Reactivity controlled compression ignition

Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) is a form of internal combustion developed at the Engine Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, United States, by the research group of Wisconsin Distinguished Professor Rolf Reitz.^[1]

During RCCI combustion,^[2] well-mixed low-reactivity fuel and oxidizer (typically air) are compressed but not reaching auto-ignition. Later, still during compression cycle, high-reactivity fuel is injected to form a local mixture of low- and high-reactivity fuel. Finally the whole fuel charge is ignited near top dead center of the piston by injection of high-reactivity fuel. The RCCI combustion process requires two different fuels. Low-reactivity fuel gets injected into the intake ports with low pressure during the intake stroke. High-reactivity fuel gets injected into the cylinder with high pressure at the end of compression stroke. A throttle characteristic to Otto engines is not needed. Because of compression ignition and lack of throttle control, RCCI resembles much the diesel process. The dual-fuel RCCI can produce ultra-low NOx and soot emissions and higher thermal efficiency compared to conventional diesel combustion.^[3]

RCCI patents are controlled by University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).^[4] Several derivative ideas have also been experimented with by Caterpillar.^[5][6]

See also

• Partially premixed combustion
• Diesel engine

References

1. Kokjohn, S L; Hanson, R M; Splitter, D A; Reitz, R D (22 June 2011). "Fuel reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI): a pathway to controlled high-efficiency clean combustion". International Journal of Engine Research. 12 (3): 209–226. doi:10.1177/1468087411401548.
2. Reitz, Rolf D.; Duraisamy, Ganesh (February 2015). "Review of high efficiency and clean reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion in internal combustion engines". Progress in Energy and Combustion Science. 46: 12–71. doi:10.1016/j.pecs.2014.05.003.
3. Paykani, Amin; Kakaee, Amir-Hasan; Rahnama, Pourya; Reitz, Rolf D (2016-06-01). "Progress and recent trends in reactivity-controlled compression ignition engines". International Journal of Engine Research. 17 (5): 481–524. doi:10.1177/1468087415593013. ISSN 1468-0874.
4. "Fuel-mixture technology revolutionizes engine performance - WARF".
5. US20150285178A1, John, Bobby, "Reactivity controlled compression ignition engine and method of combustion phasing control", issued 2015-10-08
6. US9151241B2, Gehrke, Christopher R. & Fiveland, Scott B., "Reactivity controlled compression ignition engine operating on a Miller cycle with low pressure loop exhaust gas recirculation system and method", issued 2015-10-06

Further reading

• Engine Research Center- https://www.erc.wisc.edu/
• Kokjohn, S L; Hanson, R M; Splitter, D A; Reitz, R D (22 June 2011). "Fuel reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI): a pathway to controlled high-efficiency clean combustion". International Journal of Engine Research. 12 (3): 209–226. doi:10.1177/1468087411401548.
• Reitz, Rolf D.; Duraisamy, Ganesh (February 2015). "Review of high efficiency and clean reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion in internal combustion engines". Progress in Energy and Combustion Science. 46: 12–71. doi:10.1016/j.pecs.2014.05.003.
• Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation- https://www.warf.org/for-uw-inventors/inventor-profiles/rolf-reitz/fuel-mixture-technology-revolutionizes-engine-performance.cmsx       
• Dong, Yabin (2018-09-24). "Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion using methanol and diesel in a single cylinder research engine" (PDF). Espoo, Finland: Aalto University. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
• Kakaee, Amir-Hasan; Jafari, Parvaneh; Paykani, Amin (2018). "Numerical Study of Natural Gas/Diesel Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition Combustion with Large Eddy Simulation and Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Model". Fluids. 3 (2): 24. doi:10.3390/fluids3020024. hdl:20.500.11850/336639.
• Ramey, Jay (2018-05-02). "Is an engine that uses gas and diesel the best of both worlds?". Autoweek. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
• Perkins, Chris (2018-04-23). "The Wild Experimental Engine That Uses Gas and Diesel". Road & Track. Retrieved 2019-02-18.