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Mixture Preparation for Spark-ignition Engines

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Internal Combustion Engineering: Science & Technology

Abstract

The fuel system and inlet manifold are servants of the spark-ignition (SI) engine in that they are called upon to deliver to each cylinder the required amount of fuel mixed with an appropriate quantity of air, served in a digestible form. The objective of this chapter is to review current knowledge of the processes involved in the supply of this fuel/air mixture. This topic is one that has been researched continuously, but not always with the highest priority, during the evolution of the SI engine; it has demanded particular attention recently due to the development of lean-burn engines. Lean-burn engines not only require tighter tolerances on air: fuel ratio variations, both between cylinders and from one cycle to the next, but they are also sensitive to the mixture preparation (i.e. the percentage of fuel vaporized, droplet size and distribution, etc.) within the cylinder. The starting point of this chapter will be a discussion of the requirements of SI engines in terms of mixture preparation.

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Abbreviations

b 1 :

Term in mean diameter expression

b 2 :

Term in mean diameter expression

c 1 :

Constant

c 2 :

Constant

d :

Diameter of orifice

D :

Diameter of drop

D 32 :

Sauter mean diameter of drops

D 30 :

Volume mean diameter of drops

\( \bar D \) :

Characteristic diameter (Rosin & Rammler distribution)

D :

Coefficient of diffusion

k :

Thermal conductivity

k 1 :

Constant of proportionality

k v :

Coefficient of mass transfer

L :

Latent heat of vaporization

k v :

Coefficient of mass transfer

m :

Mass

M :

Molecular mass

n :

Term in Rosin & Rammler distribution

N :

Number of drops

P :

Total pressure

p :

Partial pressure

p r :

Partial pressure of vapour at surface of drop

p ∞ :

Partial pressure of vapour at infinite distance

q :

Heat flow rate

Q :

Volume flow rate

D :

Universal gas constant

t :

Time

T :

Temperature

VF :

Volume fraction

Nu :

Nusselt number (heat transfer)

Nu′ :

Nusselt number (mass transfer)

Pr :

Prandtl number

Re :

Reynolds number

Sc :

Schmidt number

Γ:

Gamma function

μ:

Viscosity

ν:

Relative velocity

ρ:

Density

σ:

Surface tension

σ:

Surface tension

A :

Air

L :

Liquid

max:

Maximum

i :

Initial

v :

Vapour

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College London, London, UK

    C. J. E. Nightingale

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  1. C. J. E. Nightingale
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  1. ERA Limited, London Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 3UR, UK

    John H. Weaving (Technical Director) (Technical Director)

  2. 150 Chessetts Wood Road, Lapworth, Solihull, B94, 6EN, UK

    John H. Weaving (Technical Director) (Technical Director)

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© 1990 Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd

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Nightingale, C.J.E. (1990). Mixture Preparation for Spark-ignition Engines. In: Weaving, J.H. (eds) Internal Combustion Engineering: Science & Technology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0749-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0749-2_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6822-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-0749-2

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