The First International RCM Workshop was hosted by Argonne National Laboratory on 28‑29 August, 2012, focusing on the scientific and engineering advances gained using rapid compression machines (RCMs) as experimental platforms. The impacts of the contributions to improved understanding of chemical and physical processes important in the low temperature combustion (LTC) regime were reviewed, including results and application of RCM studies towards quantitative understanding of fuel reactivity, chemical kinetic mechanism development and validation, and investigations of fluid-chemistry interactions. This first meeting brought together a diverse group of experimentalists, modelers and theoreticians with expertise in RCMs and relevant techniques to review the state-of-the-art in experimental and computational methods including machine design, operation, and utilization, and to discuss current challenges as well as future pathways towards improving the understanding of LTC phenomena using RCM platforms. View the workshop report.

Four sequential sessions covered the broad areas of: (a) advanced diagnostics, (b) expanded experimental operating regimes, and (c) interpreting data towards predictive engine simulations, as well as (d) characterizing differences between various machines. Invited talks were presented in the first three sessions, with hour-long, open discussions conducted after the presentations. A poster session showcased the unique designs, functions, current capabilities and uses of RCM facilities existing around the world, along with relevant experimental and modeling techniques. A joint effort amongst thirteen laboratories was initiated to conduct equivalent experiments using existing RCM configurations, as well as one shock tube, with iso-octane as a representative fuel. This is undertaken as a means to improve the understanding of LTC phenomena within RCMs and to improve the methods for reporting LTC data from different machines. It is a first step towards uniformly characterizing and better comprehending the performance and capabilities of existing RCM facilities, and follows the successful framework recently utilized by the Engine Combustion Network​’s (ECN’s) diesel spray initiative.

Invited Talks

Welcoming Address

Don Hillebrand, Director, Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory

Motivation, Objectives, Outcomes
S. Scott Goldsborough, Research Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory

100 years of compression: A brief history of RCMs
Guillaume Vanhove, Associate Professor, Université Lille 1 Sciences et Technologies

Session 1: DIAGNOSTICS

Christa Fittschen (UL1ST/CNRS) and Simone Hochgreb (U. Cambridge), co-chairs

• Introduction, Motivation
  Simone Hochgreb, Professor, University of Cambridge
  Christa Fittschen, Professor, Université Lille 1 Sciences et Technologies; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
• Laser diagnostics in optically accessible IC engines
  Benjamin Böhm, EKT, Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Potential for hyperspectral absorption spectroscopy in RCMs
  Scott Sanders, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin Madison
• Measurement of products from fundamental autoignition reactions
  Craig Taatjes, Distinguished Member Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories CRF
• Ex situ and in situ species measurements in RCF studies: challenges and opportunities
  Margaret S. Wooldridge, Professor, University of Michigan

Session 2: ENGINE-RELEVANT RCM STUDIES

Gareth Floweday (Sasol / U. Cape Town) and Vinod Natarajan (Shell), co-chairs

• Introduction, Motivation
  Gareth Floweday, Sasol Technology; University of Cape Town
  Vinod Natarajan, Shell
• Fuel challenges for gas engines
  Howard Levinsky, Principal Consultant Combustion Processes, DNV KEMA; Professor, University of Groningen
• Insight into internal inhomogeneities and their consequences in RCM combustion processes
  Philippe Guibert, Professor, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris
• Advances in shock tube and laser absorption methodologies
  David Davidson, Senior Research Scientist, Stanford University
• Autoignition of transportation relevant fuels at engine-relevant pressures and temperatures
  Chih-Jen (Jackie) Sung, Professor, University of Connecticut

Session 3: FROM RCMs TO PREDICTIVE ENGINE SIMULATIONS

André Boehman (U. Michigan) and Alessio Frassoldati (Politecnico Milano), co-chairs

• Introduction, Motivation
  André Boehman, Professor, University of Michigan
  Alessio Frassoldati, Assistant Professor, Politecnico di Milano
• Industry use of predictive engine models – status and goals
  Brad VanDerWege, Technical Expert, Ford
• The NUIG RCM – Data analysis and simulation
  Henry Curran, Senior Lecturer, National University of Ireland Galway
• Applications of global sensitivity analysis, machine learning, and statistics to chemical-kinetic modeling and beyond
  Michael Davis, Senior Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory
• Fundamental combustion simulation in gas engine development
  Hui Xu, Technical Specialist, Cummins

Session 4: MACHINE CHARACTERIZATION INITIATIVE

S. Scott Goldsborough (ANL) and Margaret S. Wooldridge (U. Michigan), co-chairs

• Introduction, Motivation
  S. Scott Goldsborough, Research Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory
  Margaret S. Wooldridge, Professor, University of Michigan

Posters

Direct Test Chamber (DTC) Charge Preparation Method
C. Allen, D. Valco, E. Toulson, T. Edwards, T. Lee

Targeted chemical mechanism modification and experimental validation for bio-alcohol/FAME and bio-alcohol/alkane blends for use in traditional and advanced combustion applications
M. Baumgardner, A.J. Marchese

High fidelity model fuels for real liquid transportation fuels
S. Dooley, S.H. Won, J. Heyne, Tanvir I. Farouk, Y. Ju, F.L. Dryer, K. Kumar, X. Hui, C.-J. Sung, H. Wang, M.A. Oehlschlaeger, V. Iyer, T.A. Litzinger, R.J. Santoro, T. Malewicki, K. Brezinsky

Rapid compression machine studies of transportation relevant fuels
S.S. Goldsborough, S.A. Ciatti, C.K. Banyon, M.V. Johnson

Characterizing and understanding discrepancies between rapid compression machine experiments
S.S. Goldsborough, G. Mittal, R. Richardson, N. Quinlan, R. Monaghan, K.A. Heufer, H. Nakamura, C. Conroy, H.J. Curran

Insight of internal inhomogenieties and their consequences in a rapid compression machine combustion processes
P. Guibert, G. Legros, S. Pounkin, K.H. Tran, C. Morin, A. Keromnes

Super rapid compression machine
T. Hibi, K. Sato, M. Tanabe

Characterization of turbulence-induced non-idealities in Rapid Compression Machines (RCMs)
M. Ihme

The University of Leeds Rapid Compression Machine
R. Mumby, M. Materego, D.J. Sharpe, M. Lawes

Autoignition of premixed methane/air mixture in presence of temperature heterogeneities
C. Strozzi, J. Sotton, M. Bellenoue, A. Mura

University of Michigan Rapid Compression Facility
M. Wooldridge, D. Karwat, A. Mansfield, S. Wagnon, X. He, M. Donovan