Case Study: Next-Generation HDPI in Diesel Engines
Overview
Westport Innovation Inc. is collaborating with the Clean Energy Research Centre to improve Westport’s unique High Pressure Direct Injection (HDPI) system for diesel engines.
Internal combustion engines are the primary system used for industrial transportation and power generation. The significant North American Natural Gas reserves present an economical, cleaner-burning, and readily available fueling alternative to traditional diesel fuel. Westport and the Kirchen Research Group at the Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC) are making natural gas injection in diesel engines more efficient and accessible.
Funding
This project is supported by:
- an NSERC CRD Grant
- Westport Innovations
- Canadian Foundation for Innovation, through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (for the acquisition of high speed imaging equipment and in-cylinder sensors)
Solution
Westport Innovations Inc., through collaboration with CERC, have developed a High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) fueling system for medium- and heavy-duty engines. HPDI enables the injection of both Natural Gas and Diesel in production diesel engines, with the potential for reduced emissions and 15%-20% lower fuel consumption.[1]
This research uses an optically accessible engine and high speed imaging, spectroscopy and pyrometry to study the natural gas combustion and emission formation processes in a compression ignition engine.
The group aims to study all properties related to the technology, including:
- Ignition Properties
- Gas Emission Properties
- Gas after Treatment Cost
- System Efficiency
The outcome of this work will help to further develop HPDI as a technology for the effective utilization of natural gas in internal combustion engines .
Results
This project is still in the early stages. Custom designed devices are currently being developed by the team to capture data.
The Lab: the Kirchen Research Team at the Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC)
The focus of Dr. Kirchen’s team at the Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC) is to minimize the environmental impact of energy conversion systems, either through lower-impact fuels (biofuels, natural gas) or by improving the performance of existing systems. To this end, the group employs a variety of experimental techniques, including in-situ diagnostics coupled with complementary numerical investigations.
Current topics of interest include internal combustion engines operating with natural gas or biofuels, as well as high temperature membrane reactors for energy applications.
The research at CERC focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and on increasing efficiency and decreasing harmful emissions of conventional energy conversion processes and technologies.
The centre provides state-of-the-art research facilities to participating faculty and researchers, including equipment and facilities that are unique in Canada.