C15 engine lab

Engine Facilities

Engine facilities at the ERC cover applications ranging from utility to heavy-duty engines. All engine test cells are instrumented to control and/or measure boundary conditions for intake, exhaust, and engine fluids, providing data needed for engine simulations. Laboratories generally feature electric dynamometer speed control, research grade emissions characterization equipment, and high- and low-speed data acquisition systems. Some test cells have transient data acquisition and control capability.

Light Duty Engines

Multi-Cylinder Transient Test Cell

1.9L GM engine coupled to a low inertia dynamometer. Research focus is on transient events including cranking, cold start thermal management and non-intrusive combustion sensing techniques with high-speed emission measurement capability.

Dual-Mode Single Cylinder Compression Ignition Test Cell

Research single cylinder engine based on a GM 2.0L engine is utilized for in-cylinder investigation of thermal barrier coatings for conventional diesel and gasoline compression ignition studies with full emission quantification capabilities.

Single Cylinder SIDI Test Cell

Research engine modeled after GM 2.4L spark-ignition direct-injected (SIDI) gasoline engine. Lab includes a dedicated particulate measurement bench. Current research is focused on bio-derived gasoline and gasoline additive replacement fuels.

Single Cylinder Steady-State Compression Ignition Test Cell

Single cylinder version of a GM 1.9L DI diesel engine. Capable of CDC, DPI, RCCI, or HCCI operation with simultaneous emissions (including PSD) and performance measurements.

Medium Duty Engines

Single Cylinder Multi-mode Test Cell

6.7L Cummins ISB engine converted to single-cylinder operation. Current research focus is on Gasoline Compression Ignition, including short-term implementation strategies, fuel property effects, aftertreatment, and extension of the low-load limit.

Multi-Cylinder Hybrid Power Transient Test Cell

4.5L John Deere engine configured as a parallel hybrid with the addition of an electrified air-charging system and tractive drive. Research focus is on engine emissions reduction and efficiency improvements in transient and steady-state operation.

Heavy Duty Engines

Caterpillar Single Cylinder Test Cell

Caterpillar C15 engine converted to a single-cylinder 2.5L engine with DI, RCCI, and HCCI capability. Projects include DI emission reduction efforts and spark-assisted HCCI combustion of simulated anode tail-gas from a solid oxide fuel cell.

C15 engine lab

Utility Engines

ARPA-E Gensets Lab

Custom-built Briggs & Stratton 70cc engine with a low bore-stroke ratio and DLC-coated cylinder liners. This is a portable test cell, with current research focused on highly efficient micro Combined Heat and Power production applications.

Kohler GDI Lab

Kohler Aegis LH 747 cc V-twin engine. Investigation of GDI and PFI strategies for fuel optimization using a smart uncertainty quantification software while meeting current and future emissions constraints.

Mercury Marine Test Cell

3 cylinder, 4 stroke Mercury Marine Outboard 40 HP EFI engine. Current research is focused on experimental validation of a heat transfer model that was made to predict the engine's thermal behavior.

Optically Accessible Engines

Small-bore Optical CIDI Test Cell

Custom-built 0.4 L extended-piston single-cylinder engine. Flexible configuration allows running a variety of combustion strategies. Axial and lateral optical access. Diagnostic capabilities include PLIF, schlieren, and natural luminosity imaging.