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Known as HCCI (Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition) for diesel and CAI (Controlled Auto Ignition) for petrol, these engines reabsorb a portion of the burned gases, resulting in instantaneous ignition of the whole mixture in the combustion chamber.
Competitiveness
bASic FActS
the phenomenon of autoignition, the curse of old petrol engines, is used here to cause instant ignition of the whole airfuel mixture in the combustion chamber. Whether it be a petrol or diesel engine, this type of operation no longer requires ignition as an established function. The mixture is auto-ignited either by the pressure and temperature of the predetermined diesel mixture (HCCI), or by residual burned gases (CAI). In this case, traditional heterogeneous hot combustion by propagation of a flame front is replaced with overall homogeneous combustion which is colder (the temperature remains less than 1,300 C). These two points result in the absence of formation of soot particles and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Eventually, these types of engines may meet the requirements of the Euro 4 standard, and possibly the Euro 5 standard, without post-treatment of NOx or particulate filters.
in SHort
Hcci And cAi EnginES work At comprESSion rAtES tHAt lEAd to SpontAnEouS ignition oF tHE wHolE mixturE. tHE rESult iS cold combuStion in tHE cHAmbEr, producing vEry low lEvElS oF Soot And nox.
December 2008