Model control and transition of residual-affected HCCI engines by electro-hydraulic valve actuation system

Since the homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI or CAI) was put forward, different manners were adopted to realize HCCI combustion with gasoline and ethanol. However, each combustion mode could only work in a narrow operation region. In order to put the HCCI modes into practice, the researchers suggested that the engine operated in more different HCCI modes and operated in conventional combustion mode (SI, CI) in others operation conditions, which was called hybrid combustion mode engine. In this paper, HCCI combustion was achieved in a modified single cylinder mass production engine through preheating the intake charge and trapping residual gases. Three modes of trapping residual gases were realized by a newly developed full variable valve timing system controlled by electronic system. The transition smoothness was improved by applying the strategy in which the fuelling consumption was compensated. Due to the cycle-synchronous control of valve timings, injection and ignition offered by the control system, transitions between the HCCI modes and SI operating mode can be realized without misfire or negative torque response. In order to control the HCCI combustion modes, the internal EGR strategies were studied by GT-POWER coupled with CHEMKIN.