This proposed research focuses on elucidating the impact of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) on the Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) engines, and designing an engineered coating that will produce the most desirable effects on combustion, efficiency, and emissions. Autoignition, combustion, and stability in an LTC engine critically depend on the interplay between the in-cylinder thermal environment and chemical kinetics. The impact of a thermal barrier on LTC engines was discovered recently but remains poorly understood. This effort will generate insight into mechanisms and magnitude of the effects. The research team will distinguish between the pure thermal and possible catalytic effects of coatings on thermo-kinetic processes in the cylinder, and quantify the improvement of engine thermal efficiency, LTC combustion efficiency, reduction of unburned hydrocarbons (UBHC), and CO emissions. The expected outcomes will remove some of the remaining obstacles to the practical implementation of LTC engines and reveal its impact on vehicle fuel economy. In addition to creating opportunities for PhD students, the research concepts from this project will be integrated into the courses in the Advanced Powertrain Track at Clemson University (CU), and incorporated in the unique MS program in Automotive Engineering that includes design and fabrication of a prototype vehicle. CU will also utilize outreach programs with a local elementary school and the Southern Automotive Women?s Forum to encourage young women and men to pursue STEM fields through immersion in hands-on demonstrations of advanced engine concepts. Additionally, the team will develop a workshop for the DaVinci Program of University of Connecticut (the collaborative institution), a flagship activity that trains inner city teachers in how science and math are applied to engineering.
