To optimize the fuel/air mixture formation and improve the environmental effect of direct injection (DI) diesel engines, a new forced swirl combustion system (FSCS) was proposed concerned on unique design of the geometric shape of the combustion chamber. Numerical simulation was conducted to verify the combustion and emission characteristics of the engines with FSCS. The fuel/air diffusion, in-cylinder velocity distribution, turbulent kinetic energy and in-cylinder temperature distribution were analyzed and the results shown that the FSCS can increase the area of fuel/air diffusion and improve the combustion. The diesel engine with FSCS also shown excellent performance on emission. At full load condition, the soot emission was significantly reduced for the improved fuel/air mixture formation. There are slightly difference for the soot and NO emission between the FSCS and the traditional omega combustion system at lower load for the short penetration of the fuel spray. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.