Riyadh, August 8 - Neftegaz.RU. Saudi Aramco, Mazda and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) today announced a cooperative research program to develop advanced engine/fuel combinations, with potential for meaningful improvements in engine efficiency and CO2 reductions assessed on a well-to-wheel basis.
In this collaboration, Saudi Aramco will provide low carbon-content new fuels, and Mazda’s contribution will be a high-efficiency advanced prototype engine based on their SKYACTIV technologies. The entire scope of research will be tested and optimized at AIST headquarters in Tokyo.
The program consists of comprehensive CO2 assessment through refinery modelling, engine testing, spray diagnostics, and Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. The anticipated benefit of this approach is a holistic view of the ICE’s environmental impact.
The Gasoline Compression Ignition (GCI) concept, which is Saudi Aramco’s flagship project within this research program, will enable 25-30 % reduction in CO2 compared to conventional gasoline spark-ignition engines.
Mazda’s engine technologies and Aramco’s GCI fuel technologies complement each other. The GCI fuel has a lower carbon content and higher heating value than commercial diesel and gasoline fuels; and the lean burn engine emits lower CO2 than conventional gasoline engines.
The companies expect that combining the engine and fuel technologies will deliver substantial savings in well-to-wheel CO2 emissions. The joint work is expected to be completed in fiscal 2020, with ongoing contribution by researchers from all three parties.
