Effect of altitude conditions on combustion and performance of a turbocharged direct-injection diesel engine

Market globalization necessitates the development of heavy duty diesel engines that can operate at altitudes up to 5000 m without significant performance deterioration. But the current scenario is that existing studies on high altitude effects are still not sufficient or detailed enough to take effective measures. This study applied a single cylinder direct injection diesel engine with simulated boosting pressure to investigate the performance degradation at high altitude, with the aim of adding more knowledge to the literature. Such a research engine was conducted at constant speed and injection strategy but different ambient conditions from sea level to 5000 m in altitude. The results indicated the effects of altitude on engine combustion and performance can be summarized as two aspects. First comes the extended ignition delay at high altitude, which would raise the rate of pressure rise to a point that can exceed the maximum allowable limit and therefore shorten the engine lifespan. The other disadvantage of high-altitude operation is the reduced excess air ratio and gas density inside cylinder. Worsened spray formation and mixture preparation, together with insufficient and late oxidation, would result in reduced engine efficiency, increased emissions, and power loss. The combustion and performance deteriorations were noticeable when the engine was operated above 4000 m in altitude. All these findings support the need for further fundamental investigations of in-cylinder activities of diesel engines working at plateau regions.