Study of dimethyl ether homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion process using a multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model

A multi-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is adopted to investigate the Dimethyl Ether (DME) Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) combustion and emissions processes. A reduced chemical mechanism is coupled with a CFD code in the multi-dimensional CFD model. The pressure profiles predicted by the multi-dimensional CFD model are more accurate than the single-zone model, because the wall heat transfer and in-cylinder turbulence flow are considered. During the combustion process the in-cylinder temperature distribution undergoes a process from inhomogeneity to homogeneity. Both low and high temperature reactions don't occur simultaneously throughout the cylinder. The low temperature reactions are initiated near the piston surface and squish region, and the high temperature reactions are initiated in the combustion chamber core zone and squish region. Emission analysis indicates that unburned fuel and CH2O account for the majority of unburned hydrocarbon (HC). The unburned fuel, CH2O and CO emission mainly resides in the bottom, middle and upper part of the piston-ring crevice region, respectively. With the decrease of DME equivalence ratio, unburned fuel and CO increases. However, when the DME equivalence ratio is too small, CO emission decreases.