Engine Research Group

Welcome to the Home Page of the Internal Combustion Engine Research Group (ERG) at the University of Nottingham.

The ERG is one of the largest university research groups working on spark ignition and diesel engines for the automotive industry. For almost 30 years the ERG has worked closely with Ford Motor Company, Jaguar, Land Rover and other OEM/Oil companies in collaborations which are amongst the most successful between industry and a university.
Research group members currently comprise two Academics (Prof. P. Shayler and Dr A. La Rocca), three Research Fellows, ten Postgraduate Students and six Technicians.

Areas of study include:
Performance and operation of engines during cold-start/warm-up
Cold-engine friction characteristics
Control of emissions to within limits permitted by European and other International standards
Development of the new low carbon engine technologies
Development of computer aided engineering tools based on computational and analytical models
Optical analysis of combustion characteristics

Background

The ERG interacts directly with industry to advance powertrain development and introduce new technology, and pursues complementary lines of fundamental studies which support this. Areas of study include the performance and operation of engines during cold-start and warm-up, mixture preparation, cold-engine friction characteristics, emissions of hydrocarbons, CO, and NOx, and the control of these to within limits permitted by European and other International standards, biofuels and optical analysis of combustion. The Group is working on engine management system applications, new control strategy concepts and calibration techniques, and in areas where new methodologies for rapid, cost-effective development are required. Facilities for experimental studies are excellent and we are highly active in the development of computer aided engineering tools based on computational/analytical models. These include PROMETS (Program for Modelling Engine Thermal Systems), PROMEX (Program for Modelling Exhaust Systems), CECSP (Cold Emissions Cycle Simulation Program), and Nu-Sim, a powertrain-in-vehicle performance simulation code for systems performance analysis and simultaneous engineering studies. Computational studies are also performed, using Kiva-3v release 2 CFD code, to acquire a useful insight on spatial and temporal variation of quantities which control combustion and pollutant formation.

Facilities

With the increasing need for vehicle manufacturers to deliver lower emissions, improved fuel economy and ever higher standards of performance, access to state-of-the-art testing infrastructure has never been more important. The Engine Group at the University of Nottingham has a test facility which is amongst the most advanced in the UK. The expanded facility includes fourteen modern test beds. Brief descriptions of some of them are given below.

Diesel (compression ignition):

A single cylinder diesel engine is used to assess how reductions in compression ratio can adversely affect cold start and idle performance at temperatures down to -20ºC. Direct injection (DI) Diesel engines equipped with twin VGT turbochargers and external EGR, used for investigations into PCCI combustion strategies, characterisation of emissions and cylinder pressure information for development of electronic engine management.

Gasoline (Spark ignition)

SI engine incorporating a twin independent variable valve timing mechanism and fitted with an in-cylinder sampling valve which allows on-line measurement of charge dilution to study the effects of variable valve timing on combustion in SI engines.

Biofuels

Test rigs to analyse effects of ethanol/gasoline blended fuel on cold starting performance are available. Biodiesel unit is available to produce biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. Diesel engines test beds are used to analyse effects of biodiesel blended fuel on engine performance and emissions and as well as on fuel injection equipment.

Friction

A floating liner friction rig and diesel engine test beds are used in analysis of contribution of rings and skirt to piston friction and analysis of friction reduction due to oil additives.

Combustion

An optical pressure vessel with 2 viewing windows equipped with fuel injector and glow plug to mimic a diesel engine combustion chamber is available together with high speed camera to visualize and capture the combustion process. Glow plug protrusion and spray angular position are adjustable. A list of the most recent papers published can be found at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/engines-group For more information please click one of the headings in the left hand column.