DieselNet Technology Guide � Combustion Systems

DieselNet.com. Copyright � Ecopoint Inc. Revision 2019.02

Variable Compression Ratio
Hannu J��skel�inen

Abstract: Variable compression ratio can offer a number of benefits, such as

limiting the required peak firing pressure in diesels and counteracting the
efficiency loss due to knock in spark ignited engines. The mechanisms for varying
engine compression ratio include a two-step system where a low or a high
compression ratio can be selected or a continuously variable compression system.
Most two-step systems utilize a variable length connecting rod, while a variety of
mechanisms have been proposed for continuously variable systems.
Introduction
Two-Step Systems
Continuously Variable Systems
Diesel Engine Benefits
Gasoline Engine Benefits
Introduction

Variable compression ratio offers a number of benefits for diesel and gasoline
engines. While the concept has been studied for many years [Salisbury 1917][Talbot
1931][Woodruff 1947][Ericson 1950][Shaik 2007], the added cost and complexity have
been difficult to justify for many applications. Developments that have provided a
simpler mechanism through the use of variable length connecting rods appear to make
this a viable option for volume production.

The mechanisms for varying compression ratio include either a two-step system where
a low or a high compression ratio can be selected or a continuously variable system
where any compression ratio between a low and high value can be selected.

Two-step systems include AVL�s and FEV�s variable length connecting rod.
Continuously variable systems can be implemented through a variety of mechanisms
including:

Multilink mechanism between the crankshaft and piston, Nissan and MCE-5
Movable head/cylinder, SAAB [Nilsson 1995] and Enerva [Mendler 2015]
Eccentric crankshaft journals, Caterpillar [Green 2002][Duffy 2006][Lawrence 2008]
Movable piston crown [Brevick 1998]
Two-Step Systems

AVL System
AVL�s two step variable compression ratio system uses a telescopic connecting rod,
Figure 1. Actuation is by gas or mass forces. Inertia force FM and gas force FG are
used to lengthen and shorten the connecting rod. The translatoric joint shortens
the connecting rod when the resultant shaft force FR is toward the center of the
crankshaft (FG > FM) and extends the connecting rod when it is in the opposite
direction (FG < FM). Limit stops define the minimum and maximum connecting rod
length. To �hold� one of the two positions, oil is transferred into the volumes
below or above the translatoric joint. A control system signals when a change in
connecting rod length is required [Sorger 2016][Fraidl 2016].

[schematic]
Figure 1. AVL�s telescopic connecting rod
FEV System
FEV developed a variable length connecting rod, Figure 2, that can provide a two-
step variable compression ratio. A variation in the connecting rod length is
achieved using a rotatable eccentric at the small end of the rod.

[photo]
Figure 2. FEV�s variable length connecting rod
(Source: FEV)
In this system, two pistons contained within the connecting rod rotate the
eccentric to lengthen or shorten the distance between the large and small end bore
centerlines, Figure 3. Oil to these pistons is supplied from the crankshaft journal
and a control valve immediately below the small end directs oil to one of the two
pistons. The control valve is moved with a �cam disc carrier� mounted on the engine
block immediately below the bottom of the cylinder. Details can be found in the
literature [Kleeberg 2014].

[schematic]
Figure 3. Oil piston mechanism in the FEV�s connecting rod
Continuously Variable Systems

Nissan
Nissan�s continuously variable compression ratio system is based on a multilink
mechanism mounted between the crankshaft journal and piston pin, Video 1. An
actuator that rotates an eccentrically mounted control shaft moves the pivot point
of the linkage allowing the range of piston motion to move up or down in the
cylinder without changing the stroke length [Hiyoshi 2013][Kendall 2016][Fujimoto
2016]. The system was commercially launched in the 4-cylinder, 2.0 L VC-Turbo
gasoline engine available in the MY 2019 Nissan Altima and Infiniti QX50 models.

Video 1. Nissan variable compression ratio mechanism

(Source: California ARB & Nissan)
MCE-5
MCE-5 also uses a multilink mechanism mounted between the crankshaft journal and
piston pin for their continuously variable compression ratio system, Video 2. The
approach is similar the Nissan�s: the pivot point of a linkage connected to the
crankshaft and piston is moved up or down to move the range of piston motion up or
down in the cylinder without affecting the stroke length.

Video 2. MCE-5 variable compression ratio mechanism

(Source: MCE-5 Development S.A.)
Diesel Engine Benefits

In diesel engines, several approaches to utilizing the benefits of variable

compression ratio are possible:

Maintaining a typical diesel compression ratio of around 15:1 at part load while
using a reduced compression ratio at high load to limit peak firing pressures.
Increasing part load compression ratio to improve part load efficiency and reducing
compression ratio at high load to limit peak firing pressure.
An alternate to reducing compression ratio, Miller intake valve timing, has the
disadvantage of reducing volumetric efficiency if applied at high load conditions
and thus requiring a boosting system capable of increased delivery pressure.

Maintaining Part Load Compression Ratio. In the first approach, peak firing
pressures are limited without negatively affecting the engine�s part load behavior.
This can be exploited, for example, to down-size light-duty diesel engines or
increase the rate of EGR at full load in heavy-duty engines [Wittek 2009][Wittek
2009a]. With a variable compression ratio diesel engine, the compression ratio used
at part load can remain in the range of 15-16.5 that is common in modern engines.
This would ensure good combustion stability and can assist in reductions in CO and
HC emissions in the low-load range�especially at low engine and ambient
temperatures. It also does not require a substantially different approach to
combustion chamber design; ensuring that current approaches to combustion chamber
design, such as using a re-entrant bowl, remain applicable.
At a fixed compression ratio, increasing EGR rate at full load while keeping engine
output fixed or increasing power/torque density for downsizing would lead to
increased peak cylinder pressure. In order to stay within the material property
limits of the engine materials, compromises such as retarded injection timing
and/or fuel injection quantity would be required. Alternatively, a lower fixed
compression ratio would address the full load challenge and provide some part load
benefits such as reduced PM emissions, but would yield lower part load efficiency,
Figure 4 [Nanjundaswamy 2016].

Figure 4. Low load benefits of higher compression ratio

Part load engine test results with 1.6 L HECS engine with either a 14 or 17
compression ratio (1500 rpm, 3 bar bmep)
With a variable compression ratio, the peak cylinder pressure increase can be
mitigated by reducing compression ratio at full load. This can lead to improved
full load efficiency and/or increased performance levels. Figure 5 illustrates an
example of a variable compression ratio strategy for a downsized light-duty diesel
engine [Wittek 2009].

Figure 5. A potential two-step variable compression ratio strategy for light-duty

diesel engines
Figure 6 illustrates the effect on power density for an engine with two charging
concepts. As can be seen, a variable compression ratio yields only minor benefits
for a boost system delivering 2.8 bar at the point of nominal power output. A
compression ratio decrease from 16 to 14 at 80 kW/L reduces peak pressure by
approximately 10 bar. For the 3.5 bar boost system, a much greater benefit can be
seen [Wittek 2009].

Figure 6. Effect of compression ratio on peak cylinder pressure for two intake
manifold pressures
In Figure 6, the following conditions and assumptions apply:

Boost pressure adjusted to achieve constant values

Exhaust gas temperature set to a constant 800�C via injection quantity
Constant progression of combustion assumed
Peak firing pressure controlled via combustion phasing
Increased Part Load Compression Ratio. In the second approach, part load efficiency
can be substantially improved. However, if current combustion chamber designs such
as re-entrant bowls are scaled to higher compression ratios such as 20:1, problems
with fuel targeting can occur when the compression ratio is reduced at high load
because of the variable squish gap height. Thus, this approach requires a
substantially different combustion chamber design approach. One combustion chamber
design that has been shown to be suitable for this approach is an open W-bowl,
Figure 7 [Schramm 2016].

[schematic]
Figure 7. Open W-bowl combustion chamber for a light-duty diesel variable
compression ratio concept
The following figures illustrate the estimated effect of different piston bowl
geometries on the part and full load NOx/particulates and NOx/ISFC trade-offs
[Schramm 2016]. A 20:1 compression ratio is used at part load and 11:1 at full
load. While, a re-entrant (omega) bowl could give very good results at the part
load condition even with a 20:1 compression ratio, its particulate emissions and
fuel consumption would degrade significantly at the high load condition with 11:1
compression ratio. Conversely, a flat dish bowl would give excellent results at
high load but particulate emissions at part load would increase significantly with
little fuel consumption benefit. The open W bowl provides fuel consumption benefits
at both part load and full load while minimizing the particulate penalty. The
higher compression ratio at part load has the effect of increased NOx in this
example where EGR rate was fixed. Depending on the driving cycle, this variable
compression ratio concept may require increased EGR and/or urea consumption (if an
SCR catalyst is used) to offset this increase at part load. Again, depending on the
driving cycle, the increased part load particulates may be offset by the
significant reduction at full load or they may lead to increased active DPF
regeneration frequency.

Figure 8. Simulated effect of piston bowl geometry on emissions and fuel

consumption with variable compression ratio
NOx, PM and ISFC relative to the baseline case of CR = 16.2. Part load: 1200 rpm,
~8.5 bar IMEP. Full load: 4000 rpm. Constant: boost pressure, EGR rate, swirl at
IVC, injected fuel mass, injection timing (PI, MI). Variable: CA50%, IMEP, max.
cylinder pressure.

Figure 9. Simulated effect of piston bowl geometry on wall heat losses with
variable compression ratio
Heat loss ranges for data points in Figure 8.
Gasoline Engine Benefits

In gasoline engines, the benefits of variable compression ratio are summarized in

Figure 10. At low load, high compression ratio offers benefits due to the well-
known relationship between compression ratio and ideal cycle thermodynamic
efficiency. However, at high load this relationship does not hold due to knock
considerations. Under conditions where knock is likely to be encountered,
efficiency is maximized at relatively low compression ratio because spark timing
can be optimized for efficiency. A high compression ratio would require retarding
the spark timing and phasing the combustion event well into the expansion stroke
[Tomazic 2012].

Figure 10. Effect of compression ratio on SI engine BSFC at part load and full load
WOT = Wide open throttle
Figure 11 illustrates in more detail the effect of compression ratio on full load
BSFC in a gasoline engine limited by knock. In this example, the full load fuel
consumption improvement can be as high as 15% for a decrease in compression ratio
from 11.0 to 9.0 [Schernus 2014].

Figure 11. Simulated effect of compression ratio on full load BSFC

1.8 L turbocharged GDI engine, 95 RON fuel
Continuous vs. Two-Step Systems. While continuously variable compression ratio
allows maximum flexibility, two-step systems offer most of the benefits at a
fraction of the complexity and cost. In one example by AVL, compression ratio
switching between 9.5 and 14 using a two-step mechanism in a 2.5 MPa BMEP gasoline
engine provided BSFC values very similar to those for a continuously variable
compression ratio engine (VCR curve of the VCR/GDI chart under Miller Cycle
Engines) [Sorger 2016].

Another study suggests that for a 1550 kg gasoline fueled vehicle, the benefit of
continuously variable compression ratio compared to a two-step approach over the
WTLC and ARTEMIS drive cycle is minimal. However, for a 1300 kg gasoline fueled
vehicle, an additional 2-2.5% CO2 reduction was possible with continuously variable
compression ratio [Constensou 2016].

References
Brevick, J.E., 1998. �Variable compression ratio piston�, US Patent, 5,755,192
(Ford), https://www.google.com/patents/US5755192
Constensou, C., V. Collee, 2016. �VCR-VVA-High Expansion Ratio, a Very Effective
Way to Miller-Atkinson Cycle�, SAE Technical Paper 2016-01-0681, doi:10.4271/2016-
01-0681
Duffy, K.P., 2006. �Heavy-Duty HCCI Development Activities at Caterpillar�, US DOE,
12th Diesel Engine Emissions Reduction Conference (DEER), Detroit, MI, August 2006,
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/pdfs/deer_2006/session1/2006_deer_duf
fy.pdf
Ericson, G.R., 1950. �Variable compression engine�, US Patent, 2,523,105,
https://www.google.com/patents/US2523105
Fraidl, G., 2016. �Variable Compression Ratio � in a Technology Competition ?�,
37th Vienna Motor Symposium,
https://www.avl.com/documents/10138/2703308/05.16_PTE_brochure_web_2-
step+Variable+Geometric+Compression_EN
Fujimoto, Y., 2016. �Introduction of Variable Compression Turbo Engine�, Advanced
Clean Cars Symposium: The Road Ahead, September 27-28, 2016,
https://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/consumer_info/advanced_clean_cars/vct_engine_technolo
gy_yutaka_fujimoto.pdf
Green, J., 2002. �Novel Combustion Regimes for Higher Efficiency and Lower
Emissions�, "Brown Bag" Luncheon Series, December 16, 2002
Hiyoshi, R., 2013. �Variable compression ratio engine�, US Patent, 8,844,479
(Nissan), https://www.google.com/patents/US8844479
Kendall, J., 2016. �Nissan unveils 2018 production variable-compression-ratio ICE�,
SAE International, October 3, 2016, http://articles.sae.org/15040/
Kleeberg, H., et al., 2014. �Two-Stage Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) System to
Increase Efficiency in Gasoline Powertrains�, 2014 CRC Advanced Fuel and Engine
Efficiency Workshop, Baltimore, February 25th, 2014,
https://crcao.org/workshops/2014AFEE/Final%20Presentations/Day%201%20Session
%201%20SI-Octane%20Presentations/1-2%20Kleeberg,%20Henning_20140225.pdf
Lawrence, K.E., et al., 2008. �Eccentric crank variable compression ratio
mechanism�, US Patent 7,370,613, https://www.google.com/patents/US7370613
Mendler, C., et al., 2015. �High Efficiency VCR Engine with Variable Valve
Actuation and new Supercharging Technology�, 2015 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program and Vehicle Technologies Office Annual Merit Review
and Peer Evaluation Meeting, June 8�12, 2015 Arlington, Virginia,
https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/06/f23/ace092_mendler_2015.pdf
Nanjundaswamy, H., et al., 2016. �Role of Light-Duty Diesel in Meeting 2025 CAFE
Requirements�, 2nd CRC Advanced Fuels and Engine Efficiency Workshop, Livermore,
CA, November 3, 2016, https://crcao.org/workshops/2016AFEE/Final
%20Presentations/Session%204/4-2_Nanjundaswamy,%20Harsha.pdf
Nilsson, P.-I., L. Bergsten, 1995. �Internal combustion engine with variable
compression, provided with reinforcements of the crankcase section�, US Patent,
5,443,043 (Saab), https://www.google.com/patents/US5443043
Salisbury, C.K., 1917. �Internal Combustion Engine�, US Patent, 1,219,781,
https://www.google.com/patents/US1219781
Schernus, C., et al., 2014. �Methods to reduce end gas temperatures for lower
knocking sensitivity - a simulation study stop start for future boosted gasoline
engines�, Ing�nieurs de l'Automobile, 832, 32-40
Schramm, C., et al., 2016. �Piston Bowl Optimization for a Diesel Engine with
Variable Compression Ratio�, STAR Global Conference 2016 Prague, March 2016,
https://mdx.plm.automation.siemens.com/sites/all/themes/basic/assets/downloads/SGC2
016_IAV_ChristianSchramm.pdf
Shaik, A., et al., 2007. �Variable compression ratio engine: a future power plant
for automobiles - an overview�, Proc. IMechE Part D: J. Automobile Engineering,
221, 1159-1168
Sorger, H., et al., 2016. �AVL�s VCR System Modular and Cost Efficient CO2
Reduction�, 25th Aachen Colloquium Automobile and Engine Technology 2016
Talbot, F.A, 1931. �Adjustable combustion chamber control�, US Patent, 1,812,572,
https://www.google.com/patents/US1812572
Tomazic, D., et al., 2012. �Two-Stage Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) System to
Increase Efficiency in Gasoline Powertrains�, 2012 Directions in Engine-Efficiency
and Emissions Research (DEER) Conference, October 16-19, 2012 Dearborn, Michigan,
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/pdfs/deer_2012/tuesday/presentations/
deer12_tomazic.pdf
Wittek, K., 2009. �Development of a Two-stage Variable Compression Ratio Engine�,
FEV Publication,
http://www.fev.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Media/TechnicalPublications/Gasoline_Syste
ms/TwoStageVariableCompressionRatiowithEccentricPistonPin.pdf
Wittek, K., et al., 2009a. �Two-Stage Variable Compression Ratio with Eccentric
Piston Pin and Exploitation of Crank Train Forces�, SAE Technical Paper 2009-01-
1457, doi:10.4271/2009-01-1457
Woodruff, J.M., J.A. Woodruff, 1947. �Adjustable combustion chamber for internal-
combustion engines�, US Patent, 2,433,639, https://www.google.com/patents/US2433639
###