EFFECTS OF SPLIT INJECTION AND OXYGEN-ENRICHED AIR ON SOOT EMISSIONS IN A DIESEL ENGINE

Effects of split injection and oxygen-enriched air on soot emissions in a DI diesel engine were studied by the KIVA-3V code. When split injection is applied, the second injection of fuel into a cylinder results in two separate stoichiometric zones which increases soot oxidation. As a result, soot emissions are decreased with split injection. When oxygen-enriched air is applied together with split injection, higher concentration of oxygen helps secondary combustion which results in a higher temperature in the cylinder. The increased temperature promotes growth reaction of acetylene with soot but doesn't improve the acetylene formation during the second injection of fuel. As more acetylene is consumed in the growth reaction of acetylene, the net acetylene mass in the cylinder is decreased, which leads to a decrease of soot formation. With an increase of soot oxidation caused by split injection, the soot emissions are decreased significantly. However, to avoid excessive NOx emissions with increased oxygen concentration, the level of oxygen concentration should be lower than 22% in volume.