Diesel Engine System and Fuels: Modeling Approach

Principal Investigator
Dennis N. Assanis (U. of Michigan)

University Researchers
Dohoy Jung (U. of Michigan)

Industry
Tim Schafer, Rakesh Aneja (Detroit Diesel Corp.)
Greg Zhang (International Truck & Engine)

Government
Peter Schihl, Heather McKee (TARDEC)

Student
Mike Smith (U. of Michigan)

The objectives for this project are:

• Develop and validate a computationally-efficient engine system model with transient prediction capability for the optimized calibration of controllable engine parameters for different objectives and constraints.
• Develop and integrate sub-models for spray, mixing and combustion of alternative fuels to enhance the multizonal Diesel combustion model.
• Investigate techniques for condition monitoring and fault diagnosis for diesel engines.

The engine simulation will be used to guide the design optimization and control strategies of advanced high power density diesel engines with low soot emissions especially focused on transient operation.
The engine model with the capability of alternative fuel application will extend the design optimization and control studies into the realm of alternative fuels, and allow enhance and expand the knowledge that will be obtained the experimental study with alternative fuels (Thrust Area 4 project: Alternative Fuels for Army Vehicles).