Over the last several decades Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) has received much attention from the engine combustion research community. LTC is a combustion strategy that provides simultaneous low NOx and soot emissions with high thermodynamic cycle efficiency. The primary goal of LTC is to be able to meet stringent emissions standards without the need for costly and complex exhaust aftertreatment systems. There are many forms of achieving low temperature combustion, such as Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), Premixed Charge Compression Ignition (PCCI), Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI), and Partially Premixed Combustion (PPC), among others. These combustion strategies differ in their overall operating approach (e.g., engine settings) and optimal fuel type. Nonetheless, they all share the common feature of the combustion process being largely kinetically-controlled and the common goal of avoiding NOx and soot formation while offering high efficiency. Despite its clear benefits, LTC does have many challenges, which have limited their adoption into production engines. These challenges include: high dilution requirements, which are taxing for state-of-the-art air systems, limited operable speed and load range, poor combustion timing controllability, low combustion efficiency, high combustion generated noise, and poor transient response.
The present Research Topic aims to gather innovative research and recent advances in addressing the challenges associated with LTC. Authors are encouraged to submit articles based on work from simulations or experimentation. Potential authors are also reminded that the Research Topic is not limited to homogenous LTC strategies. Fuel stratified combustion strategies are also encouraged as long as the goal of the strategy is to achieve simultaneous low NOx and soot emissions. Topics among the submissions welcomed are as follows:
• Impact of liquid or gaseous alternative fuels on the operable range and controllability of LTC
• Impact of alternative fuels on the efficiency and emissions of LTC strategies
• Impact of alternative fuels on particle number and particle size distributions from LTC
• Assessment of the combination of alternative fuels and LTC to decrease CO2 relative to conventional engines
• Impact of alternative fuels in aftertreatment system of LTC strategies
• Alternative fuels impact or ability to reduce the dilution requirements for LTC
• Effect of fuel stratification on LTC combustion strategies
• Cool flames and coupled effect of low temperature fuel chemistry and transport
• Effect of low temperature fuel chemistry on spray autoignition
• Impact of fuel octane sensitivity and ? sensitivity on LTC combustion strategies
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Dr. Adam Dempsey is a Senior Research Engineer for Caterpillar Inc. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
The cover image for this Research Topic was adapted from:
Dempsey, A., Curran, S. and Wagner, R. (2016). "A perspective on the range of gasoline compression ignition combustion strategies for high engine efficiency and low NOx and soot emissions: Effects of in-cylinder fuel stratification." International Journal of Engine Research. Availableat:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1468087415621805"
Over the last several decades Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) has received much attention from the engine combustion research community. LTC is a combustion strategy that provides simultaneous low NOx and soot emissions with high thermodynamic cycle efficiency. The primary goal of LTC is to be able to meet stringent emissions standards without the need for costly and complex exhaust aftertreatment systems. There are many forms of achieving low temperature combustion, such as Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), Premixed Charge Compression Ignition (PCCI), Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI), and Partially Premixed Combustion (PPC), among others. These combustion strategies differ in their overall operating approach (e.g., engine settings) and optimal fuel type. Nonetheless, they all share the common feature of the combustion process being largely kinetically-controlled and the common goal of avoiding NOx and soot formation while offering high efficiency. Despite its clear benefits, LTC does have many challenges, which have limited their adoption into production engines. These challenges include: high dilution requirements, which are taxing for state-of-the-art air systems, limited operable speed and load range, poor combustion timing controllability, low combustion efficiency, high combustion generated noise, and poor transient response.
The present Research Topic aims to gather innovative research and recent advances in addressing the challenges associated with LTC. Authors are encouraged to submit articles based on work from simulations or experimentation. Potential authors are also reminded that the Research Topic is not limited to homogenous LTC strategies. Fuel stratified combustion strategies are also encouraged as long as the goal of the strategy is to achieve simultaneous low NOx and soot emissions. Topics among the submissions welcomed are as follows:
• Impact of liquid or gaseous alternative fuels on the operable range and controllability of LTC
• Impact of alternative fuels on the efficiency and emissions of LTC strategies
• Impact of alternative fuels on particle number and particle size distributions from LTC
• Assessment of the combination of alternative fuels and LTC to decrease CO2 relative to conventional engines
• Impact of alternative fuels in aftertreatment system of LTC strategies
• Alternative fuels impact or ability to reduce the dilution requirements for LTC
• Effect of fuel stratification on LTC combustion strategies
• Cool flames and coupled effect of low temperature fuel chemistry and transport
• Effect of low temperature fuel chemistry on spray autoignition
• Impact of fuel octane sensitivity and ? sensitivity on LTC combustion strategies
----------------------------------------
Dr. Adam Dempsey is a Senior Research Engineer for Caterpillar Inc. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
The cover image for this Research Topic was adapted from:
Dempsey, A., Curran, S. and Wagner, R. (2016). "A perspective on the range of gasoline compression ignition combustion strategies for high engine efficiency and low NOx and soot emissions: Effects of in-cylinder fuel stratification." International Journal of Engine Research. Availableat:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1468087415621805"
