Validating the technology by coating at least three different engine components and conducting both highly instrumented single cylinder and four-cylinder engine tests to demonstrate performance and emission improvements, including during cold starts. and selecting the ones with the highest additional benefit for coating and testing. By conducting modeling studies to determine the performance benefits of coating additional engine components, such as valves and cylinder heads. By replacing the solution precursor plasma spray process used in Phase I with the commercial air plasma spray to markedly increase process robustness and reduce coating cost. The SST/CUICAR team will further develop the ultra low thermal conductivity TBC material demonstrated in Phase I to increase its commercial potential by 1. This testing demonstrated up to a 2% thermodynamic efficiency improvement and over a 20% reduction in UBHC emissions, when compared to the same engine run with uncoated pistons. Pistons with a complex geometry were coated and tested in a highly instrumented Buick Regal. This TBC was applied to engine pistons, road tested in a BMW motorcycle, and showed excellent durability. The SST/CUICAR team identified and demonstrated a novel TBC with ultra-low thermal conductivity(<1/3 rd of state of the art yttria stabilized zirconia) and a high coefficient of thermal expansion that better matches that of the aluminum engine components. The hotter exhaust also aids NOx reduction after treatment. The increased coating surface temperatures will also improve oxidation of the charge emanating from the top-land crevices, thereby reducing emission of UBHC and, CO. With the application of TBCs, the heat loss to the piston and the cylinder head can be substantially reduced, leading to higher temperatures in the combustion chamber, which will increase the thermal efficiency of the engine work cycle. A promising way to address the economic and environmental challenge of SI engines is to adopt thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Therefore, there is a significant push by vehicle manufacturers to find effective solutions to improved IC engine efficiency, while simultaneously reducing emissions.
Low wall temperatures at the end of the combustion process leads to emissions of unburned hydrocarbons (UBHC), and carbon monoxide (CO) in the engine exhaust, raising environmental concerns. These SI engines experience exceptionally poor efficiency at low to medium loads and speeds, making it difficult to meet new fuel efficiency standards expected to be imposed in many countries. Novel Thermal Barrier Coatings for Gasoline Spark Ignition Engines -Solution Spray Technologies, LLC, Storrs Mansfield, CT, 104 Timber Drive, Storrs, CT 6268-1227Įric Jordan, Principal Investigator, Nair, Business Official, $1,150,000Ĭurrently spark ignition (SI) engines dominate the light vehicle market, with over 80 million light vehicle engines made worldwide.