Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) internal combustion rotary engine with variable compression ratio (VCR), variable exhaust gas recirculation (VEGR), and variable fuel injection timing. Patent pending proprietary Technology own by Customachinery Inc. and developed by Mr. Roberto Fanara. It is now receiving lots of attention and interest by numerous academic institutions and, in partnership with Queen's University, a project funding application has been recently submitted to Ontario Centre of Excellence (OCE). Ongoing collaboration with George Brown College (Sep.2015 - Apr.2016) and upcoming collaboration with Sheridan Pilon School of Business (Jan.2016 - Apr.2016).

1. Homogeneous Charge
Compression Ignition (HCCI)
High Power Densities Rotary Engine

2. As advancements are
made in the automotive,
transportation, marine,
agricultural, and other
industries, a proportionate
need is growing to curb
the resultant release of
harmful pollutants into the
air.
Figure 1 - EURO standards for emission control [1]
Compliance with always
more stringent regulations
about emissions is driving
the demand for cleaner
and more fuel efficient
engine technologies.
Fuel efficiency, emission standards, and engine innovations are strictly
interconnected.

3. The internal combustion engine is by far the most common type of engine
currently used in motor vehicles globally and it will remain such in the near
future, due to the limited range and high battery replacement cost of electrical
vehicles, and to the high production cost and lack of infrastructure for fuel-cell
vehicles.
In the last decade scientists have focused their attention on a very promising low
temperature combustion process, namely Homogeneous Charge Compression
Ignition (HCCI), able to deliver higher efficiencies and lower emissions,Ignition (HCCI), able to deliver higher efficiencies and lower emissions,
therefore reducing the need of costly post-treatment components. This
scientifically proven combustion process is also well suited for the use of
alternative fuels and a perfect fit for hybrid vehicle integration [2].
In the effort to implement HCCI combustion mode, car manufacturers are faced
with a paramount challenge: the inherent inability of the traditional reciprocating
engine to effectively control HCCI without recurring to sophisticated [3] and
costly solutions that take up real estate and compromise engine reliability.

4. Customachinery Inc. is developing a novel, patent pending engine design to
ease car manufacturer’s challenges with HCCI combustion mode.
The innovative design has been conceived specifically to control this cleaner
low temperature combustion process.
The main features of Customachinery’s proprietary technology are:
1. Cost effectiveness (no sophisticated technical solutions and fewer post-1. Cost effectiveness (no sophisticated technical solutions and fewer post-
treatment components)
2. Small footprint (high power densities typical of a rotary engine)
3. Ease of integration (effective and reliable control of HCCI combustion
mode due to variable compression ratio, variable exhaust gas
recirculation, and variable fuel injection timing)

5. Fanara Rotary Engine is an internal combustion engine that allows real-time
adjustment and variation of (i) the engine compression ratio (CR), (ii) the internal
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), (iii) the fuel injection timing, three key factors to
effectively control HCCI combustion mode [4], [5].
It couples the high power densities typical of a rotary engine with the high
efficiencies typical of a diesel engine (by virtue of the higher compression ratios)
and with the lower emissions typical of a gasoline engine (by virtue of the lower
HCCI combustion temperatures).

6. Let’s start our journey into the Technology
Let’s see how a Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) is achieved…

7. AIR/FUEL MIXTURE
COMBUSTION
CHAMBER VOLUME
DETERMINES THE COMBUSTION
AIR INTAKE
EXHAUST
GASES
AIR CURTAIN
DETERMINES THE
COMPRESSION
RATIO (CR)

8. EXPANSION
EXPANSION GATE
IS LOWERING IN
AIR INTAKE
EXHAUST
GASES
AIR CURTAIN
EXPANSIONIS LOWERING IN
CONTACT WITH
ROTOR

9. EXPANSION GATE
STARTS LIFTING
COMPRESSION GATE
AIR INTAKE
END OF
EXPANSION
STARTS LIFTING STARTS LOWERING

10. EXPANSION GATE
IS LIFTING
COMPRESSION GATE
IS LOWERING
FRESH AIR
EXHAUST
GASES
COMBUSTION
CHAMBER
SCAVENGING
IS LIFTING IS LOWERING
FUEL INJECTION

11. AIR/FUEL MIXTURE
COMPRESSION GATE
ENTERS IN CONTACTAIR/FUEL MIXTURE
BEGINNING OF
COMPRESSION
EXHAUST
GASES
AIR CURTAIN
ENTERS IN CONTACT
WITH ROTOR

12. AIR/FUEL MIXTURE
COMPRESSION
COMPRESSION GATE
IS LIFTING IN CONTACTCOMPRESSION
EXHAUST
GASES
AIR CURTAIN
WITH ROTOR
AIR INTAKE

13. HOMOGENEOUS
CHARGE
ADJUSTABLE
COMBUSTION
GATE = VARIABLE CHARGE
COMPRESSION
IGNITION (HCCI)
AIR INTAKE
EXHAUST
GASES
AIR CURTAIN
GATE = VARIABLE
COMPRESSION
RATIO (VCR)

14. Let’s continue our journey into the Technology
Let’s now see how a Variable Exhaust Gas Recirculation (VEGR) is attained…

15. EXPANSION GATE
DELAYED LIFTING
COMPRESSION GATE
ANTICIPATED LOWERING
FRESH AIR
EXHAUST GASES
DELAYED LIFTING ANTICIPATED LOWERING
FUEL INJECTION
TRAPPED
EXHAUST GASES

16. Variable Exhaust Gas Recirculation (VEGR) is attained by:
1. Delaying lifting of the expansion gate
2. Anticipating lowering of the compression gate
3. Combination of both of the above
Implementing such solutions would only require simple cam phasing
techniques, already in use for many years in the traditional reciprocating
engine technology.
The suggested strategy is particularly useful when transitioning from low to
higher load regimes. Under these conditions, lower compression ratios and
higher EGR rates are necessary to minimize the risk of detonation without
incurring in misfire. Indeed, the richer mixtures typical of the higher load
regimes allow to “trap” very high concentrations of product of combustion,
whereas with lean mixtures the trapped area would still see relatively high
oxygen concentrations. In other words, the proposed strategy has self-
regulating properties!
Under high load and high rpm regimes, even higher EGR rates are may be
required.

17. Figure 2 – Effects of internal EGR on the cylinder pressure [6]
Let’s see a possible strategy to further increase the amount of EGR rates at high
rpm regimes. Under these conditions could also be beneficial anticipating the
fuel injection timing to allow for a better premixing of the charge.

18. COMBUSTION GATE
IN A RAISED
EXPANSION
AIR INTAKE
RETAINED
EXHAUST GASES
IN A RAISED
POSITION
ANTICIPATED
FUEL INJECTION
EXHAUST AND
INTAKE PORTS
ARE CLOSED AND
COMPRESSION
BEGINS EARLIER

19. EXPANSION GATE
DELAYED LIFTING
COMPRESSION GATE
ANTICIPATED LOWERING
EXHAUST GASES
DELAYED LIFTING ANTICIPATED LOWERING
TRAPPED
EXHAUST GASES
PORTS REOPEN
COMPRESSION OF
AIR/FUEL/EGR
MIXTURE.
THIS PORT IS
STILL CLOSED

20. COMPRESSION OF
AIR/FUEL/EGR +
COMBUSTION GATE
RAISED POSITIONAIR/FUEL/EGR +
TRAPPED EGR
MIXTURE
EXHAUST
GASES
AIR CURTAIN
RAISED POSITION
=
LOW
COMPRESSION
RATIOSAIR INTAKE

21. HOMOGENEOUS
CHARGE
ADJUSTABLE
COMBUSTION
GATE = VARIABLE CHARGE
COMPRESSION
IGNITION (HCCI)
AIR INTAKE
EXHAUST
GASES
AIR CURTAIN
GATE = VARIABLE
COMPRESSION
RATIO (VCR)

22. An effective control of HCCI combustion at high load and high rpm conditions
is achievable by:
1. Closing prematurely the intake and exhaust ports to retain more exhaust
gases in additions to the ones trapped in between the gates
2. Anticipating fuel injection timing therefore allowing for better premixing
Noteworthy noticing that an increased EGR did NOT reduce the amount of
fresh air contained in the charge, therefore leaving unaffected the engine power
density!

23. REFERNCES
1. REGOLAMENTO (CE) N. 715/2007 DEL PARLAMENTO EUROPEO E DEL
CONSIGLIO del 20 giugno 2007, relativo all’omologazione dei veicoli a motore
riguardo alle emissioni dei veicoli passeggeri e commerciali leggeri (Euro 5 ed Euro
6) e all’ottenimento di informazioni sulla riparazione e la manutenzione del veicolo.
2. Ruonan Sun, Rick Thomas, Charles L. Gray, Jr. “An HCCI Engine Power Plant for
a Hybrid Vehicle”, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, SAE 2004-01-0933.
3. Ujjwal K. Saha, Ph.D., “Internal Combustion Engines/variable Compression Ratio
Engines”, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology
Guwahati, Lecture-32.Guwahati, Lecture-32.
4. Mohammad Izadi Najafabadi and Nuraini Abdul Aziz, “Homogeneous Charge
Compression Ignition Combustion: Challenges and Proposed Solutions”, Hindawi
Publishing Corporation, Journal of Combustion, Volume 2013, Article ID 783789.
5. Alexandros G. Charalambides, “Homogeneous Charge Compression ignition
(HCCI) Engines”, INTECH, 2013.
6. N. Milovanovic, R. Chen, “A computational study into the effect of exhaust gas
recycling on homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion in internal
combustion engines fuelled with methane”, ELSEVIER, International Journal of
Thermal Science 41 (2002) 805-813, 2002.

24. THANK YOUTHANK YOU