How Does A Super Efficient Engine That Uses Both Gasoline and Diesel Work?

In this great video from Engineering Explained, host Jason Fenske explains all about Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI). This kind of super-efficient engine uses two different types of fuels one with a high reactivity and one with a low reactivity. In the example that gets explained, it's diesel and gasoline.

Fenske writes in the video’s description that the 'engine benefits from the individual advantages of each fuel, resulting in exceptional efficiency and significantly less harmful emissions.’ In fact, thermal efficiencies as high as about 60% have been found in lab testing of an RCCI engine which is an astounding statistic for a combustion engine.

For comparison, most efficient gasoline engines achieve about 42-43% thermal efficiency, while diesel engines are closer to around 50% efficient. While the engines have lots of great advantages to do with efficiency and massive reductions in emissions, a dual fuel system is highly impractical for a consumer vehicle.

At the moment, the RCCI is still a development engine and is still being worked on by engineers. Most of the research done into this type of engine comes from the University of Wisconsin. The video contains a lot of information, but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with a comprehensive understanding of this efficient and possible revolutionary engine.

Via: Engineering Explained