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At a time where customer preference is becoming an important product development criteria, measures which quantify subjectively perceived auditory sensations are becoming useful in developing meaningful sound quality criteria. One proposed measure which has not yet seen a great deal of application to automotive sounds is that which attempts to quantify the sensation of roughness. The applicability of such a proposed measure can be established through a series of subjective experiments. Typically, such experiments involve the presentation and evaluation of a group of sounds which vary in their degree of roughness. In order to generate test sounds, a system for the modeling and synthesis of pawertrain sound has been developed which isolates specific signal components which are known to affect the roughness of a sound.

Increased use of powder-forged connecting rods in the automotive industry prompted an investigation into the suitability of powders from different suppliers for this application. Specifications developed by North American users call for ultra clean powders to enhance machinability and fatigue life. Powders from four manufacturers were each blended with graphite and lubricant, then pressed, sintered and forged to full density. Metallographic samples were prepared and evaluated for inclusion content. In addition, the powders were mixed to the composition of connecting rods, (C - 0.5%, Cu - 2% and MnS - 0.3%), and were similarly pressed, sintered and forged. Test bars were machined from the forged discs. Uniaxial fatigue tests were performed in the tension-compression mode and strain-life curves were developed. It was determined that all powders examined were very clean and were comparable in their inclusion content.

Spark knock pressure oscillations can be detected by a cylinder pressure transducer or by an accelerometer mounted on the engine block. Accelerometer-based detection is lower cost but is affected by extraneous mechanical vibrations and the frequency response of the engine block and accelerometer. The knock oscillation frequency changes during the expansion stroke because the chamber geometry is changing due to the piston motion and the burned gases are cooling. Spectrogram analysis shows the time-dependent frequency content of the pressure and acceleration signals, revealing characteristic signatures of knock and mechanical vibrations. Illustrative spectrograms are presented which yield physical insight into accelerometer-based knock detection.

Until now no results have been available regarding the composition of evaporative emissions in a SHED test. In particular, for alcohol containing fuels, it is important to assess the relative percentage of alcohols and hydrocarbons in view of their different environmental impacts. This paper presents the results of a study conducted to determine the composition of the emissions from a number of multilayer coextruded plastic fuel tanks soaked in IE10 and CM15 test fuels. These emissions were analyzed for composition using a gas chromatography analytical method which employs a vapor trap and desorb sampling technique. In the case of CM15, methanol was found to account for as much as 50% of the overall evaporative emissions. This speciation method also allows estimation of how leakage and permeation contribute separately to the overall emissions.

Compression ignition engines, including those that use natural gas as the major fuel, produce emissions of NOx and particulate matter (PM). Westport Inc. has developed the pilot-ignited high-pressure direct-injection (HPDI) natural gas engine system. Although HPDI engines produce less soot than comparable conventional diesel engines, further reductions in engine-out soot emissions is desired. In diesel engines, multiple injections can help reduce both NOx and PM. The effect of post injections on HPDI engines was not studied previously. The present research shows that late injection of a second gas pulse can significantly reduce PM and CO from HPDI engines without significantly increasing NOx or fuel consumption. In-cylinder pressure measurements were used to characterize the heat release resulting from the multiple injections. Experiments showed that most close-coupled split injection strategies provided no significant emissions benefit and less stable operation.

With the use of a simulated exhaust system, the sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide emission from a monolith noble-metal oxidation catalyst (Engelhard IIB) is measured. It was found that the storage rate of sulfur onto an initially sulfur-free catalyst decreases to a few percent of the sulfur rejection rate within 3-4 h. The amount of sulfur on the catalyst when the catalyst is in equilibrium with 20 ppm sulfur in the gas phase varies between 0.3 weight percent of the catalyst at about 400°C to 0.1 weight percent at 600°C. The sulfur can readily desorb from the catalyst if the gas phase sulfur content is lowered or if the catalyst temperature is increased. It was found that the conversion of sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid reaches thermodynamic equilibrium at temperatures of 400-500°C and space velocities of 30,000 h-1. These conditions correspond approximately to a small V8 engine at 20 mph cruise.

A new in-line small diameter, tube and fin aluminum heat exchanger has been developed for automobile air conditioning condenser use. This condenser, while maintaining heat transfer performance, reduces weight, package volume, air flow resistance, and manufacturing complexity.

The heated fuel injectors are designed to bring up fuel temperature so as to reduce HC and CO emissions during cold start. The heated injectors are similar to regular injectors except heaters are placed near the injector inlet and outlet. The heaters, which has the ability to regulate temperature at 180 °C, transform the thermal energy to heat up the liquid fuel through the injector body. The heated injectors are required to heat up fuel to the operating temperature (e.g., 120 °F or 48.9 °C) as quickly as possible and to maintain that fuel temperature for about three minutes. However, test results indicate it takes more than two minutes for the fuel temperature to reach the desired operating temperature. Objective of this work is to find out the mechanisms controlling the slow heating process through CFD analysis. The computational domain covers the whole injector, from inlet to exit, since the heaters located near the top and bottom of the injector.

Torque converter clutch friction interface and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) temperatures, pressure difference across the clutch piston, flow through the friction material grooves, and engine crankshaft dynamic torque were measured for typical operating conditions on a running transmission. The friction coefficient, clutch unit pressure, fraction of heat rejected to ATF flowing through the grooves, and time dependent thermal response were determined. Simplified heat transfer calculations were compared with thermal data. Clutch interface temperatures were assessed as they relate to the process of friction material and ATF degradation. The inductively powered radiotelemetry system was found to be a robust and powerful tool for investigating continuously slipping clutch system performance.

The performance of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) that recovers heat from the exhaust of a heavy-duty diesel engine was simulated. The work was an extension of a prior study that simulated the performance of an experimental ORC system developed and tested at Oak Ridge National laboratory (ORNL). The experimental data were used to set model parameters and validate the results of that simulation. For the current study the model was adapted to consider a 15 liter turbocharged engine versus the original 1.9 liter light-duty automotive turbodiesel studied by ORNL. Exhaust flow rate and temperature data for the heavy-duty engine were obtained from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) for a range of steady-state engine speeds and loads without EGR. Because of the considerably higher exhaust gas flow rates of the heavy-duty engine, relative to the engine tested by ORNL, a different heat exchanger type was considered in order to keep exhaust pressure drop within practical bounds.

A method has been developed for the acquisition and analysis of electrical signals, called combustion signals, from the cylinders of spark ignition engines based on using the spark plugs as ionization probes. A correlation has been established between the simultaneously recorded combustion and cylinder pressure signals based on which combustion signals could be used to identify three types of burns. These burn types were called good burns, slow burns, and misfires. The statistical occurrence of these burn types was also correlated with the hydrocarbon exhaust emission levels for engines operating under dynamometer simulated decelerations and for engines operating with various amounts of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). Both production and experimental engines have been investigated. It was found that during both decelerations and operation with EGR, the degradation from good burns followed the same pattern irrespective of engine type.

AMONG the many outstanding advantages of the shell molding process of casting crankshafts, as described here, are the following: 1. Manner in which entire process responds to a high degree of automation. 2. Close tolerances that can be maintained from casting to casting. 3. Raw sand requirements are reduced from 125 lb (previous method) to 20 lb. 4. Results in 70% reduction in weight of chips produced. 5. Resulting crankshafts have highest wear resistance and exceptional endurance. 6. Gives additional design leeway: Allowing the most efficient distribution of weight. Contributing to engine compactness by varying the casting contour to prevent potential interferences.

A rotary heat exchanger may be mounted at either the hub or the rim. In either case, the mounting system must be capable of thousands of hours of operation, unlubricated, and in a highly oxidizing environment at temperatures in excess of 250°C (482°F). The development of both a hubmounted and a rim mounted system is described in this paper, and pertinent test results in the solution of durability problems peculiar to each system are reviewed. These results are based on over 300,000 hours of turbine engine test experience on rotary ceramic heat exchangers.

Rheological measurements were performed on a series of lubricants for flexible fuel vehicles, and blends of water or methanol in these oils. A series of measurements, including kinematic viscosity, viscosity at low and high shear rates, low shear viscosity under borderline pumping conditions, and density were performed on all oils and blends. The effects of mixing conditions, such as mixing speed and temperature on these properties were also studied. Viscosity increases when water emulsifies in oils. Methanol exhibits limited solubility in all oils, but more so in synthetic base oils. Viscosity tests at 248 K (-25°C) do not indicate the onset of critical pumping conditions, even at high concentrations of water or methanol. Tests at high shear rates at 323 K (50°C) suggest that water-oil emulsions are quite stable, while methanol-oil blends lose their methanol content either due to evaporation or shear-induced separation.

Controlled Auto-Ignition (CAI) combustion has been achieved in a production type 4-stroke multi-cylinder gasoline engine. The engine was based on a Ford 1.7L Zetec-SE 16V engine with a compression ratio of 10.3, using substantially standard components modified only in design dimensions to control the gas exchange process in order to significantly increase the trapped residuals. The engine was also equipped with Variable Cam Timing (VCT) on both the intake and exhaust camshafts. It was found that the largely increased trapped residuals alone were sufficient to achieve CAI in this engine and with VCT, a range of loads between 0.5 and 4 bar BMEP and engine speeds between 1000 and 3500 rpm were mapped for CAI fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. The measured CAI results were compared with those of Spark Ignition (SI) combustion in the same engine but with standard camshafts at the same speeds and loads.

Engine designers need an objective measurement which can be tested on the engine to indicate acceptable idle quality. An experiment was performed to select objective measures based on cylinder pressure data, and two measures were selected. Standard deviation of indicated mean effective pressure (SDimep) is a measure of the statistical instability of combustion. Lowest normalized value (LNV) is a measure of the tendency toward misfire. These two measures are shown for a set of typical engines. The body of data shows the relation of SDimep and LNV to burn duration and timing.

A simulated diesel exhaust is treated with a nonthermal plasma discharge under steady state conditions. The plasma effluent is then passed through a sodium zeolite-Y (NaY) catalyst followed by a platinum oxidation catalyst. Detailed FTIR measurements of gas composition are taken before, between, and after the treatment stages. The plasma discharge causes oxidation of NO primarily to NO2, with methyl nitrate and nitric acid byproducts. At the same time, HC is partially oxidized, creating species such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, CO and other partial oxidation products. When this mixture passes over the NaY catalyst, part of the NOx is reduced to N2, with the remainder primarily in the form of NO. Methyl nitrate decomposes to form methanol and NOx, and nitric acid is consumed. There is little HC conversion on this catalyst. Small quantities of HCN and N2O are formed. When the mixture then passes over the platinum catalyst, further NOx conversion occurs.

Two flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) using dielectric alcohol sensors have been designed and developed for mass production. One FFV will operate on gasoline or methanol up to 85% (M85). The second FFV will operate on gasoline or ethanol up to 85% (E85). Significant modification of a conventional dedicated gasoline engine was necessary in order to avoid major problems in the areas of preignition, engine wear and material compatibility. Operation on alcohol fuels provides for improved torque and horsepower over gasoline. Feedgas emission levels with alcohol fuels are lower than those with gasoline. However, this advantage is diminished at the tailpipe due to the long catalytic converter light-off times that result from the lower combustion temperatures which characterize alcohol fuels. Meeting evaporative emission regulations provided a challenge due to the high levels of vapor generated by low alcohol percentage fuel blends.

Hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines have potential for high thermal efficiencies; however, high efficiency conditions can produce high nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx) that are challenging to treat using conventional 3-way catalysts. This work presents the results of an experimental study to reduce NOx emissions while retaining high thermal efficiencies in a single-cylinder research engine fueled with hydrogen. Specifically, the effects on engine performance of the injection of water into the intake air charge were explored. The hydrogen fuel was injected into the cylinder directly. Several parameters were varied during the study, including the amount of water injected into the intake charge, the amount of fuel injected, the phasing of the fuel injection, the number of fuel injection events, and the ignition timing. The results were compared with expectations for a conventionally operated hydrogen engine where load was controlled through changes in equivalence ratio.

Ambient oil mist levels in automotive manufacturing plants where coolant is used as a metalworking fluid is an on-going concern, in particular, its effect on worker's breathing zone air quality. To find a means suppressing oil mist from being generated during these operations was studied in the laboratory, where several polymer additives were analyzed. It was found that a small amount (less than 100 ppm) of polyisobutylene (PIB) was extremely effective in suppressing mist formation by increasing the oil droplet size of typical straight mineral oil aerosols generated. Subsequent plant pilot tests confirmed these results, yielding 70-90% oil mist reductions using only 20-100 ppm PIB additions. In addition, no adverse impact was observed on the machined part quality.