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Background Internal combustion engines dominate land transportation propulsion - cars, trucks, off-highway vehicles, railroad, marine, motor bikes - as well as provide mechanical and electrical power for a wide range of large and small applications. The two dominant types of internal combustion engines are spark-ignition and diesel. Their performance, efficiency, and emissions depend on the details of the processes which take place within the engine during the engine's operating cycle, and the characteristics of the fuel used. With stringent new emission and fuel economy standards, and major changes in fuels ahead, a thorough understanding of how these engines operate, their potential for improvement and their limitations, is vitally important.

Who Should Participate This course is designed to provide professionals interested in this area with a fundamental review of how the design and operation of spark-ignition and diesel engines affect their performance, emissions, and fuel requirements. These would include practicing engineers in industry, government and academia in the areas of engine research, development and design, emission control, fuels, and lubricants.

The course requires a college level understanding of thermodynamics, mechanics, calculus and elementary chemistry.

Outline of the Program

The course consists of sessions devoted to the following themes:

• The different types of internal combustion engines and the parameters that define engine performance
• Thermodynamic analysis of engine cycles
• Gas exchange processes in four-stroke and two-stroke cycle engines
• Spark-ignition (SI) engine combustion
• SI engine emissions formation and control
• SI engine knock
• Diesel combustion
• Diesel engine emissions formation and control
• Engine heat transfer phenomena
• Engine friction
• Engine fuels requirements
• Engine operating characteristics
• Future engine developments and concepts

The course will involve lectures, discussion and problem solving sessions, and laboratory demonstrations. Course notes will be provided.

Textbook

J. B. Heywood, Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals, McGraw-Hill, 1988.

Learning Objectives

• Define the different types of internal combustion engines and the parameters that define engine performance.
• Develop performance and efficiency aspects.
• Compare gas exchange processes in four-stroke, two-stroke cycle engines, and turbocharged engines.
• Explain fuel-air mixture preparation processes in gasoline and diesel engines.
• Understand spark-ignition (SI) engine combustion, SI engine emissions formation and control, and SI engine knock.
• Investigate diesel combustion and diesel engine emissions formation and control.
• Examine engine heat transfer phenomena, engine friction, engine fuel requirements, and overall engine operating characteristics.
• Review future engine developments and concepts, and fuels opportunities