Knock and Super-knock

Spark Ignition knock - what is happening?

Details

In order to study the preignition and following auto ignition, we need good optical access to the combustion chamber. In order to see the entire combustion chamber, an existing AVL single cylinder engine will be rebuilt with a fully transparent piston crown. Such piston crowns been used before in diesel like geometries at KAUST and Lund University, see figure 1, but now it will be adapted to SI type of geometry with a flat piston surface. With the use of a dome on the lower surface, we will be able to see all the way to the liner and perhaps even down into the crevice volume. This work package is aimed at modifying the engine and commission it for knock studies.
The Simulation and experimental activities will be strongly linked with the use of the same hardware and operating condition. The optical diagnostics developed at Lund University and KAUST will complement each other very well and we have a chance to make a number of “Worlds first” studies using the advanced pulse burst lasers available at KAUST and In Lund. The plan is to have an extensive interaction of students and PI with a longer stay by the KAUST optical diagnostics student in Lund. Likewise, the student from Lund can take part in the optical engine tests at KAUST hence generating true collaboration. The collaboration between fundamental laser specialists and engine researchers have proven very successful at Lund University with many highly cited papers as a result. The link between laser based diagnostics and simulations are also crucial for getting the understanding of the complex processes in a IC engine.