Premixed diesel combustion is intended to supplant
conventional combustion in the light to mid load range.
This paper demonstrates the operating load limits,
limiting criteria, and load-based emissions behavior of a
direct-injection, diesel-fueled, premixed combustion
mode across a range of test fuels. Testing was
conducted on a modern single-cylinder engine fueled
with a range of ultra-low sulfur fuels with cetane number
ranging from 42 to 53. Operating limits were defined on
the basis of emissions, noise, and combustion stability.
The emissions behavior and operating limits of the tested
premixed combustion mode are independent of fuel
cetane number. Combustion stability, along with CO and
HC emissions levels, dictate the light load limit. The high
load limit is solely dictated by equivalence ratio: high PM,
CO, and HC emissions result as overall equivalence ratio
approaches stoichiometric..