Mazda to Use Compression Ignition, no Spark Plugs

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Messages
6,156
Location
Buffalo, NY
Yahoo Business LINK

Mazda's next Skyactiv engine may ignite gasoline without spark plugs

Stephen Edelstein,Digital Trends 6 hours ago
skyactiv_02.png

Electric cars may get a lot of attention, but internal-combustion engines will probably stick around for a long time. To meet tougher global emissions standards, automakers are resorting to increasingly complex solutions to wring more efficiency out of gasoline engines.

That includes the possible revival of a technology that many automakers have experimented with, but that has never been used in a production car. It’s called homogeneous-charge compression ignition (HCCI), and it allows a gasoline engine to operate without spark plugs, like a diesel. Nikkei reports that Mazda is planning to introduce one of these engines next year.

The new engine will reportedly debut in the Mazda 3 compact, before moving on to other models. It will be part of Mazda’s next-generation lineup of Skyactiv efficiency-focused engines. Use of HCCI would be a radical departure for Mazda, as Skyactiv engines so far have relied on more basic technologies and designs to achieve better fuel economy.

In a normal gasoline engine, the spark plug ignites the fuel-air mixture. In an HCCI engine, ignition is achieved purely by pressure, as in a diesel engine. This is supposed to be more efficient, reducing emissions and allowing engineers to get more power out of a smaller, less-thirsty engine. But gasoline isn’t as easy to ignite with compression as diesel, which is why no HCCI engine has ever made it to production. General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen have all experimented with the technology, though.

Mazda hasn’t confirmed anything, but it may view HCCI as a less-expensive alternative to electrified powertrains. The Japanese automaker has no hybrids or electric cars in its current lineup, instead relying on the Skyactiv engines to cultivate a green image and keep in line with efficiency targets. As one of the world’s smallest full-line carmakers, Mazda has limited resources to develop electrified powertrains; it’s relying on a partnership with Toyota for that.

Mazda isn’t completely ignoring electric cars, though. Officials have said the company will launch an electric car by 2019, although that car may use a gasoline engine as a range extender.
 
Rolls Royce did military multi-fuel diesels (K60 series) in the 60's-70's that could be run on petrol. Were standard in the British army medium-sized AFV's (Abbot SP and FV432). Vertically opposed pairs of pistons (2 per cylinder) and 2-stroke style porting, making for a fairly compact design. I'd guess the Mazda will have to handle higher octane petrol though.

k60-engine-cutaway.jpg
 
The ones I have seen do have spark ignition under light load and cold start conditions. Since the ignition does not spark much, it can be life time spark device, some will use a plug, some may build it into the head. Since it is under light lods, voltage and current requirements are much lower.

Kind of the same way many diesels use glow plugs.

Rod
 
Originally Posted By: gilbertsta
Can we please just get to hydrogen and be done.?
Where is the Hydrogen going to come from in the near future?
 
Back in the 1990s when taking a GM electronics class the instructor Who worked for GM and I personally know mentioned the type of Engine/ignition. From what I recall the spark jumped to the piston Weird but interesting.
 
There was a company working with several manufactures on the gas fired compression ignition engine last year and I hope I can find the information.
 
Hydrogen, Already been around and shown in 2005. Nissan was showing off their fuel cell electric truck and had the 8 foot parabolic mirror to produce hydrogen into a bank in your garage. They were claiming it was cheaper to produce than internal combustion engine vehicle even including the generator because no need for transmission or exhaust emission etc etc. Best thing was if the power grid was low you could plug the truck into your home. Government have to figure out how to collect taxes and oil companies with no need to produce gasoline
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: ragtoplvr
The ones I have seen do have spark ignition under light load and cold start conditions. Since the ignition does not spark much, it can be life time spark device, some will use a plug, some may build it into the head. Since it is under light lods, voltage and current requirements are much lower.

Kind of the same way many diesels use glow plugs.

Rod


Originally Posted By: CT8
Back in the 1990s when taking a GM electronics class the instructor Who worked for GM and I personally know mentioned the type of Engine/ignition. From what I recall the spark jumped to the piston Weird but interesting.


There is no indication in either of the above posts as to what the * you are talking about, but since they both mention spark details, it probably isn't compression ignition.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Compression ignition is called diesel!!

Named after Rudolf Diesel. Originally started with trying to burn peanut oil I believe.
 
So we're approaching diesel as "advanced technology" to solve thermal efficiency problems... Who'd have thought?!?
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
So we're approaching diesel as "advanced technology" to solve thermal efficiency problems... Who'd have thought?!?

At the time of its development it was competing with steam and from what I read was more than twice as efficient. 21% vs 10.
 
Originally Posted By: bioburner
Originally Posted By: Donald
Compression ignition is called diesel!!

Named after Rudolf Diesel. Originally started with trying to burn peanut oil I believe.


The first diesels ran on coal dust/resin. This Mazda engine may or may not be a diesel cycle engine, it could be a hybrid Otto cycle engine using compression ignition injecting fuel during the compression stroke instead of after the compression stoke is complete (diesel cycle).

http://web.mit.edu/16.unified/www/SPRING/propulsion/notes/node25.html
 
The reading of the patents applied for by Rudy are a good read. If I interpreted right and probably not after a long day, that the engine may have been feed both solid and liquid fuel.
Never made any steam-old engine shows last year
 
Do a little google research.

HCCI is kind of a lower temp flameless oxidation of the fuel, this raises the pressure and then the entire mix burns completely very fast but without a lot of NOX formation, with no real central point of ignition and without the harsh knock of a diesel. They do use spark plugs, or a head gasket with the spark element incorporated in it for the non-hcci capable times of operation. The HCCI does not happen on cold starts, or at WOT. It does happen at cruise. The mixture is very lean, it is actually a further development of the Chrysler lean burn system, which got phenomenal mileage (79 318 volarie got 24 in real world driving, exceptional for a V8 in thouse days), but tended to be unreliable as soon as some carbon built up.

I would be surprised if the Mazda starts and idles without a spark.

Rod
 
Last edited:
Found the article on the new compression engine. Achates is developing a 3 cylinder, 3 liter opposed piston engine. Talk about radical. Economy of diesel but almost no problems with emissions.
From the Detroit Free Press, Greg Gardner 12/14/2015
 
Last edited:
Maybe still don't believe the Wright Brothers can't fly?
Was hoping that there would be more conversation after finding the article on the Achates engine
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top