We are pleased to present two important applications of our Tempco TREG temperature control units, which we have supplied within the last years to the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Bologna. These units are used in test benches as part of research and development to improve the efficiency of combustion techniques in traditional engines, with the aim of increasing the sustainability of internal combustion engines, especially looking forward at the growing use of new synthetic fuels.
These activities are crucial for the future of sustainable mobility, essential for the development of more sustainable technologies for the future of the automotive industry. We therefore extend our sincere thanks to Giacomo Silvagni, PhD Assistant Professor at Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, responsible for these projects at the University Department, who provided us with detailed information on two of the ongoing research projects.
The first image, in the scheme below, shows the construction of a flow bench for experimental diesel and gasoline common rail GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) injectors, aimed at hydraulic characterization of the injection system and the development of control-oriented models.
As Giacomo Silvagni explains, high-pressure injection systems are typically used in control strategies with multiple, closely spaced injections. These strategies generate dynamic pressure wave effects and electromagnetic interactions that induce deviations from the normal injector operation, causing imbalances in the torque delivered by the engine from cylinder to cylinder, resulting in reduced efficiency and increased pollutant emissions. Thanks to the flow bench, built within the laboratories of the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Bologna, it was possible to carry out ad hoc experimental campaigns to experimentally characterize the tested injection systems, both diesel (up to 1,800 bar) and gasoline (up to 700 bar), and to develop control-oriented physical models aimed at real-time compensation of these dynamic phenomena compatible with standard engine control units.
For this first application, the Tempco temperature control unit was a central component of the test system, used to regulate the fuel temperature within the injection systems. The TCU therefore allowed for precise control of the fluid temperature, which is crucial for ensuring the repeatability of the experimental tests, and simultaneously verified the impact of different fuel temperatures on the system’s hydraulic dynamics.
The other two images below relate to the study for converting a 1.3-liter multijet diesel engine to operate on compression-ignition gasoline, aimed at studying high-efficiency combustion modes.
The study of innovative, high-efficiency, low-emission combustion methods is part of the ongoing development of internal combustion engines for high-efficiency, low-emission applications. Innovative combustion methods still represent one of the most promising solutions, especially considering the advent of synthetic and sustainable fuels. To verify the benefits of these technologies, a small 1.3-liter multijet internal combustion engine, originally designed for diesel compression ignition, was converted to GCI (Gasoline Compression Ignition) operation in the laboratories of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Bologna. This activity allowed to verify the benefits of this combustion method, both in terms of efficiency and pollutant emissions, compared to traditional diesel operation. The entire engine operating range was replicated while maintaining all internal engine components in their stock production configuration, thus verifying their full applicability to off-the-shelf hardware already on the market.
The Tempco temperature control unit, as Silvagni further explains, was a central element of the test system as it was used to regulate the temperature of the air drawn into the engine during start-up. Thanks to the Tempco temperature control unit and the use of a dedicated air-oil heat exchanger, it was possible to increase the temperature of the air drawn into the engine before it entered the combustion chamber, thus promoting spontaneous ignition of the gasoline. The precise control achieved by the Tempco system also allowed to verify the impact of different combustion air temperatures on combustion stability and engine performance in terms of torque/power output and pollutant emissions.
