Technical Paper
VCR-VVA-High Expansion Ratio, a Very Effective Way to Miller-Atkinson Cycle
2016-04-05
2016-01-0681
Increasing the efficiency of internal combustion engines is mandatory to meet ever more stringent regulations. The implementation of very high compression ratio (> 15:1) is the key to take full advantage of the association of Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) and Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) in the implementation of Miller-Atkinson cycle, leading to higher thermodynamic efficiency and thus better fuel consumption benefits. VVA systems allow differentiating geometric compression ratio and effective compression ratio. They theoretically permit to maximize expansion ratio (i.e. geometric compression ratio) while keeping an effective compression ratio in accordance with the constraints of the knocking limits, but with a limitation on the reachable maximum Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) at low compression ratio and the associated downsizing.