Computational fluid dynamic modelling a heavy-duty compression-ignition engine fuelled with diesel and gasoline-like fuels

This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of a compression-ignition (CI) heavy-duty engine fuelled with diesel and gasoline-like fuels. A state-of-the-art engine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool was used to explore the influences of the physical and chemical properties of diesel and gasoline-like fuels (no. 91 gasoline and E10) on spray development, auto-ignition and combustion processes, and pollutant formation. The CFD simulation results were found to be consistent with available experimental measurements, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results indicate that gasoline-like fuels are able to achieve better premixed charge in CI engines owing to their higher volatility and lower ignitability compared to diesel fuel, which promotes efficient, clean, and low temperature combustion. However, the high combustion pressure rise rate becomes problematic under some circumstances, especially for high octane number fuels, such as E10. Both previous experimental measurements and the present numerical results show that gasoline-like fuels have great potential to be used in future CI engines, but the injection strategies and injection system have to be optimized based on the fuel properties.