Enabling Lean and Stoichiometric Gasoline Direct Injection Engines through Mitigation of Nanoparticle Emissions

PI: Will Northrop, CO-PI: David Kittelson

Joonho Jeon, postdoctoral researcher, "Cyclic Variability of In-Cylinder Flame Luminosity in Gasoline Direct Injection Engines"

Noah Bock, PhD student, Thesis title: "Oxidative Reactivity of Nanoparticles Emitted from a Gasoline Direct Injection Engine"

Utilization of gasoline direct injection (GDI) technology for light duty vehicle applications has drastically increased in recent years due to the improved fuel efficiency relative to port fuel injection (PFI) technology. GDI technology also provides the option of fuel lean operation, which further increases efficiency. However, because GDI engines emit much higher concentrations of particulate matter (PM), their proliferation is in conflict with increasingly stringent PM limits. The use of gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) is expected to be largely adopted for use in GDI vehicles to meet PM limits. The question of how particle emissions from GDI engines are affected by fuel properties, oil additives, and engine combustion strategies must be answered to design engines that can meet both fuel efficiency goals and PM limits. Additionally, questions regarding the oxidative reactivity of GDI soot particles must be answered for the implementation of GPFs.