Author Topic: Recardo graph on H20 injection  (Read 34309 times)

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Offline Tom Simon

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Re: Recardo graph on H20 injection
« Reply #30 on: July 20, 2009, 05:16:32 PM »
One possible power adding mechinism that I has not been mentioned is water turing to steam in the combution chamber... water expands what, an order of magnatude by volume when it changes state (liquid to gas). If done right, by happenstance or on purpose, that expanding steam could translate to an increase in power in an ICE engine (normally aspirated or supercharged), couldn't it?

I was thinking along the lines of water acting both as a buffer (that maybe cools and stabilizes the burn somewhat, but takes power away), and a small power adder at the same time. Takes some power away early in the burn, but adds power late in the burn through expansion into steam. 

I'm no chemist, but I think there is something going on at the molecule level where a small amount of water raises resistance to detonation (raises octane).

About 8 months ago, I attended a project update, where these computer modlers are working on better understanding combution were reporting back to their sponsor. They are coming up with a predictive (computer) code to model the combustion event inside the combustion chamber. Their goal is to first better understand the multi-faceted internal burn, model statified charge, pressure wave propagation and a whole bunch of other stuff I barely understood. Then use that information to better control things like cam, ignition, injection timing and duration to keep an engine right at the edge of detonation. Sort of ultra-lean burn for fuel economy. The same thing could help racers, which is why I took the time to listen to the talk.

'You can't control it if you don't understand it'