INTELLIGENT CONTROL OF DIESEL ENGINE FUEL ECONOMY BY CYLINDER DEACTIVATION AND INJECTION OPTIMIZATION
Keywords:
fuel economy, diesel engine, intelligent control, cylinder deactivation, fuel injection, Common Rail
Abstract
The article presents the results of a study aimed at improving the energy efficiency of a multi-cylinder diesel engine operating under varying load and rotational speed conditions. The issue of reduced diesel fuel efficiency during idle and partial load conditions was examined, and cylinder deactivation was analyzed as a method to address this problem. The research methodology involved assessing the engine's fuel economy across different load levels and speed regimes, specifically through selective cylinder deactivation at low loads. This review focuses on contemporary methods of intelligent control of diesel engine fuel economy at partial loads. The feasibility of cylinder deactivation (CDA) for reducing fuel consumption during idle and low-load conditions, as well as optimizing fuel injection parameters (fuel pressure and injection timing) to enhance combustion efficiency, has been substantiated. Research results are presented, confirming a reduction in specific fuel consumption by up to 40% at lowload conditions through CDA implementation, along with an additional fuel consumption reduction of 3–6% achieved by optimizing injection timing. Trends in the development of intelligent engine management systems are analyzed, highlighting the use of electronic controllers and artificial intelligence algorithms for adaptive real-time cylinder deactivation and fuel injection control. The scientific novelty of the review lies in summarizing current directions for improving diesel fuel economy by combining traditional methods (CDA, injection adjustments) with intelligent control systems, minimizing losses and ensuring high efficiency across a broader range of engine operating conditions. The research findings validate the effectiveness of selective cylinder deactivation in enhancing diesel engine energy efficiency under variable operating modes and outline the requirements for fuel delivery control systems necessary to maintain stable operation during transitions between active and deactivated cylinders.
References
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19. Jayashankara, B., & Ganesan, V. (2010). Effect of fuel injection timing and intake pressure on the performance of a DI diesel engine – A parametric study using CFD. Energy Conversion and Management, 51(10), 1838–1844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2010.02.020
20. Joshi, M., Gosala, D., Allen, C., Srinivasan, S., Ramesh, A., et al. (2018). Diesel engine cylinder deactivation for improved system performance over transient real-world drive cycles. SAE Technical Paper 2018-01-0894 (WCX 2018). https://doi.org/10.4271/2018-01-0894
21. Khatamnejad, H., Khalilarya, S., Jafarmadar, S., & Mirsalim, M. (2018). Effect of high-reactivity fuel injection parameters on combustion and emissions in a natural gas-diesel RCCI engine at part load. International Journal of Green Energy, 15(14), 874–888.
22. Liu, Y., Kuznetsov, A., Sa, B., et al. (2021). Simulation and analysis of the impact of cylinder deactivation on fuel saving and emissions of a medium-speed high-power diesel engine. Applied Sciences, 11(16), 7603. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11167603
23. Miles, P.C., et al. (2004). The influence of swirl and injection pressure on post-combustion turbulence in a HSDI diesel engine. In Thermo- and Fluid Dynamic Processes in Diesel Engines 2 (pp. 134–137). Springer.
24. Mo, H., Huang, Y., Mao, X., & Zhuo, B. (2014). The effect of cylinder deactivation on the performance of a diesel engine. Proceedings of the IMechE, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering, 228(2), 199–205.
25. Molodan, A., Dubinin, Y., Polyanskyi, O., Artomov, M., & Pushkarenko, O. (2024). Change in power and fuel consumption when engine cylinders are partially disabled in a wheeled vehicle. Central Ukrainian Scientific Bulletin: Technical Science, 8(39) Part II, 150–158. https://doi.org/10.32515/2664-262X.2023.8(39).2.150-158
26. Najafi, G. (2018). Diesel engine combustion characteristics using nano-particles in biodiesel-diesel blends. Fuel, 212, 668–678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2017.10.050
27. Omanovic, A., Zsiga, N., Soltic, P., & Onder, C. (2021). Increased internal combustion engine efficiency with optimized valve timings in extended stroke operation. Energies, 14(10), 2750. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14102750
28. Pillai, S., Lorusso, J., & Van Benschoten, M. (2015). Analytical and experimental evaluation of cylinder deactivation on a diesel engine. SAE Technical Paper 2015-01-0865 (COMVEC). https://doi.org/10.4271/2015-01-0865
29. Ramesh, A.K., Gosala, D.B., Allen, C., Joshi, M., McCarthy, J. Jr., Farrell, L., Koeberlein, E.D., & Shaver, G.M. (2018). Cylinder deactivation for increased engine efficiency and aftertreatment thermal management in diesel engines. SAE Technical Paper 2018-01-1378 (WCX 2018). https://doi.org/10.4271/2018-01-1378
30. Scassa, M., Körfer, T., Chen, S.K., Fuerst, J., Younkins, M., Nencioni, M., & George, S. (2019). Smart cylinder deactivation strategies to improve fuel economy and pollutant emissions for diesel-powered applications. SAE Technical Paper 2019-24-0055. https://doi.org/10.4271/2019-24-0055
31. Shi, Z., Wu, H., Li, H., Zhang, L., Li, X., & Lee, C.F.F. (2021). Effect of injection pressure and fuel mass on wallimpinging ignition and combustion characteristics of a heavy-duty diesel engine at low temperatures. Fuel, 299, 120742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120742
32. Srivastava, A.K., Soni, S.L., Sharma, D., & Jain, N.L. (2018). Effect of injection pressure on performance, emission, and combustion characteristics of diesel-acetylene fuelled single cylinder CI engine. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(8), 7767–7775.
33. Thees, M., Buitkamp, T., Guenthner, M., & Pickel, P. (2020). High efficiency diesel engine concept with variable valve train and cylinder deactivation for integration into a tractor. ASME 2019 Internal Combustion Engine Division Fall Technical Conference (ICEF2019). https://doi.org/10.1115/ICEF2019-7280
34. Tunçer, E., Sandalcı, T., & Karagöz, Y. (2021). Investigation of cycle skipping methods in an engine converted to positive ignition natural gas engine. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 13(9), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/16878140211045454
2. Anders, F. F. (2010). Ekspluatatsiini rezhymy roboty DVZ ta shliakhy yikh udoskonalennia [Operational modes of internal combustion engines and ways of their improvement]. Kyiv: Tekhnika. (in Ukrainian).
3. Boretti, A., & Scalzo, J. (2013). A novel mechanism for piston deactivation improving the part load performances of multicylinder engines. In Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering (Vol. 189, pp. 3–17). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33841-0_1
4. Dev, S., Divekar, P., Xie, K., Han, X. Y., Chen, X., & Zheng, M. (2015). A study of combustion inefficiency in diesel low temperature combustion and gasoline-diesel RCCI via detailed emission measurement. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 137(12), 121501. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4030477
5. DieselNet (Jääskeläinen, H.). (2020). Fuel injection for clean diesel engines. DieselNet Technology Guide. Retrieved from https://dieselnet.com/tech/engine_fi.php
6. Fayad, M. A., Herreros, J. M., & Tsolakis, A. (2019). Effect of fuel injection timing and pressure on combustion and emissions of a heavy-duty diesel engine. SN Applied Sciences, 1, 1088. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-019-1083-2
7. Fridrichová, K., Drápal, L., Vopařil, J., & Dlugoš, J. (2021). Overview of the potential and limitations of cylinder deactivation. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 146, 111196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111196
8. Galindo, J., Dolz, V., Monsalve-Serrano, J., Maldonado, M. A. B., & Odillard, L. (2021). EGR cylinder deactivation strategy to accelerate the warm-up and restart processes in a diesel engine operating at cold conditions. International Journal of Engine Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/14680874211039587
9. Godiño, J. A. V., García, M. T., & Aguilar, F. J. J. E. (2021). Experimental analysis of late direct injection combustion mode in a CI engine fueled with biodiesel/diesel blends. Energy, 239, 122261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.122261
10. Gößnitzer, C., & Givler, S. (2021). A new method to determine the impact of individual field quantities on cycle-tocycle variations in a spark-ignited gas engine. Energies, 14(14), 4136. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14144136
11. Gosala, D. B., Allen, C. M., Ramesh, A. K., Shaver, G. M., McCarthy, J., Stretch, D., & Koeberlein, E. (2017). Cylinder deactivation during dynamic diesel engine operation. International Journal of Engine Research, 18(10), 991–1004.
12. Gosala, D. B., Allen, C. M., Shaver, G. M., Farrell, L., Koeberlein, E., Franke, B., Stretch, D., & McCarthy, J. (2019). Dynamic cylinder activation in diesel engines. International Journal of Engine Research, 20(8–9), 849–861.
13. Gritsenko, A. V., Glemba, K. V., & Petelin, A. A. (2021). A study of the environmental qualities of diesel engines and their efficiency when a portion of their cylinders are deactivated in small-load modes. Journal of King Saud University – Engineering Sciences, 33(1), 70–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksues.2019.01.002
14. Gritsenko, A. V., Shepelev, V. D., & Moor, A. D. (2020). A test method for individual control of the engine’s ecological parameters. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 459(4), 012083. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/459/4/042083
15. Gritsenko, A., Shepelev, V., Zadorozhnaya, E., & Shubenkova, K. (2020). Test results of diesel engine with deactivated cylinders at idle. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 709, 022004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/709/2/022004
16. Gritsenko, A., Shepelev, V., Fedoseev, S., & Bedych, T. (2023). Increase in the fuel efficiency of a diesel engine by disconnecting some of its cylinders. Facta Universitatis, Series: Mechanical Engineering, 21(4), 657–670. https://doi.org/10.22190/FUME210914002G
17. Haisyn, V.P. (2015). Osoblyvosti roboty traktornykh dyzeliv ta vymohy do yikh palyvnykh system [Features of operation of tractor diesel engines and requirements for their fuel systems]. Kharkiv: KhNAU. (in Ukrainian).
18. Hushion, C., Thiruvengadam, A., Pondicherry, R., Thompson, G., et al. (2022). Investigating cylinder deactivation as a low fuel-penalty thermal management strategy for heavy-duty diesel engines. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering, 8, 987170. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmech.2022.987170
19. Jayashankara, B., & Ganesan, V. (2010). Effect of fuel injection timing and intake pressure on the performance of a DI diesel engine – A parametric study using CFD. Energy Conversion and Management, 51(10), 1838–1844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2010.02.020
20. Joshi, M., Gosala, D., Allen, C., Srinivasan, S., Ramesh, A., et al. (2018). Diesel engine cylinder deactivation for improved system performance over transient real-world drive cycles. SAE Technical Paper 2018-01-0894 (WCX 2018). https://doi.org/10.4271/2018-01-0894
21. Khatamnejad, H., Khalilarya, S., Jafarmadar, S., & Mirsalim, M. (2018). Effect of high-reactivity fuel injection parameters on combustion and emissions in a natural gas-diesel RCCI engine at part load. International Journal of Green Energy, 15(14), 874–888.
22. Liu, Y., Kuznetsov, A., Sa, B., et al. (2021). Simulation and analysis of the impact of cylinder deactivation on fuel saving and emissions of a medium-speed high-power diesel engine. Applied Sciences, 11(16), 7603. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11167603
23. Miles, P.C., et al. (2004). The influence of swirl and injection pressure on post-combustion turbulence in a HSDI diesel engine. In Thermo- and Fluid Dynamic Processes in Diesel Engines 2 (pp. 134–137). Springer.
24. Mo, H., Huang, Y., Mao, X., & Zhuo, B. (2014). The effect of cylinder deactivation on the performance of a diesel engine. Proceedings of the IMechE, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering, 228(2), 199–205.
25. Molodan, A., Dubinin, Y., Polyanskyi, O., Artomov, M., & Pushkarenko, O. (2024). Change in power and fuel consumption when engine cylinders are partially disabled in a wheeled vehicle. Central Ukrainian Scientific Bulletin: Technical Science, 8(39) Part II, 150–158. https://doi.org/10.32515/2664-262X.2023.8(39).2.150-158
26. Najafi, G. (2018). Diesel engine combustion characteristics using nano-particles in biodiesel-diesel blends. Fuel, 212, 668–678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2017.10.050
27. Omanovic, A., Zsiga, N., Soltic, P., & Onder, C. (2021). Increased internal combustion engine efficiency with optimized valve timings in extended stroke operation. Energies, 14(10), 2750. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14102750
28. Pillai, S., Lorusso, J., & Van Benschoten, M. (2015). Analytical and experimental evaluation of cylinder deactivation on a diesel engine. SAE Technical Paper 2015-01-0865 (COMVEC). https://doi.org/10.4271/2015-01-0865
29. Ramesh, A.K., Gosala, D.B., Allen, C., Joshi, M., McCarthy, J. Jr., Farrell, L., Koeberlein, E.D., & Shaver, G.M. (2018). Cylinder deactivation for increased engine efficiency and aftertreatment thermal management in diesel engines. SAE Technical Paper 2018-01-1378 (WCX 2018). https://doi.org/10.4271/2018-01-1378
30. Scassa, M., Körfer, T., Chen, S.K., Fuerst, J., Younkins, M., Nencioni, M., & George, S. (2019). Smart cylinder deactivation strategies to improve fuel economy and pollutant emissions for diesel-powered applications. SAE Technical Paper 2019-24-0055. https://doi.org/10.4271/2019-24-0055
31. Shi, Z., Wu, H., Li, H., Zhang, L., Li, X., & Lee, C.F.F. (2021). Effect of injection pressure and fuel mass on wallimpinging ignition and combustion characteristics of a heavy-duty diesel engine at low temperatures. Fuel, 299, 120742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120742
32. Srivastava, A.K., Soni, S.L., Sharma, D., & Jain, N.L. (2018). Effect of injection pressure on performance, emission, and combustion characteristics of diesel-acetylene fuelled single cylinder CI engine. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(8), 7767–7775.
33. Thees, M., Buitkamp, T., Guenthner, M., & Pickel, P. (2020). High efficiency diesel engine concept with variable valve train and cylinder deactivation for integration into a tractor. ASME 2019 Internal Combustion Engine Division Fall Technical Conference (ICEF2019). https://doi.org/10.1115/ICEF2019-7280
34. Tunçer, E., Sandalcı, T., & Karagöz, Y. (2021). Investigation of cycle skipping methods in an engine converted to positive ignition natural gas engine. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 13(9), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/16878140211045454
Published
2025-03-31
How to Cite
Pushkarenko, O. Y. (2025). INTELLIGENT CONTROL OF DIESEL ENGINE FUEL ECONOMY BY CYLINDER DEACTIVATION AND INJECTION OPTIMIZATION. Bulletin of Sumy National Agrarian University. The Series: Mechanization and Automation of Production Processes, (1 (59), 77-84. https://doi.org/10.32782/msnau.2025.1.12
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