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Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines

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A special issue of Fire (ISSN 2571-6255).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 18558

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Prof. Dr. Jiaqiang E

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Guest Editor

College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
Interests: green manufacturing; sustainable management and technology; field synergy analysis; biodiesel combustion in diesel engine; after-treatment system of automotive systems; multidisciplinary design optimization; intelligent information fusion; active control and signal processing
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Prof. Dr. Mingzhang Pan

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Guest Editor

School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Interests: intelligent control direction; artificial intelligence; intelligent energy; new energy vehicle technology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The extensive use of internal combustion engines has made people's lives more convenient and has improved living standards, but the exhaust pollution generated by internal combustion engines is also a growing concern in today's society. Energy saving and emission reduction have become two of the most important methods of realizing green and sustainable development.

At the same time, with the implementation of the increasingly stringent regulations on the exhaust gas constituents, many clean-combustion and low-pollution emission control technologies have been developed in the past 30 years. Through the application of these technologies, hydrocarbon (HC), nitrogen oxide (NO_x), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and particulate matter (PM) emissions from combustion can be mitigated effectively. Currently, the combustion process, emission control and energy generation in internal combustion engines are attracting more and more attention from researchers across the world.

To promote communication between researchers, we invite them to contribute original research and review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the combustion process, emission control and energy generation in internal combustion engines.

Prof. Dr. Jiaqiang E
Prof. Dr. Mingzhang Pan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fire is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

clean combustion technology
emission control technology
energy generation
internal combustion engine

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

35 pages, 10906 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Natural Gas Substitution Rate and Diesel Injection Strategies on Performance and NO_x Emissions of Diesel–Natural Gas Dual-Fuel Engines

by Chuanfu Kou, Xigan Chen, Shiqi Zeng, Jiaqiang E and Yinjie Ma

Fire 2026, 9(7), 297; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9070297 - 13 Jul 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 580

Abstract

Background: As global environmental issues and the energy crisis continue to intensify, diesel–natural gas dual-fuel engines have been extensively studied due to their stable combustion, low emissions, abundant natural gas reserves, and relatively low cost. Methods: Based on a modified YCK15 six-cylinder heavy-duty diesel engine, the experiments and GT-SUITE v2016 simulation were used to study the effects of NG substitution rate (NGSR) and diesel injection timing (DIT) on the combustion characteristics, power and emission performance of a diesel–NG dual-fuel engine running at 1800 rpm, with NGSR ranging from 0 to 50% and DIT ranging from 5 °CA BTDC to 17 °CA BTDC under four engine load conditions: 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%. Significant Findings: The results showed that the NGSR and DIT have considerable impact on performance enhancement and emission reduction. As NGSR increased, cylinder pressure decreased under high load and increased under low load. Under four loads, the temperature inside the cylinder revealed a downward trend, and the power and indicated thermal efficiency (ITE) decreased slightly, with power and ITE declining by less than 5% and 2%, but the fuel economy and emissions were well improved. Compared to 50% NGSR and pure diesel condition, brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) decreased by 5.63%, 4.60%, 2.98%, and 1.83%, respectively, and NO_x emissions decreased by 32.68%, 36.41%, 37.90%, and 38.99%, respectively. As DIT increased, cylinder pressure and temperature both increased under all four load conditions, and the power and ITE improved significantly, but this caused an increase in NOx emissions. Compared to DIT of 17 °CA BTDC with 5 °CA BTDC, power increased by 8.29%, 9.76%, 13.38%, and 16.51%, respectively, and ITE increased by 7.69%, 8.77%, 11.46%, and 12.77%, respectively. The response surface was established and performance optimized using the design of experiments (DOE) module in GT-SUITE v2016. At an NGSR of 50% and 100% loads, the optimized power was 0.431% higher than the pure diesel mode, ITE was 0.396% higher, brake-specific fuel consumption was reduced by 7.397%, and NO_x emissions were reduced by 27.027%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines)

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24 pages, 4987 KB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Sustainable Internal Combustion Engines: Optimization of Cobalt Oxide Nano-Additive Microalgae Biodiesel Blends for Emission Mitigation and Performance Enhancement

by Arif Savaş, Samet Uslu, Oğuzhan Der, Gonca Uslu and Ramazan Şener

Fire 2026, 9(6), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9060250 - 12 Jun 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 811

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of Cobalt Oxide (Co₃O₄) nanoparticles on engine performance as well as emission characteristics under various engine load situations in test fuel (MB10). Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to examine the experimental results to assess the impact of nanoparticle concentration (0–150 ppm) on combustion behavior. Brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were performance metrics, and CO, HC, CO₂, and NO_x were emission characteristics. The findings demonstrated that the inclusion of nanoparticles and biodiesel had a major impact on emission behavior and performance. Because biodiesel contains more oxygen than diesel fuel, it reduces CO emissions while increasing CO₂ and NO_x emissions. By boosting heat transmission, the use of nanoparticles increased combustion efficiency; however, fuel atomization was adversely affected by high concentrations. With error rates under 10% for every response, RSM models showed excellent prediction accuracy. To achieve 21% BTE, 458.21 g/kWh BSFC, and minimum emission levels of 0.048% CO, 9.478 ppm HC, 5.415% CO₂, and 601.09 ppm NO_x, the optimization study identified the optimal operating condition with a 1.31 kW engine load and 80.36 ppm Co₃O₄ addition. The results verify that the proper dosage of nanoparticles can enhance the combustion performance of biodiesel while preserving acceptable emission levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines)

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21 pages, 4207 KB

Open AccessArticle

Fueling the Future: Condensate Petroleum as a Novel Alternative Fuel for Diesel Engines

by Gökhan Öztürk and Müjdat Fırat

Fire 2026, 9(3), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9030127 - 17 Mar 2026

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2172

Abstract

This study explores the viability of condensate petroleum, an ultra-light hydrocarbon derived from natural gas production, as an alternative diesel engine fuel. The researchers tested six different fuel blends, increasing the condensate volume by 10% increments, in a compression ignition engine under three distinct load conditions (25%, 50%, and 75%) to evaluate both combustion characteristics and emission performance. The results demonstrate that condensate blends significantly enhance key combustion parameters. The heat release rate, in-cylinder pressure, and in-cylinder temperature all increased, with the highest heat release rate improvement of 35.6% observed at a 75% load using a 60% condensate petroleum blend. However, increasing the condensate ratio also extended ignition delay times and raised the ringing intensity, which peaked with a 34.7% increase at a 25% load. Brake thermal efficiency improved at lower and medium loads—achieving a maximum 11.2% increase with the 50% condensate petroleum blend at 50% load—but decreased when the engine reached 75% load. In terms of environmental impact, the condensate blends proved largely beneficial. Carbon monoxide emissions dropped by 57.9% (at 75% load, 60% condensate petroleum), smoke opacity decreased by 72.6% (at 25% load, 40% condensate petroleum), and hydrocarbons fell by 34.4% (at 50% load, 60% condensate petroleum). The primary drawback was that nitrogen oxide emissions worsened, increasing by 20.4% at 75% load with the 50% condensate petroleum blend. Overall, the study concludes that the effects of condensate petroleum are highly acceptable, making it a promising alternative fuel and additive for diesel engines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines)

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22 pages, 1726 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis of Chemical Reaction Mechanisms of Ammonia-n-Heptane Mixtures: From Ignition, Oxidation, and Laminar Flame Propagation to Engine Applications

by Yongzhong Huang, Lin Lyu, Qihang Chen, Yue Chen, Junjie Liang, He Yang and Neng Zhu

Fire 2025, 8(9), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8090357 - 6 Sep 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1764

Abstract

The ammonia-n-heptane reaction mechanism is essential for simulation of the in-cylinder process for diesel-ignited ammonia engines. To gain insight into the differences in predictive performance among various ammonia-n-heptane reaction mechanisms, four mechanisms were comprehensively evaluated and analyzed based on the modeling of ignition, oxidation, laminar flame propagation and in-cylinder combustion processes. The result shows that only under high ammonia blending ratios and elevated temperatures are discrepancies in predicted ignition delay times observed among the studied reaction mechanisms. Regarding the oxidation process, on the whole, the concerned mechanisms can reasonably predict concentrations of reactants and complete combustion products. However, significant discrepancies exist among the mechanisms in predicting concentrations of intermediate species and other products. For laminar burning velocity, the modeled values from the studied mechanisms are consistent with experimental results under both fuel-lean and -rich conditions. The Wang mechanism exhibits significant deviations from the other three mechanisms in predicting reaction pathways of ammonia and n-heptane. From the perspective of reaction class, the studied mechanisms are similar to each other, to some extent, in the key reactions governing consumption of ammonia and n-heptane. For the engine simulation, the predicted in-cylinder pressure and temperature profiles show minimal variations across different reaction mechanisms. In conclusion, the Fang mechanism can be selected to understand more accurately ignition, oxidation and flame characteristics of ammonia-n-heptane mixtures, while to reduce the engineering computational cost of the engine simulation, the Wang mechanism tends to be a good choice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines)

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22 pages, 6274 KB

Open AccessArticle

Performance and Emissions Assessment of a Micro-Turbojet Engine Fueled with Jet A and Blends of Propanol, Butanol, Pentanol, Hexanol, Heptanol, and Octanol

by Grigore Cican, Valentin Silivestru, Radu Mirea, Sibel Osman, Florin Popescu, Olga Valerica Sapunaru and Razvan Ene

Fire 2025, 8(4), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8040150 - 8 Apr 2025

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2994

Abstract

This study examines the impact of alcohol blends on the performance and emissions of aviation micro-turbojet engines. Thus, propanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol, and octanol were tested at 10%, 20%, and 30% concentrations and mixed with Jet A, as well as with an additional 5% heptanol blend to preserve base fuel properties, to fuel a JetCat P80 micro-turbojet. Physicochemical properties such as density, viscosity, and elemental composition were analyzed before engine testing. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from 1 kg of fuel combustion varied, with propanol yielding the lowest at 3.02 kg CO₂ per kg of fuel and octanol yielding the highest at 3.22 kg CO₂ per kg of fuel. The following results were obtained: alcohol blends lowered exhaust gas temperature by up to 7.5% at idle and intermediate thrust but slightly increased it at maximum power; fuel mass flow increased with alcohol concentration, peaking at 20.4% above Jet A for 30% propanol; and thrust varied from −4.92% to +7.4%. While specific fuel consumption increased by up to 12.8% for propanol, thermal efficiency declined by 1.8–5.6% and combustion efficiency remained within ±2% of Jet A. Butanol and octanol emerged as viable alternatives, balancing emissions reduction and efficiency. The results emphasize the need for an optimal trade-off between environmental impact and engine performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines)

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33 pages, 14926 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Combined 1D/3D Method to Accurately Model Fuel Stratification in an Advanced Combustion Engine

by Adiel Sadloe, Pourya Rahnama, Ricardo Novella and Bart Somers

Fire 2025, 8(3), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8030117 - 20 Mar 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2724

Abstract

For computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling of advanced combustion engines, the cylinder is usually considered a closed system in which the initial conditions are estimated based on the experimental data. Most of these approximations hinder observing the effect of design parameters on engine performance and emissions accurately, and most studies are limited to a few design parameters. An approach is proposed based on the combination of a 1D gas dynamic and a 3D CFD model to simulate the whole engine with as few simplifications as possible. The impact of changing the in-cylinder initial conditions, injection strategy (dual direct injection or multiple pulse injections), and piston bowl geometry on a reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engine’s performance, emissions, and fuel stratification levels was investigated. It was found that applying the dual direct injection (DDI) strategy to the engine can be promising to reach higher load operations by reducing the pressure rise rate and causing stronger stratification levels. Increasing the number of injection pulses leads to lower Soot/NOx emissions. The best reduction in the pressure rise rate was found by the dual direct strategy (38.36% compared to the base experimental case) and higher exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) levels (41.83% reduction in comparison with the base experimental case). With the help of a novel piston bowl design, HC and CO emissions were reduced significantly. This resulted in a reduction of 54.58% in HC emissions and 80.22% in CO emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines)

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23 pages, 7923 KB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction and Simulation of Biodiesel Combustion in Diesel Engines: Evaluating Physicochemical Properties, Performance, and Emissions

by Hamza Bousbaa, Noureddine Kaid, Sultan Alqahtani, Chemseddine Maatki, Khatir Naima, Younes Menni and Lioua Kolsi

Fire 2024, 7(10), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7100364 - 11 Oct 2024

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6124

Abstract

Environmental and energy sustainability concerns have catalyzed a global transition toward renewable biofuel alternatives. Among these, biodiesel stands out as a promising substitute for conventional diesel in compression-ignition engines, providing compatibility without requiring modifications to engine design. A comprehensive understanding of biodiesel’s physical properties is crucial for accurately modeling fuel spray, atomization, combustion, and emissions in diesel engines. This study focuses on predicting the physical properties of PODL20 and EB100, including liquid viscosity, density, vapor pressure, latent heat of vaporization, thermal conductivity, gas diffusion coefficients, and surface tension, all integrated into the CONVERGE CFD fuel library for improved combustion simulations. Subsequently, numerical simulations were conducted using the predicted properties of the biodiesels, validated by experimental in-cylinder pressure data. The prediction models demonstrated excellent alignment with the experimental results, confirming their accuracy in simulating spray dynamics, combustion processes, turbulence, ignition, and emissions. Notably, significant improvements in key combustion parameters, such as cylinder pressure and heat release rate, were recorded with the use of biodiesels. Specifically, the heat release rates for PODL20 and EB100 reached 165.74 J/CA and 140.08 J/CA, respectively, compared to 60.2 J/CA for conventional diesel fuel. Furthermore, when evaluating both soot and NO_x emissions, EB100 displayed a more balanced performance, achieving a significant reduction in soot emissions of 34.21% alongside a moderate increase in NO_x emissions of 45.5% compared to diesel fuel. In comparison to PODL20, reductions of 20.4% in soot emissions and 3% in NO_x emissions were also noted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Combustion Process, Emission Control, and Energy Generation in Internal Combustion Engines)

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