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Split-Cycle Cryo-Diesel Claims 60% Thermal Efficiency
Ricardo UK Ltd. says its cryogenic split-cycle diesel engine concept could significantly reduce emissions in heavy-duty applications.
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Ricardo UK Ltd. says its cryogenic split-cycle diesel engine concept could significantly reduce emissions in heavy-duty applications.
The British engineering company's new CryoPower engine design uses a recuperated split cycle with isothermal compression to achieve an estimated thermal efficiency of 60%. Conventional four-stroke diesels are roughly 40% efficient.
Ricardo's design divides the four strokes between two paired cylinders, one for intake/compression and one for power/exhaust. The system uses heat changers and a compressor and expander device to produce liquid nitrogen that is stored in a tank. The nitrogen is then injected into the combustion chamber to control combustion temperature and increase the mass of the cylinder's gaseous charge.
The Ricardo system borrows from technology the company developed in the 1990s and pursued in a feasibility project begun with the University of Brighton, U.K., two years ago. Its earliest design used water injection to boost the system's thermal efficiency above 60%.
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