CFD Simulation of Pre-Chamber Spark-Ignition Engines—A Perspective Review

The growing demand to reduce emissions of pollutants and CO2 from internal combustion engines has led to a critical need for the development of ultra-lean burn engines that can maintain combustion stability while mitigating the risk of knock. One of the most effective techniques is the pre-chamber s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEnergies (Basel) Vol. 17; no. 18; p. 4696
Main Author Jeong, Soo-Jin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2024
Subjects
Automobiles
Case studies
Catalytic converters
Combustion
combustion model
computational fluid dynamics
Emission standards
Energy consumption
Energy efficiency
Engines
Gases
Gasoline
Hydrocarbons
Internal combustion engines
pre-chamber ignition engine
Simulation methods
turbulence–chemistry interaction
turbulent jet ignition
Vehicles
wall heat transfer
United Kingdom
United States
Germany
Pennsylvania
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Summary:The growing demand to reduce emissions of pollutants and CO2 from internal combustion engines has led to a critical need for the development of ultra-lean burn engines that can maintain combustion stability while mitigating the risk of knock. One of the most effective techniques is the pre-chamber spark-ignition (PCSI) system, where the primary combustion within the cylinder is initiated by high-energy reactive gas jets generated by pilot combustion in the pre-chamber. Due to the complex physical and chemical processes involved in PCSI systems, performing 3D CFD simulations is crucial for in-depth analysis and achieving optimal design parameters. Moreover, combining a detailed CFDs model with a calibrated 0D/1D model is expected to provide a wealth of new insights that are difficult to gather through experimental methods alone, making it an indispensable tool for improving the understanding and optimization of these advanced engine systems. In this context, numerous previous studies have utilized CFD models to optimize key design parameters, including the geometric configuration of the pre-chamber, and to study combustion characteristics under various operating conditions in PCSI engines. Recent studies indicate that several advanced models designed for conventional spark-ignition (SI) engines may not accurately predict performance under the demanding conditions of Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) systems, particularly when operating in lean mixtures and environments with strong turbulence–chemistry interactions. This review highlights the pivotal role of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFDs) in optimizing the design of pre-chamber spark-ignition (PCSI) engines. It explores key case studies and examines both the advantages and challenges of utilizing CFDs, not only as a predictive tool but also as a critical component in the design process for improving PCSI engine performance.
ISSN:1996-1073
1996-1073
DOI:10.3390/en17184696