2019/01/16
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Keio University
Kyoto University
The University of Tokyo
Waseda University
Within the "Innovative Combustion Technology" program of the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) (Program Director: Masanori Sugiyama, Toyota Motor Corporation), managed by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) [President: Michinari Hamaguchi] under the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Cabinet Office, a research group including Project Professor Norimasa Iida of Keio University, Professor Takuji Ishiyama of Kyoto University, and Project Research Professor Yasuhiro Daisho of Waseda University has successfully achieved a maximum net thermal efficiency exceeding 50% for both gasoline and diesel engines for passenger cars.
The thermal efficiency of passenger car engines currently on the market is around 40%. This project set an ambitious goal of further increasing thermal efficiency by 10% in the short period of five years, an improvement that had previously taken automotive companies about 40 years to achieve.
In this project, we successfully achieved ultra-lean combustion (super lean burn) for gasoline engines and high-speed spatial combustion for diesel engines. Furthermore, through research and development aimed at reducing losses common to both engines, we developed technologies to reduce mechanical friction loss, improve the efficiency of the turbocharging system, and enhance the efficiency of the thermoelectric conversion system. By integrating these technologies, we were able to obtain a maximum net thermal efficiency of 51.5% for the gasoline engine and 50.1% for the diesel engine.
In addition, this project also saw the successful development of "HINOCA (Kashin)," a 3D combustion analysis software for automotive engines; "RYUCA (Ryujin)," a model for PM (particulate matter) generation; and "RAICA (Raijin)," a model-based control system for automotive engine combustion, by a team led by Professor Shigehiko Kaneko of The University of Tokyo.
These results will help reduce the environmental impact of vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines, which are predicted to remain mainstream for the next several decades, and contribute to the reduction of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Furthermore, they will advance basic science in the field of combustion while also strengthening Japan's industrial competitiveness.
These research achievements were accomplished by establishing and operating an "industry-industry-academia-academia collaboration system," which drew out the fundamental research capabilities of academia across Japan. Industry and academia have begun initiatives to ensure this system continues even after the project concludes.
The details above will be presented at the final public symposium for the SIP Innovative Combustion Technology program, to be held on January 28, 2019.
For the full press release, please see below.