Prediction of NO Emissions from Stratified Charge Spark-Ignition Engines

A thermodynamic model of spark ignition engine combustion, with multiple burned gas zones, has been extended to permit the different burned gas zones to have different mixture strengths. The NO formation is predicted in each burned gas zone using the extended Zeldovich mechanism. The model has been used to study stratified charge spark ignition engine combustion, in order to investigate the influence of overall equivalence ratio and degree of stratification on the NO emissions and the engine brake specific fuel consumption. For fixed throttle operation, it is concluded that the best trade-off is with an overall weak mixture that is close to homogeneous. For maximum power output using a slightly rich of stoichiometric mixture, then the mixture should also be close to homogeneous. However, if the engine is constrained to operate with an overall stoichiometric mixture, then the trade-off between NO emissions and brake specific fuel consumption is with a stratified mixture that is rich at the spark plug.