Application of macro-cellular SiC reactor to diesel engine-like injection and combustion conditions

One of novel combustion technologies for low emissions and highly efficient internal combustion engines is combustion in porous reactors (PM). The heat release process inside combustion reactor is homogeneous and flameless resulting in a nearly zero emissions level. Such combustion process, however is non-stationary, is performed under high pressure with requirement of mixture formation directly inside the combustion reactor (high pressure fuel injection). Reactor heat capacity resulting in lowering of combustion temperature as well as internal heat recuperation during the engine cycle changes the thermodynamic conditions of the process as compared to conventional engine. For the present investigations a macro-cellular lattice structure based on silicon carbide (non-foam structure) with 600 vertical cylindrical struts was fabricated and applied to engine-like combustion conditions (combustion chamber). The lattice design with a high porosity > 80% was shaped by indirect three-dimensional printing of a SiC powder mixed with a dextrin binder which also serves as a carbon precursor. In order to perform detailed investigations on low-and high-temperature oxidation processes in porous reactors under engine-like conditions, a special combustion chamber has been built and equipped with a Diesel common-rail injection system. This system simulates the thermodynamic conditions at the time instance of injection onset (corresponding to the nearly TDC of compression in a real engine). Overall analysis of oxidation processes (for variable initial pressure, temperature and air excess ratio) for free Diesel spray combustion and for combustion in porous reactor allows selection of three regions representing different characteristics of the oxidation process represented by a single-step and multi-step reactions Another characteristic feature of investigated processes is reaction delay time. There are five characteristic regions to be selected according to the delay time (t) duration. These analyses indicate qualitative similarity of heat release process as performed under Diesel-like and in porous reactor conditions, except significantly reduced combustion temperature in porous reactor due to its large heat capacity