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Evaluation of ammonia-gasoline co-combustion in a modern spark ignition research engine (2023)
Journal Article
Ambalakatte, A., Geng, S., Cairns, A., Harrington, A., Hall, J., & Bassett, M. (2023). Evaluation of ammonia-gasoline co-combustion in a modern spark ignition research engine. Carbon Neutrality, 2(1), Article 35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43979-023-00075-3

Ammonia (NH3) is emerging as a potential favoured fuel for longer range decarbonised heavy transport, particularly in the marine sector, predominantly due to highly favourable characteristics as an effective hydrogen carrier. This is despite generall... Read More about Evaluation of ammonia-gasoline co-combustion in a modern spark ignition research engine.

Evaluation of E10 and NH3 co-fuelling in a modern spark ignition engine (2023)
Book Chapter
Ambalakatte, A., Geng, S., Cairns, A., La Rocca, A., Harrington, A., Hall, J., & Bassett, M. (2023). Evaluation of E10 and NH3 co-fuelling in a modern spark ignition engine. . Taylor & Francis

Ammonia (NH3) is emerging as a potential favoured fuel for longer range decarbonised heavy transport, particularly in the marine sector, predominantly due to highly favourable characteristics as an effective hydrogen carrier. This is despite generall... Read More about Evaluation of E10 and NH3 co-fuelling in a modern spark ignition engine.

Evaluation of Ammonia Co-fuelling in Modern Four Stroke Engines (2023)
Journal Article
Ambalakatte, A., Hegab, A., Geng, S., Cairns, A., Harrington, A., Hall, J., & Bassett, M. (2023). Evaluation of Ammonia Co-fuelling in Modern Four Stroke Engines. Johnson Matthey Technology Review, https://doi.org/10.1595/205651324x17005622661871

Ammonia (NH3) is emerging as a promising alternative fuel for longer range decarbonised heavy transport, particularly in the marine sector due to highly favourable characteristics as an effective hydrogen carrier. This is despite generally unfavourab... Read More about Evaluation of Ammonia Co-fuelling in Modern Four Stroke Engines.

Hydrogen storage in liquid hydrogen carriers: recent activities and new trends (2023)
Journal Article
Ulucan, T. H., Akhade, S. A., Ambalakatte, A., Autrey, T., Cairns, A., Chen, P., …Weidenthaler, C. (2023). Hydrogen storage in liquid hydrogen carriers: recent activities and new trends. Progress in Energy, 5(1), Article 012004. https://doi.org/10.1088/2516-1083/acac5c

Efficient storage of hydrogen is one of the biggest challenges towards a potential hydrogen economy. Hydrogen storage in liquid carriers is an attractive alternative to compression or liquefaction at low temperatures. Liquid carriers can be stored co... Read More about Hydrogen storage in liquid hydrogen carriers: recent activities and new trends.

Performance Assessment of Standard Cooling Strategies for Hairpin Windings (2022)
Conference Proceeding
La Rocca, A., La Rocca, S., Zou, T., Liu, C., Moslemin, M., Gerada, C., & Cairns, A. (2022). Performance Assessment of Standard Cooling Strategies for Hairpin Windings. In 2022 International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM) (1163-1169). https://doi.org/10.1109/icem51905.2022.9910733

This paper aims to assess the performance of some standard cooling strategies which are commonly used in traction electric motors for electric vehicles (EVs) employing hairpin windings. The use of such type of coils does normally lead to higher power... Read More about Performance Assessment of Standard Cooling Strategies for Hairpin Windings.

A Comprehensive Design Guideline of Hairpin Windings for High Power Density Electric Vehicle Traction Motors (2022)
Journal Article
Zou, T., Gerada, D., La Rocca, A., Moslemin, M., Cairns, A., Cui, M., …Gerada, C. (2022). A Comprehensive Design Guideline of Hairpin Windings for High Power Density Electric Vehicle Traction Motors. IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, 8(3), 3578-3593. https://doi.org/10.1109/TTE.2022.3149786

The rapidly increasing demand on power density levels of electric vehicle (EV) drive systems is pushing the boundaries of traction motor performance. Hairpin windings are becoming a popular option for EV motors due to their reduced DC losses and impr... Read More about A Comprehensive Design Guideline of Hairpin Windings for High Power Density Electric Vehicle Traction Motors.

Plasma electrolytic oxidation thermal barrier coating for reduced heat losses in IC engines (2021)
Journal Article
Hegab, A., Dahuwa, K., Islam, R., Cairns, A., Khurana, A., Shrestha, S., & Francis, R. (2021). Plasma electrolytic oxidation thermal barrier coating for reduced heat losses in IC engines. Applied Thermal Engineering, 196, Article 117316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.117316

The work involved the development and on-engine testing of a new “thermo-swing” barrier coating for reduced wall heat transfer and increased thermal efficiency in future diesel engines utilizing aluminium alloy pistons. Such swing coatings, of low th... Read More about Plasma electrolytic oxidation thermal barrier coating for reduced heat losses in IC engines.

The use of active jet ignition to overcome traditional challenges of pre-chamber combustors under low load conditions (2020)
Journal Article
Bunce, M., Cairns, A., & Blaxill, H. (2021). The use of active jet ignition to overcome traditional challenges of pre-chamber combustors under low load conditions. International Journal of Engine Research, 22(11), 3325-3339. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468087420972555

The need for advanced combustion technologies for use in future highly efficient powertrains in the automotive sector is well understood. Pre-chamber combustors, a technology with numerous historic examples, are fast becoming a major area of research... Read More about The use of active jet ignition to overcome traditional challenges of pre-chamber combustors under low load conditions.

Investigating the impact of copper leaching on combustion characteristics and particulate emissions in HPCR diesel engines (2019)
Journal Article
La Rocca, A., Ferrante, A., Haffner-Staton, E., Cairns, A., Weilhard, A., Sans, V., …Laforgia, D. (2020). Investigating the impact of copper leaching on combustion characteristics and particulate emissions in HPCR diesel engines. Fuel, 263, Article 116719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.116719

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Copper leaching in diesel fuel and its impact on combustion and emission characteristics of a Direct Injection High Pressure Common Rail (DI HPCR) diesel engine was investigated. This work was performed using a single cylinder Ric... Read More about Investigating the impact of copper leaching on combustion characteristics and particulate emissions in HPCR diesel engines.

Assessing the Accuracy of Soot Nanoparticle Morphology Measurements Using Three-Dimensional Electron Tomography (2019)
Journal Article
Haffner-Staton, E., La Rocca, A., Cairns, A., McGhee, M., & Fay, M. (2019). Assessing the Accuracy of Soot Nanoparticle Morphology Measurements Using Three-Dimensional Electron Tomography. SAE Technical Papers, 2019-April, Article 2019-01-1188. https://doi.org/10.4271/2019-01-1188

Morphology plays an important role in determining behaviour and impact of soot nanoparticles, including effect on human health, atmospheric optical properties, contribution to engine wear, and role in marine ecology. However, its nanoscopic size has... Read More about Assessing the Accuracy of Soot Nanoparticle Morphology Measurements Using Three-Dimensional Electron Tomography.

A study of hydrous ethanol combustion in an optical central direct injection spark ignition engine (2019)
Journal Article
Koupaie, M. M., Cairns, A., Vafamehr, H., & Lanzanova, T. D. M. (2019). A study of hydrous ethanol combustion in an optical central direct injection spark ignition engine. Applied Energy, 237, 258-269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.12.093

The aim of this experimental work was to improve understanding of the influence of hydrous ethanol on combustion in an engine demonstrating a tendency for biased flame migration towards the hotter exhaust walls as often reported for typical modern pe... Read More about A study of hydrous ethanol combustion in an optical central direct injection spark ignition engine.

Cyclically resolved flame and flow imaging in an alcohol fuelled SI engine (2018)
Journal Article
Moslemin Koupaie, M., Cairns, A., Xia, J., Vafamehr, H., & Lanzanova, T. (2019). Cyclically resolved flame and flow imaging in an alcohol fuelled SI engine. Fuel, 237, 874-887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2018.10.075

The work was concerned with improving understanding of the interaction of the bulk in-cylinder flow with turbulent premixed flame propagation when using varied fuels including iso-octane, ethanol or butanol. The experiments were performed in a single... Read More about Cyclically resolved flame and flow imaging in an alcohol fuelled SI engine.

Study on pollutants formation under knocking combustion conditions using an optical single cylinder SI research engine (2018)
Journal Article
Karvountzis-Kontakiotis, A., Vafamehr, H., Cairns, A., & Peckham, M. (2018). Study on pollutants formation under knocking combustion conditions using an optical single cylinder SI research engine. Energy, 158, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2018.06.063

The aim of this experimental study is to investigate the pollutants formation and cyclic emission variability under knocking combustion conditions. A great number of studies extensively describe the phenomenon of knock and its combustion characterist... Read More about Study on pollutants formation under knocking combustion conditions using an optical single cylinder SI research engine.

A study of transient over-fuelling during heavy knock in an optical spark ignition engine (2018)
Journal Article
Vafamehr, H., Cairns, A., & Ebne-Abbasi, H. (in press). A study of transient over-fuelling during heavy knock in an optical spark ignition engine. International Journal of Powertrains, 7(1/2/3), https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPT.2018.10011458

The work was concerned with improving understanding of the effects of transient over-fuelling during heavy knocking combustion in modern spark ignition engines. The single cylinder engine employed included full bore overhead optical access capable of... Read More about A study of transient over-fuelling during heavy knock in an optical spark ignition engine.

Evaluation of intake charge hydrogen enrichment in a heavy-duty diesel engine (2017)
Journal Article
Monemian, E., Cairns, A., Gilmore, M., Newman, D., & Scott, K. (in press). Evaluation of intake charge hydrogen enrichment in a heavy-duty diesel engine. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1177/0954407017738375

Concerns over CO2 emissions and global warming continue to enforce the transport sector to reduce the fuel consumption of heavy duty diesel goods vehicles as one major contributor of CO2. Such powertrain platforms look set to remain the dominant sour... Read More about Evaluation of intake charge hydrogen enrichment in a heavy-duty diesel engine.

Hydrogen and oxygen fuel enrichment effects on a HD diesel engine (2017)
Journal Article
Monemian, E., Cairns, A., & Pedrozo, V. (2017). Hydrogen and oxygen fuel enrichment effects on a HD diesel engine. International Journal of Engine Research, 47(47),

Implementing emission regulations in the transport sector is enforcing manufacturers to improve performance of Heavy Duty (HD) vehicles as they are accountable for 25% of CO2 emissions within EU. The currently reported research was involved with eval... Read More about Hydrogen and oxygen fuel enrichment effects on a HD diesel engine.

The competing chemical and physical effects of transient fuel enrichment on heavy knock in an optical spark ignition engine (2016)
Journal Article
Vafamehr, H., Cairns, A., Sampson, O., & Mohammadmohsen Moslemin, K. (2016). The competing chemical and physical effects of transient fuel enrichment on heavy knock in an optical spark ignition engine. Applied Energy, 179, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.07.038

The work was concerned with improving understanding of the chemical and physical trade-offs when employing transient over-fuelling to control auto-ignition in gasoline spark ignition engines under knock intensities not usually tolerated in optical en... Read More about The competing chemical and physical effects of transient fuel enrichment on heavy knock in an optical spark ignition engine.

Experimental analysis of ethanol dual-fuel combustion in a heavy-duty diesel engine: An optimisation at low load (2015)
Journal Article
Pedrozo, V. B., May, I., Dalla Nora, M., Cairns, A., & Zhao, H. (2016). Experimental analysis of ethanol dual-fuel combustion in a heavy-duty diesel engine: An optimisation at low load. Applied Energy, 165, 166-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.12.052

Conventional diesel combustion produces harmful exhaust emissions which adversely affect the air quality if not controlled by in-cylinder measures and exhaust aftertreatment systems. Dual-fuel combustion can potentially reduce the formation of nitrog... Read More about Experimental analysis of ethanol dual-fuel combustion in a heavy-duty diesel engine: An optimisation at low load.

Experimental investigation of direct injection charge cooling in optical GDI engine using tracer-based PLIF technique (2014)
Journal Article
Anbari Attar, M., Reza Herfatmanesh, M., Zhao, H., & Cairns, A. (2014). Experimental investigation of direct injection charge cooling in optical GDI engine using tracer-based PLIF technique. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 59, 96-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2014.07.020

Investigation of direct injection charge cooling effects is indispensable in design and development of new combustion systems for Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. The charge cooling can be utilized to increase engine volumetric efficiency or... Read More about Experimental investigation of direct injection charge cooling in optical GDI engine using tracer-based PLIF technique.