skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Invited Review: A review of deterministic effects in cyclic variability of internal combustion engines

Journal Article · · International Journal of Engine Research
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Here we review developments in the understanding of cycle to cycle variability in internal combustion engines, with a focus on spark-ignited and premixed combustion conditions. Much of the research on cyclic variability has focused on stochastic aspects, that is, features that can be modeled as inherently random with no short term predictability. In some cases, models of this type appear to work very well at describing experimental observations, but the lack of predictability limits control options. Also, even when the statistical properties of the stochastic variations are known, it can be very difficult to discern their underlying physical causes and thus mitigate them. Some recent studies have demonstrated that under some conditions, cyclic combustion variations can have a relatively high degree of low dimensional deterministic structure, which implies some degree of predictability and potential for real time control. These deterministic effects are typically more pronounced near critical stability limits (e.g. near tipping points associated with ignition or flame propagation) such during highly dilute fueling or near the onset of homogeneous charge compression ignition. We review recent progress in experimental and analytical characterization of cyclic variability where low dimensional, deterministic effects have been observed. We describe some theories about the sources of these dynamical features and discuss prospects for interactive control and improved engine designs. In conclusion, taken as a whole, the research summarized here implies that the deterministic component of cyclic variability will become a pivotal issue (and potential opportunity) as engine manufacturers strive to meet aggressive emissions and fuel economy regulations in the coming decades.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Fuels, Engines and Emissions Research Center (FEERC)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1265479
Journal Information:
International Journal of Engine Research, Vol. 16, Issue 3; ISSN 1468-0874
Publisher:
SAGECopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 56 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (44)

Controlling chaos journal March 1990
Analysis of heat release dynamics in an internal combustion engine using multifractals and wavelets journal May 2010
Analysis of Cyclic Variability of Heat Release for High-EGR GDI Engine Operation with Observations on Implications for Effective Control journal April 2013
Characteristics of cyclic heat release variability in the transition from spark ignition to HCCI in a gasoline engine journal May 2011
Patterns in the combustion process in a spark ignition engine journal February 2008
Control of recompression HCCI with a three region switching controller journal February 2013
Geometry from a Time Series journal September 1980
Characterizing dilute combustion instabilities in a multi-cylinder spark-ignited engine using symbolic analysis
  • Daw, C. S.; Finney, C. E. A.; Kaul, B. C.
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 373, Issue 2034 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0088
journal February 2015
Intermittent transition to turbulence in dissipative dynamical systems journal June 1980
LES study of cycle-to-cycle variations in a spark ignition engine journal January 2011
Real-time internal residual mass estimation for combustion with high cyclic variability journal October 2014
Large-Eddy Simulation and experimental study of cycle-to-cycle variations of stable and unstable operating points in a spark ignition engine journal April 2012
Modeling Cyclic Variability in Spark-Assisted HCCI journal May 2008
Characterization of lean combustion instability in premixed charge spark ignition engines journal August 2000
Understanding the transition between conventional spark-ignited combustion and HCCI in a gasoline engine journal January 2007
Experimental control of chaos journal December 1990
Effect of exhaust gas recirculation on the cycle-to-cycle variations in a natural gas spark ignition engine journal October 2011
Controlling cyclic combustion timing variations using a symbol-statistics predictive approach in an HCCI engine journal April 2012
Towards the understanding of cyclic variability in a spark ignited engine using multi-cycle LES journal August 2009
Early-warning signals for critical transitions journal September 2009
Detecting strange attractors in turbulence book January 1981
Controlling Cyclic Combustion Variations in Lean-Fueled Spark-Ignition Engines conference January 2002
Extracting qualitative dynamics from experimental data journal June 1986
Flammability Studies of Isomeric Structures of Ethane Derivatives and Percolation Theory journal September 2007
Effects of External EGR Loop on Cycle-to-Cycle Dynamics of Dilute SI Combustion journal April 2014
Synchronization of combustion variations in a multicylinder spark ignition engine journal January 2000
Analysis of pressure fluctuations in a natural gas engine under lean burn conditions journal May 2010
On cycle-to-cycle heat release variations in a simulated spark ignition heat engine journal May 2011
Deterministic Nonperiodic Flow journal March 1963
Nonlinear cycle dynamics in lean spark ignition combustion journal January 1998
Reducing Cyclic Variability While Regulating Combustion Phasing in a Four-Cylinder HCCI Engine journal May 2014
Observing and modeling nonlinear dynamics in an internal combustion engine journal March 1998
Review of the development and applications of the Wiebe function: A tribute to the contribution of Ivan Wiebe to engine research journal April 2010
Dynamics of cycle-to-cycle variations in a natural gas direct-injection spark-ignition engine journal July 2011
Symbolic approach for measuring temporal “irreversibility” journal August 2000
Stability Analysis in Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) Engines With High Dilution journal March 2007
Cycle-to-cycle oscillations of heat release in a spark ignition engine journal June 2007
Nonlinear dynamics of cycle-to-cycle combustion variations in a lean-burn natural gas engine journal April 2008
Invited Review: Combustion instability in spray-guided stratified-charge engines: A review journal February 2015
Cycle-to-Cycle Variations: A Chaotic Process? journal February 1988
Nonlinear Observer-Based Control of Load Transitions in Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engines journal May 2007
A Dynamical Instability of Spark-Ignited Engines journal June 1984
Complex and Adaptive Dynamical Systems: A Primer book January 2013
Analysis of cyclic variability in spark-assisted HCCI combustion using a double Wiebe function journal January 2009

Cited By (4)

Analysis of the nonlinear dynamics of inter-cycle combustion variations in an ethanol fumigation-diesel dual-fuel engine journal January 2019
Characterization of temporal variations and feedback timescales of exhaust gas recirculation gas properties using high-speed diode laser absorption spectroscopy for next-cycle control of cyclic variability journal August 2018
Nonlinear model predictive control of a discrete-cycle gasoline-controlled auto ignition engine model: Simulative analysis journal February 2019
Impact of methane energy fraction on emissions, performance and cyclic variability in low-load dual fuel combustion at early injection timings journal December 2019

Similar Records

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
Cyclic variability
dilute combustion
nonlinear dynamics
complex systems