Preface

Chapter 8 **Low-Emission Combustion of Alternative Solid Fuel in Fluidized**

Jerzy Baron, Beata Kowarska and Witold Żukowski

Chapter 9 **Combustion of Municipal Solid Waste for Power**

**Bed Reactor 245**

**VI** Contents

**Production 277**

Filip Kokalj and Niko Samec

Over the last decades, there is increasing pressure worldwide for more efficient and envi‐ ronmentally sound combustion technologies that utilise renewable fuels to be continuously developed and adopted. New fuels and combustion technologies are designed to deliver more energy-efficient systems which comply with stringent emission standards and at the same time diversify the dependence on petroleum fuels. Set against this background, the central theme of the book is two-fold: advances in internal combustion engines and ad‐ vanced fuel solutions for combustion systems. The aim here is to allow extremes of the theme to be covered in a simple yet progressive way.

Internal combustion engines remain as the main propulsion system used for ground trans‐ portation, and the number of successful developments achieved in recent years is as varied as the new design concepts introduced. It is therefore timely that key advances in engine technologies are organised appropriately so that the fundamental processes, applications, insights and identification of future developments can be consolidated. Here, recent innova‐ tions in spark-ignition engines and compression-ignition engines are reviewed, along with the latest approaches in fuelling, charge preparation and operating strategies designed to further boost fuel economy and level of emissions reduction. In the future and across the developed and emerging markets of the world, the range of fuels used will significantly in‐ crease as biofuels, new fossil fuel feedstock and processing methods, as well as variations in fuel standards continue to influence all combustion technologies used now and in coming streams. This presents a challenge requiring better understanding of how the fuel mix influ‐ ences the combustion processes in various systems. Here, alternative fuels for automotive engines, gas turbines and power plants in various configurations and designs are appraised.

The chapters have been written by the contributing authors with the intention of providing detailed description of the latest technological advancements in their respective areas of ex‐ pertise. I must personally thank all the authors for their professionalism while preparing this book. I am also delighted to be working alongside Ms. Natalia Reinic on this project. I hope that this book will serve as an excellent read for students, academics and industrial practitioners alike.

> **Dr. Hoon Kiat Ng** Associate Professor Faculty of Engineering The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus

**Section 1**

**Advances in Internal Combustion Engines**

**Advances in Internal Combustion Engines**

**Chapter 1**

**Premixed Combustion in Spark Ignition Engines and the**

In the context of a Spark Ignition engine, the inherent complexity of premixed combustion is exacerbated by a range of engine variables that render the process highly transient in nature and not fully predictable. The present work aims to contribute to the continuous research effort to better understand the details of combustion and be able to model the process in gasoline SI engines. Coexisting fossil fuels depletion and environmental concerns, along with an alarming connection between traditional internal combustion engines emissions and human health degradation [1], have in recent years driven a strong research interest upon premixed SI combustion of energy sources alternative to gasoline, including liquid alcohols like ethanol, and gaseous fuels like hydrogen. However, the advancements enjoyed by gasoline-related technology and infrastructure in the last 40 years have eroded the potential advantages in efficiency and emissions offered by alternative fuels [2], and the SI engine running on gasoline continues to be the most common type of power unit used in passenger cars (Port-Fuel Injection gasoline engines accounted for the vast majority (91%) of all light-duty vehicle engines

The characteristics which make the gasoline engine well suited to light-weight applications includerelativelyhighpowertoweightratio,acceptableperformanceoverawiderangeofengine speeds, the vast infrastructure for gasoline and lower manufacturing costs when compared to diesel or more modern hybrid technologies [4]. The continuing exploitation of spark ignition engines reflects a history of successful development and innovation. These have included the electronic fuel injection system, exhaust emissions after-treatment, Exhaust Gas Recirculation and, increasingly, the use of some form of variable actuation valve train system. The modern SI engine, addressed to as high-degree-of-freedom engine by Prucka et al. [5], may also feature

flexible fuel technology, typically to allow running on ethanol-gasoline blended fuels.

© 2013 Bonatesta; licensee InTech. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

© 2013 Bonatesta; licensee InTech. This is a paper distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

**Influence of Operating Variables**

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Fabrizio Bonatesta

**1. Introduction**

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55495

produced for the USA market in 2010 [3]).

**Chapter 1**
