization of the control strategy for the complicated and interconnected propulsion system in the plug-in parallel HEB is one of the most significant factors for achieving higher fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions in the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). In this research, the proposed control strategy was simulated to prove its validity using the ADVISOR (advanced vehicle simulator) analysis simulation tool.