Recent Development In IC Engine Design

 

Recent Development In IC Engine Design

 

Introduction

The world is rapidly moving towards hybrid and electric vehicles. So, it’s natural to think that all the automobile manufacturers are developing only hybrids and EVs, neglecting the conventional IC engine.

In the age where everyone is doing research and writing blogs on EVs, why would someone write a blog on ICEs , This is because of the passion, enthusiasm and love for the ICEs. Also, even while developing a hybrid, ICs are inevitable. It is important to remember that even though it might be hybrid or plug-in hybrid, these vehicles all still need an internal combustion engine. It is true that EVs are the future, but vehicles with internal combustion engines are not going to disappear anytime soon.

Right from the time of their invention in the 1800s, IC engines are undergoing a lot of development. They are being developed to take us from one place to another faster and in a more efficient way.

Nowadays, the main objectives are the minimization of fuel consumption/CO2 emissions and the mitigation of exhaust pollutants. To this aim, various alternative combustion techniques have been developed, or are under development (e.g., direct injection SI engines, HCCI operation etc.); various internal and after-treatment exhaust measures are also being examined.

One particular aspect of (automotive) engines is dynamic operation, which is responsible for the largest number of emitted pollutants. Acknowledging this fact, the certification (both driving and engine) cycles for all kinds of vehicles are highly transient.

Another significant aspect of modern engines is their supercharging, realized mainly through various turbocharging configurations. Today, turbocharging an I.C. engine is a well-established means for achieving lower CO2 emission targets, as is also the use of hybrid electric powertrains.

In parallel, the use of alternative fuels and biofuels has boomed in the last few decades, as these have proven to be promising in limiting carbonaceous pollutants emissions, while, at the same time, providing a positive CO2 balance.

The Future of IC Engine Design

1. Restriction on CO2 Emissions

The Global Carbon Project reported that worldwide carbon dioxide emissions were expected to rise by 4.9% in 2021, nearly back to their record 2019 levels. Emissions plummeted from 2019 to 2020 (5.4%) as the COVID pandemic brought travel to a near-standstill. In August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed revised Greenhouse Gas Emissions guidelines for passenger cars and trucks in model years 2023-2026. The proposed standards include 10% greater emissions improvement than current standards for MY 2023 vehicles and 5% greater emissions improvement in each of the following 3 years. Current standards only become 1.5% more stringent each year. At the same time, EPA announced plans to reduce pollutants from heavy-duty trucks through stricter rules. The agency expects the new rules will apply to heavy-duty vehicles beginning in May 2027. Regardless of the EPA's plans, the political and environmental atmosphere is still pushing internal combustion engine efficiency improvements more than consumer demand is. Whether engineers and executives personally agree or not with the changes in the air, the industry is moving steadily in that direction.

2. How to Increase Efficiency of IC Engine Emissions ?

The office of energy efficiency and renewable energy reports that manufacturers reduced pollutant emissions by more than 90% over a 30-year span. Creative minds accomplished this while maintaining or increasing fuel economy. In addition to gasoline and diesel, manufacturers are studying other ways to increase fuel economy:

  • Using biodiesel
  • Using other alternative or renewable fuels
  • Combining IC engines with hybrid electric powertrains

3. Diesel Engines vs. Traditional Gasoline Engines

When humans switched from diesel to gasoline cars, there was a related increase in carbon dioxide emissions. In an unexpected twist, some of today’s auto strategies are based around diesel engines.

Many big diesel trucks actually create less CO2 emission than some smaller, gas-powered vehicles, reports indicate. Increased technology has produced diesel-powered engines that can fuel smaller vehicles and provide:

  • Better gas mileage
  • Lower carbon emission rates
  • Greater torque
  • A longer-lasting engine

A 2021 University of Michigan study claimed that in consumer vehicles, 100% renewable diesel can reduce carbon emissions. Participating engineers said the renewable hydrocarbon biofuel reduced carbon footprint by 80% over traditional petroleum fuels in the cars they tested.

Perhaps diesel is a capable fill-in while some parts of the world catch on to buying electric vehicles.

4. Battery Electric Vehicles vs. Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles

Although gasoline-powered engines don’t appear to be completely disappearing, they do face stiff competition from their electric rivals.  In October 2021, BMW announced it would stop making internal combustion engines at one of its plants (in Munich) by 2024. BMW is aiming for 50% of its new-car sales to be electric by 2030, One thing that IC engine supporters could always hang over the heads of the pro-electric crowd was the battery. Specifically, its:

  • Size
  • Cost
  • Longevity
  • Charging capabilities

However, electric vehicles are projected to reach price parity with traditional vehicles by the mid-2022s as EV battery costs plummet. Bloomberg NEF projected in 2021 that the cost of a lithium-ion EV battery pack will fall below 8000rs per kWh by 2023, an approximately 20% drop. These reductions are certainly coming more quickly than the market expected. Concerns about range will be less of an issue for electric vehicles going forward. The technology is evolving, and more charging stations are popping up. “Range anxiety” (consumer fear that they’ll be stranded with nowhere to charge their battery) is still a very real issue OEMs still need to resolve.

5. Battery Electric Vehicles vs. Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles

Advanced powder metallurgy is becoming more of a factor in component design for engines.

The “green” technology that is powder metallurgy goes hand in hand with the future of the eco-friendly automobile. Sintered soft magnetic materials with higher densities are providing a boost in performance not seen before. These new materials are different from the Standard 35 materials that manufacturers have relied on for decades. MPIF’s Standard 35 is a great baseline for powder metallurgy manufacturers, but future stator and rotor designs may need materials and processes that surpass “standard” performance levels. In some cases we can even eliminate a component from the assembly by designing with powder metal. Today’s advanced compaction technology may be a little more expensive at the onset, but it can save manufacturers (and drivers) a lot in the long run. Many components can be transitioned to powder metal. Powder metallurgy has made great advances in creating small parts for electric motors and other auto parts for many reasons:

  • Reduces weight
  • Improves electric motor efficiency, including better magnetic properties
  • Creates net-shape parts
  • Allows for advanced materials and processes
  • Higher strength and hardness

Specifically, soft magnetic composite materials are leading the way toward a super-efficient electric motor.

Case Studies

1. Ford vs Chevrolet


Ever since, IC engines are being developed to run in a more efficient manner.

In the US, one of the major rivalries between automobile manufacturers is of Ford and Chevrolet.

 The most recent evolution of the research done by Ford, the OEM's 2.7L EcoBoost engine, will see its first application in the next-generation aluminium-bodied Ford F-150. It will have a better miles per gallon efficiency because of the new engine. It’ll also be 700-pound lighter which comes with switching to aluminium. This is a strategy that Seredynski related to meeting the fuel-efficiency needs of the customer in a completely different way. The combination of different vehicle technologies is a strategy most OEMs are leaning toward when it comes to improving mpg. 

2. General Motors 

At General Motors, engineers are integrating vehicle and powertrain strategies together to optimize and minimize unnecessary parts.  Great examples of technologies that improve vehicle efficiency include added transmission gears (e.g., 6-speed versus 4-speed) lowering engine operation speed, enabling lower numerical axle ratios, and, in many cases, increasing performance and capability, .  Variable cam phasing, direct fuel injection, reducing engine accessory loading, electric power steering, improved vehicle aerodynamics, increased cooling airflow sealing, and reduced tire rolling resistance to the list. 


GM is also increasing its attention to what it calls "opportunity-type" controls. For example, using start/stop technology to stop the engine at idle and seamlessly restart it when the brake is released, and advanced battery charging that helps to charge the battery from regenerated vehicle kinetic energy. From a combustion perspective, they are adding technologies that allow us to operate as close to the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio as possible without the need for fuel enrichment to manage exhaust temperatures. An example of such technology is the integrated exhaust manifolds used on the Pentastar engine.


The Chrysler Pentastar Engine family is a series of aluminium (die-cast cylinder block) dual overhead cam 24-valve gasoline V6 engines, which were introduced for the 2011 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Vehicles.

The variable displacement oil pumps, also enable the oil output of the pump to be tailored to the demand of the engine rather than pressurizing and then recirculating excess fluid.

3. Porshe

While Porsche is fully committed to electrification, and expects 80 per cent of it’s lineup to be electrified by 2030, it is also committed to further sustainable synthetic fuels to power IC engine cars well into the future. And it has good reasons to. According to some estimates, 70 per cent of all Porsches ever made are still on the road!


However, the biggest reason is that Porsche’s 911 line, with their engines in the rear of the Car, aren’t suited to full electrification. While some hybridisation is possible, Porsche is instead looking to further develop its synthetic fuels, which it claims is carbon neutral, and has a large carbon footprint as the production and use of an EV. The fuel is sourced from the Haru One Pilot Plant in Chile that Porsche announced late last year. The plant uses wind-generated electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then combined with atmospheric carbon dioxide to produce methanol, which in turn forms the basis for synthetic fuel.

The eFuels that Porsche is testing use CO2 and hydrogen ingredients and are made using renewable energy, which significantly lowers the greenhouse gas emissions compared to petroleum-based fuels. Porsche is far from first to dip into synthetic-fuel research. Audi, Bosch, and McLaren have all been talking about and working on the technology for years.

In the race for greener mobility, nearly every automaker is now focused on electric vehicles. But buying an EV doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of cars being sold today are powered by gasoline, and they're going to remain on the road for a long time. As a way to make driving existing vehicles more sustainable, Porsche has been working on synthetic fuels it calls eFuels that the company says can make an internal-combustion engine as clean as an EV.

Porsche’s eFuels are made out of CO2 and hydrogen and are produced using renewable energy. The final result is a liquid that an engine will burn the same as if it was gasoline made from crude oil, but an eFuel can be produced in a climate-neutral manner, at least in theory. Speaking at the recent launch of the new 911 GT3, company will have its first small test batch, just 130,000 litres, or 34,340 gallons of eFuel ready by 2022.

References 

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