A new British engine technology offers an answer to the rapidly escalating price of fuel. The Merritt Unthrottled Spark Ignition Combustion (or MUSIC) engine, initially developed at Coventry University has, for the first time, undergone formal evaluation tests in a four cylinder form developed by Powertrain Technologies Ltd near Norwich with the aid of a grant from the UK’s Energy Saving Trust. This gasoline engine is able to operate unthrottled like a diesel engine and can come close to achieving the fuel efficiency advantages of the diesel engine. 

In tests conducted recently at an independent test facility, as required by the grant providers for the project conclusion, the four cylinder engine achieved a remarkable 19.8% improvement in fuel economy averaged over a conventional petrol engine chosen as a base line target. 

The comparison is made against a current Ford 2.0lt Duratec engine as fitted to the Mondeo car. The 20% improvement was calculated over a number of test points simulating an urban drive cycle, known as the NEDC. The thermal efficiency increases as the engine load decreases and at near idling condition the fuel saving measured was an impressive 42.5%. 

Andrew Barnes, the Managing Director of Powertrain Technologies, is confident that, in view of these results obtained at such an early stage of development, still more improvements, maybe up to 25%, can be achieved in the near future. He commented “Due to difficulties in obtaining suitable injection equipment we were unable to optimise the engine at certain test conditions, we are confident that there are a few more percentage points available when optimised”.  

The four-cylinder prototype is based on a cylinder head mounted on a Ford Duratec crankcase and, unlike competing technologies, the MUSIC system does not require any new supporting technology. Apart from the MUSIC cylinder head designed to promote the new combustion system invented by Dr Merritt, the 4 cylinder prototype engine uses currently available production components throughout. 

Dr Merritt, believes that the thermodynamic advantages of his combustion system are amply demonstrated in the fuel economy attained by the diesel engine and is pleased that the concept was engineered into a simple working engine to demonstrate this point. The preliminary work at Coventry University, conducted on a single cylinder research engine, enabled the important parameters to be defined and the invention to be patented. 

For further information please contact Brian Knibb or Jane Woodward at Knibb, Gormezano & Partners (KGP). KGP is a specialist automotive consultancy guiding commercialisation of the project:

brianknibb@kgpauto.com
janewoodward@kgpauto.com
MUSIC's website:  http://www.musicombustion.com/