RESEARCH

Direct injection
The major advantages of a GDI engine are increased fuel efficiency and
high power output. Emissions levels can also be more accurately controlled with the GDI
system. The cited gains are achieved by the precise control over the amount of fuel and
injection timings that are varied according to engine load. In addition some engines
operate on full air intake. This means there is no air throttle plate, which greatly improves
efficiency, and reduces piston 'pumping losses'. It also eliminates air throttling losses in
some GDI engines, when compared with conventional fuelinjected or carbureted engines. Engine speed is controlled by the engine control
unit/engine management system (EMS), which regulates fuel injection function and
ignition timing, instead of having a throttle plate that restricts the incoming air supply.
Adding this function to the EMS requires considerable enhancement of its processing and
memory, as direct injection plus the engine speed management must have very precise
algorithms for good performance and drivability.
In 2013, a research by TV NORD found that although gasoline direct injection engines
dramatically reduce CO2 emissions, they release about 1,000 times more particles
classified by the World Health Organization as harmful than traditional petrol engines and
10 times more than new diesel engines. The release happens because direct injection
results in uneven burning of fuel due to uneven mixing of fuel and air (stratification) and
because direct injection engines operate with a higher pressure in their cylinders than the
older engines.
This pollution can be prevented with a relatively inexpensive filter that can significantly
reduce the emissions of particles. However, fitting the filter is not mandatory yet. As of
September 2017, Euro 6 emission regulations will limit particle numbers at a maximum
of 6 x 1011 per kilometer over the New European Driving Cycle. Some gasoline direct
injection engines might require Gasoline Particulate Filters (GPFs) to meet that standard.
Emission
In spark-ignition engines the gases resulting from combustion
of the fuel and air mix are called exhaust gases. The
composition varies from petrol to diesel engines, but is around
these levels:
Combustion-engine exhaust
gases[7]
All figures are approximate

% of total

Compound

Petrol

Diesel

nitrogen

71

67

carbon dioxide

14

12

water vapor

13

11

oxygen

10

Trace elements[citation needed]

< 0.6

~ 0.3

nitrogen oxides

< 0.25

< 0.15

carbon monoxide

1-2

<
0.045
<
0.045

particulate matter
hydrocarbons

< 0.25

< 0.03

sulphur dioxide

possible
traces

< 0.03