Brunel University researches future powertrain using SCI
Brunel University London is the first to begin researching future powertrain concepts using Camcon Automotive's new Single Cylinder Intelligent Valve Technology (SCI). The system uses the company's Intelligent Valve Technology (iVT) and is intended to significantly speed up OEM and tier one engine development, helping meet upcoming emissions regulations while also reducing cost.
Brunel's Centre for Advanced Powertrain and Fuels (CAPF) plans to use SCI to further investigate the vast potential and control that digital valves provide. Comprised of three professors and three senior lecturers, alongside 20 PhD students, CAPF is one of the UK's leading automotive technology research centres.
'We are very excited to collaborate with Camcon Automotive in exploring and demonstrating the great potential of Intelligent Valve Technology,' explained professor Hua Zhao, director, CAPF, Brunel University London. 'The technology's flexibility and superior controllability will enable the development of the next-generation powertrain with very high efficiency, low carbon and zero environmental impact emissions.'
Based on iVT - which replaces the traditional camshaft on a gasoline engine with a set of digitally controlled electric actuators, dramatically reducing emissions and improving driveability - Single Cylinder iVT (SCI) is the next-generation of single cylinder development systems, bringing real-time digital control and flexibility to the gas exchange process.
It operates on both inlet and exhaust valves, offering endless development opportunities, including allowing researchers to focus on crucial combustion and after-treatment strategies, key to reducing emissions and improving fuel consumption.
SCI enables 'event shaping', allowing the maximum opening point of the valve to be skewed within the event. It also facilitates multiple events within one cycle, allowing extra exhaust events for Homogeneous-Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) or Controlled Auto-Ignition (CAI) combustion studies.
SCI provides each valve with a virtual camshaft of its own that can be 'changed' from one firing stroke to the next, rather than needing an engine strip and rebuild.
Under development for the last seven years, Camcon Automotive's iVT system has completed more than 1,000 hours on a dynamometer and a demonstrator vehicle has been built.
SCI comes complete with shipping, installation, commissioning and up to three days training for engineers. Operation, service and maintenance manuals are also included, as is telephone and web-based engineering support, plus software upgrades for two years.