KINETICS OF NITRIC OXIDE FORMATION IN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES

THE FORMATION OF NITRIC OXIDE IN SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES IS EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT OF ELEMENTARY CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS. A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL MODEL DESCRIBING THE FORMATION OF NITRIC OXIDE INSIDE THE ENGINE IS DEVELOPED, WHICH CONSISTS ESSENTIALLY OF A REACTION MECHANISM SUITABLE FOR RECIPROCATING-ENGINE COMBUSTION AND OF A THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF THE COMBUSTION PROCESS. ON THE BASIS OF THE CONCLUSIONS OBTAINED FROM THIS CONCEPT, A SINGLE-CYLINDER ENGINE IS EMPLOYED IN AN ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE COMBUSTION PROCESS BY MEANS OF PERTINENT COMBUSTION CONTROLS SUCH AS STRATIFIED CHARGE, IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE FORMATION OF NITRIC OXIDE WILL BE RESTRAINED AS THE RESULT OF EXCESSIVELY LOW TEMPERATURES (LESS THAN 2600 DEGREES K), EVEN THOUGH CONSIDERABLE OXYGEN MAY BE PRESENT. FURTHERMORE, THE TEMPERATURES ARE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO PERMIT THE RAPID OXIDATION OF CARBON MONIXIDE AND UNBURNT HYDROCARBONS. THUS, THE RESULTS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THE ADVANTAGE OF A THEORETICAL MODEL BASED ON A KINETIC SCHEME IN PERMITTING SIMULTANEOUS REDUCTION OF EXHAUST POLLUTANTS TO LOW LEVELS.

• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Mechanical Engineers

  1 Birdcage Walk
  London SW1H 9JJ,   England 
• Authors:
  • Bernhardt, W E
• Publication Date: 1972

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 279-85
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: c149

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Combustion; Exhaust gases; Internal combustion engines; Kinetics; Nitric oxide
• Old TRIS Terms: Combustion products
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224686
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Conf Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1974 12:00AM