Keio University, Kyoto University, and Waseda University have succeeded in exceeding the net maximum thermal efficiency of 50% for both gasoline and diesel engines for passenger cars.This achievement was obtained in the research and development of the Cabinet Office's Strategic Innovation Creation Program (SIP) "Innovative Combustion Technology".
The thermal efficiency of passenger car engines currently on the market is about 40%.The project has set an ambitious goal of increasing the thermal efficiency, which automobile companies have improved by about 40% over the past 10 years, by another 5% in a short period of 10 years.
The project succeeded in achieving ultra-lean combustion for gasoline engines and high-speed space combustion for diesel engines.Furthermore, through research and development for loss reduction common to both engines, we have developed technology for reducing mechanical friction loss, technology for improving the efficiency of turbocharged systems, and technology for improving the efficiency of thermoelectric conversion systems.As a result of integrating these technologies, a net maximum thermal efficiency of 51.5% for gasoline engines and 50.1% for diesel engines was obtained.
In addition, the University of Tokyo has succeeded in constructing a three-dimensional combustion analysis software for automobile engines, a model for PM (particulate matter) generation, and a model-based control system for automobile engine combustion.
This achievement will contribute to the reduction of environmental load and the reduction of global carbon dioxide emissions by automobiles equipped with internal combustion engines, which are considered to be the mainstream for the next few decades, and will further develop the basic science of the combustion field and compete with Japanese industry. Expected to strengthen power.In addition, it is the result obtained by the "industry-industry-academia-academia collaboration system" in which multiple companies and universities collaborate, and industry-academia efforts have started so that this system will continue even after the project is completed.
