Numerical Investigation of Pre-Chamber Jet Combustion in a Light-Duty Gasoline Engine

Open-cycle engine simulations of a passive pre-chamber operating inside a direct-injected gasoline engine are performed and analyzed in this study. A comprehensive three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model has been formulated with state-of-the-art physical sub-models to account for the complex processes of engine gas exchange, fuel injection and mixing, ignition, and combustion. Numerical results are validated against experimental measurements under low load condition with high internal EGR. Realistic modeling considerations are discussed to ensure proper fidelity. In particular, the mixture conditions and flow motions could present very different features between the pre- and main chamber, which requires comprehensive simulation of the full engine cycle and imposes challenges for combustion modeling. Practically validated chemical kinetics models are essential for proper prediction of cylinder pressure history of pre-chamber jet combustion systems. Detailed analysis is then carried out to highlight key processes associated with pre-chamber operation, including residual scavenging, fuel/air mixture formation, flow pattern and turbulence development within the pre-chamber, and the ignition of main chamber mixture by issued turbulent jets. Numerical evaluation of pre-chamber design variants has been attempted, and less commonly investigated geometry parameters such as swirl nozzles and nozzle umbrella angle are found impactful for pre-chamber ignition performances.