Electrically Controlled Combustion

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Electrically Controlled Combustion Optimization
System (ECCOS)
Combustion Characteristics and Engine
Performance
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What Would the Ideal Ignition System Do?

• Control Combustion Rates to Optimize Engine
  Performance and Emissions
• Ignite the Leanest/Most Dilute Mixtures
• Lambdagt2.5 or EGRgt40
• Have Zero Maintenance
• Offer Same or Lower Life Cycle Cost as Today
• Be Durable, Compact, Safe and Reliable

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Why Do We Want to Extend the Lean/Dilute Misfire
Limit?
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What Would this Ignition System Look Like?
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Like This!Nicola Teslas Tesla Coil c. 1899
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The ECCOS Approach to Ignition

• It Uses a High Energy Electric Field (Corona),
  Not Heat, to Ionize the Mixture and Initiate
  Combustion.
• Electrode Erosion is Minimal Since High
  Temperature Plasma Arcs are Not Generated. There
  is no Ground Electrode.
• The Electric Field can be Directed to Distribute
  the Field Where it is Optimum for Combustion.
  Electrode, Insulator and Combustion Chamber
  Design all Influence the Geometry of the Corona
  Discharge.

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The ECCOS Approach to Ignition

• The ECCOS Ignitor is an Integrated Design Rather
  than a Collection of Separately Engineered
  Components (i.e., Spark Plug, Coil, Extender).
  This Greatly Improves Reliability.
• Ignition Volume is Large Due to Large Area of
  Electric Field Generated.
• Controls Combustion Rate by Varying
• Discharge Energy
• Discharge Duration
• Number of Discharges per Cycle.

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ECCOS Electrical Discharge Characteristics
Corona/Electrostatic Discharge
Voltage
No Arc Discharge
Plasma/Power Arc Discharge
Current
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F.E.M. of ECCOS Generated Electric Field
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ECCOS Corona Discharge
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ECCOSElectrical Schematic
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ECCOS Circuit Simulation
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ECCOS Functional Diagram
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Side View of ECCOS Installed in CAT 1Y-540

• ECCOS ignitor is physically similar to a
  conventional ignition systems coil, extension
  and spark plug, except it is one assembly, not
  separate components. In this configuration, the
  ignitor end that screws into the head is a
  standard 14mm spark plug thread.

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Combustion Test Chamber Results
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Combustion Test Chamber
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ECCOS Corona Discharge at Various Air Pressures
0 Bar, 200mj
6.9 Bar, 1600mj
13.8 Bar, 1800mj
20.7 Bar, 1700mj
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Ignition Delay Rise Time for ECCOS Standard
Ignition
1 Bar Pressure, 25 º C
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Combustion Test Chamber Photos
Std. Ignition Combustion at 16ms, ? 1.0
ECCOS Combustion at 16ms, ? 1.0

• ECCOS Discharge - Initial Combustion is Large in
  Area. Similar to a Diesel (With a Four Hole
  Injector Nozzle) Start of Combustion.
• Standard Ignition System - Initiates a Small
  Kernel from which the Flame Front Traverses the
  Chamber.

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ECCOS Combustion Sequence ? 0. 606, 16ms per
frame
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Lean Air-Fuel RatioSingle Cylinder Test Results
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NOx Efficiency Tradeoff BMEP690 kPa
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BTE and NOx vs MFB 50 ? 0. 60, BMEP690 kPa
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Lean Misfire Limit Comparison at 690 kPa BMEP
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Heat Release Rate ComparisonSOC17º BTDC,
?0.62, BMEP1034 kPa
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Stoichiometric A/F Ratio with EGRSingle
Cylinder Test Results
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NOx / Efficiency Tradeoff for Stoichiometric A/F
Ratio with EGR
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ECCOS Igniting Stoich A/F 40 EGR in Southwest
Research Institute (SwRI)Combustion Test Chamber
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Heat Release Rate Comparison EGR22 , ?1,
BMEP690 kPa
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COV of IMEP Combustion Efficiency vs EGR Rate
(Nat. Gas)
BMEP 690 kPa
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Pre-Turbine Temperature vs EGR
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COV of IMEP vs EGR Rate (Gasoline)
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ECCOS Prototype Development Sequence
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Size Comparison of 3 Prototypes
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ECCOS Prototype I

• Designed for up to 11 Bore Engine
• Can Produce up to 8 Diameter Corona
  Discharge
• Operates at a Frequency Less Than 400 kHz
• Electronics Allow Remote Tuning and Monitoring of
  Circuit Parameters
• Was Used for Development Testing on
  CAT 1Y-540

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ECCOS Prototype II

• Designed for under 6 Bore Engines
• 14mm Thread
• Operates at Frequencies Greater than 1 MHz,
  Allowing for a Large Reduction in Ignitor Size
• Simpler, Less Expensive Electronics
• Designed for Lab or Field Testing

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ECCOS Prototype III

• Similar to Prototype II Except Tooled for
  Production
• Pre-Production Circuit Boards
• Pre-Production Housing
• Designed for Field Trials

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ECCOS Development Summary

• U.S. Patent Awarded 6,883,507 (04/26/05).
  International Patents Pending.
• Conducted Combustion Test Chamber Tests of
  Prototype I.
• Tested Prototype I in CAT 1Y-540 both Lean and
  Stoich/EGR. It ran over 40 hours at up to 200
  psi BMEP.
• Tested Prototype I in SwRI Combustion Test
  Chamber at Stoichiometric A/F ratio and 40 EGR.

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ECCOS Development Summary

• Designed and Built Prototype II Ignitor. Tested
  in Single Cylinder HEDGE Engine at SwRI. The
  Engine Ran Stably at 40 EGR.
• Designed Multi-Cylinder Ignition and Power
  Controller. Parts are Currently Being Procured.
• Designing Prototype III Ignitor for Field Tests.

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ECCOS Benefits

• Ignition System Advantages
• Ignites Leanest, Most Dilute Air-Fuel Mixture.
  ECCOS Generates a Focused, Large-Volume, High
  Energy, Corona Discharge, which Consistently
  Ignites the Leanest, Most Dilute Mixture. The
  Large Volume Discharge also Speeds Combustion
  Since the Discharge is Not Confined to a Point.
• Requires Zero Maintenance Because There is Little
  or no Electrode Erosion. There is no High
  Temperature Plasma Arc Because it Uses a High
  Energy Electric Field, not Heat, to Ionize the
  Mixture and Initiate Combustion.
• Reduces Life-cycle Cost because it Eliminates the
  Long-term Costs of Maintenance.
• Offers Durability, Reliability and Compact Design.

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Benefits
Major Engine Benefits

• Electronically Controls Combustion Rate by
  Varying the Discharge Energy, Discharge Duration
  and the Number of Discharges per Cycle.
• Improves Power Density. A Controlled Combustion
  Rate Increases Horsepower by Extending the Knock
  Limit.
• Increases Efficiency.
• Reduces Emissions.
• Extends Lean Limit on Lean-Burn Engine to Reduce
  Emissions and Extend Knock Limit
• Extends the EGR Limit on Stoichiometric EGR
  Engines to Extend Knock Limit and Allows the Use
  of 3-way Catalyst for Further Reduction of
  Emissions.
• Works on Almost any Combustible Fuel.

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• Initial tests run at SwRI were supported
• in part by the
• California Energy Commissions
• Public Interest Energy Research (PIER)Energy
  Innovations Small Grant Program

ENERGY INNOVATIONSSMALL GRANT PROGRAMA Program
of the California Energy Commission
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Thank You