Recent Advances and Technologies in Internal Combustion Engines: Combustion Analysis and Emission Control

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue of MDPI Processes entitled, “Recent Advances and Technologies in Internal Combustion Engines: Combustion Analysis and Emission Control”.

Over the past decades, internal combustion engine (ICE) technology has been the backbone of transportation, power generation, and industrial applications worldwide. However, growing environmental concerns, stringent emission regulations, and the imperative to enhance fuel efficiency have pushed the research community to deeply reconsider combustion strategies, alternative fuels, advanced injection and after-treatment systems, and predictive diagnostics. Meanwhile, advances in computational modeling, experimental diagnostics, and sensor technologies are reshaping how combustion phenomena and emissions are understood—enabling more precise control, lower pollutant formation, and better alignment with sustainability goals. This Special Issue aims to capture and showcase the most recent high-quality contributions that advance our understanding of combustion processes, emission formation mechanisms, and novel control methods in ICE systems, while highlighting engineering solutions that address the twin challenges of performance and environmental impact.

This Special Issue on “Recent Advances and Technologies in Internal Combustion Engines: Combustion Analysis and Emission Control” seeks high-quality original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications focused on innovations in combustion analysis, emissions reduction, and related technologies. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Experimental and numerical studies of in-cylinder combustion processes in gasoline, diesel, dual-fuel, HHO, hydrogen-enriched, biodiesel, and bio-fuel blends.
• Advanced fuel injection strategies (e.g., high-pressure injection, multi-injection, alternative fuel injection) and their effects on combustion stability, efficiency, and emissions.
• Combustion diagnostics using optical methods, laser-based measurements, in-cylinder pressure/temperature analysis, and advanced in situ sensing technologies.
• Emission formation mechanisms: NO_x, soot, CO, unburned hydrocarbons (UHC), particulate matter (PM), and other regulated/unregulated pollutants under varied operating conditions.
• Post-combustion emission control technologies: after-treatment systems (e.g., catalytic converters, particulate filters), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and hybrid approaches.
• Engine calibration, control algorithms and strategies, and real-time control methods for the optimization of combustion and emissions under transient and steady-state conditions.
• Life-cycle assessment (LCA), exergy/thermodynamic analyses, sustainability, and environmental impact assessments of ICEs using conventional and alternative fuels.
• Simulation, modeling, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of combustion and pollutant formation, including machine learning or data-driven modeling approaches.
• Hybrid energy systems integrating ICEs with H₂, HHO, syngas, or other alternative energy carriers, and their combustion/emission performance.
• Comparative analyses of conventional vs. advanced/alternative fuel-based ICEs—performance, efficiency, emissions, trade-offs, and real-world applicability.

We welcome submissions of original research articles, state-of-the-art reviews, methodological advances, short communications, and case studies. We strongly encourage works that combine experimental and computational approaches, address real-world engine conditions or regulatory emission limits, and provide insights toward sustainable and low-emission ICE technology.

Dr. Salih Özer
Dr. Erdinç Vural
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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes 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.

• internal combustion engines (ICEs)
• combustion analysis
• emission control technologies
• alternative fuels (hydrogen, HHO, biodiesel, ammonia)
• computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
• engine performance and optimization
• NO_x and soot reduction
• fuel injection strategies
• sustainable combustion systems
• energy and exergy analysis