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This paper reports on the first phase of an experimental evaluation of five different methods for the mathematical modelling of unsteady gas flow in engine ducting. The five methods under investigation are the homentropic method of characteristics, the non-homentropic method of characteristics, the two-step Lax-Wendroff method with flux corrected transport, the Harten-Lax-Leer upstream difference method and the Blair method of pressure wave propagation through finite spaces. A single cycle pressure wave generator consisting of a cylinder, connected via a sliding valve to a long duct, has been designed and built. The pressure waves it creates closely mimic those to be found in i.e. engines. The cylinder and the ducts of the device can be filled with any gas and at elevated temperatures. A perfect seal exists between the cylinder and the valve thus enabling mass- flow correlation. The initial cylinder pressure may be set to simulate an induction or an exhaust process.

This paper reports on the experimental evaluation of certain aspects concerning the mathematical modelling of pressure wave propagation in engine ducting. A particular aspect is the coefficient of discharge of the various ports, valves or apertures of the ducting connected to the cylinder of an engine or to the atmosphere. The traditional method for the deduction of the coefficients of discharge employs steady flow experimentation. While the traditional experimental method may well be totally adequate, it is postulated in this paper that the traditional theoretical approach to the deduction of the discharge coefficient from the measured data leads to serious inaccuracies if incorporated within an engine simulation by computer. An accurate theoretical method for the calculation of the discharge coefficient from measured data is proposed.

This paper reports on the first phase of an experimental evaluation of four different methods for the mathematical modelling of unsteady gas flow in a pipe system containing an area discontinuity. The four methods under investigation are the non-homentropic method of characteristics, the two-step Lax-Wendroff method with flux corrected transport, the Harten-Lax-Leer upstream difference method and the GPB finite system method. The experimentation is conducted using the QUB SP (single-pulse) pressure wave generator consisting of a cylinder, connected via a sliding valve to a long duct. The pressure waves it creates closely mimic those to be found in i.c. engines. The initial cylinder pressure may be set to simulate either an induction or an exhaust process. Various ducts are attached to the pressure wave generator to simulate both sudden and gradual area changes. Each duct is sufficiently long as to permit pressure wave observation without superposition effects.

This paper reports on the experimental evaluation of certain aspects of the mathematical modelling by the GPB method of pressure wave propagation through finite systems, of unsteady gas flow in engine ducting. The aspects under examination are the propagation of pressure waves through a pipe which contains gases of dissimilar properties. In this case the gases are carbon dioxide and air. The experimentation is conducted using the QUB SP (single pulse) pressure wave generator consisting of a cylinder, connected via a sliding valve to a long duct. The pressure waves it creates closely mimic those to be found in i.e. engines. The initial cylinder pressure may be set to simulate either an induction or an exhaust process, but the experiments reported here are of compression waves only. The duct attached to the pressure wave generator is a straight pipe. The cylinder and part of the pipe are filled with carbon dioxide and air.

Previous publications from The Queen's University of Belfast have described the unsteady gas flow through a naturally aspirated two-cycle engine and the most recent of these have detailed the scavenge process, the combustion model and muffler design. It is thus now possible to predict the unsteady gas flow behaviour through and the performance and noise characteristics in this type of engine with a good degree of accuracy. This paper describes a mathematical model which has been formulated to simulate the action of the two-cycle engine fitted with a reed valve due to the unsteady gas dynamic behaviour in the inlet tract and makes comparisons with measurements. A complete simulation on the computer of a two-cycle engine fitted with a reed intake valve is thus now possible.

Earlier papers by the principal author in conjunction with others have described the prediction of noise and performance characteristics of two-cycle spark-ignition crankcase compression engines. These calculations are performed on a digital computer and are shown to simulate accurately the unsteady gas flow and thermodynamic processes in such power units. The engines described previously had induction control by the piston or with a disc valve. In this paper the work is extended to engines fitted with reed valves controlling intake air flow and examples illustrating the effectiveness of such calculations are presented. In particular, a single-cylinder industrial engine is employed to show clearly the effects of changing such parameters as reed petal thickness, stop-plate radii and numbers of reed petals on the performance characteristics.

Mathematical models of the open cycle gas exchange process and the closed cycle combustion process are developed for a Wankel engine. The theoretical model of the complete engine operating cycle is programmed for a digital computer and the results are shown for a small single rotor charge cooled Wankel engine. The predicted pressure diagrams in the working chamber and in the inlet, transfer and exhaust ducts are compared with measured values as is the predicted volumetric efficiency relationship with engine speed. The predicted charging efficiency relationship with engine speed is also compared with the measured brake mean effective pressure characteristic to demonstrate the usefulness of the theoretical model.

Previous publications from The Queen's University of Belfast have shown the formulation of a mathematical model to simulate the dynamic behaviour of a reed valve as used between the crankcase and inlet tract of a simple two-stroke cycle engine. This paper describes the enhancements and improvements made to this original reed valve model and its verification by correlation with measurements from a firing engine. Measured and predicted data for reed tip lift and delivery ratio are presented for a 350cm3, twin cylinder test engine over a wide range of engine speeds up to 9500 rev/min. The results of this experimental and theoretical study, using varied reed width profiles and radically different reed petal materials including carbon fibre, glass fibre reinforced plastics and steel, are also presented. The development of a new and unique reed valve visualisation technique is described and discussed both theoretically and practically.

A three cylinder two-stroke cycle diesel engine is proposed for automotive use. The engine is of the simple loop or cross-scavenging type with a crosshead seal and under piston scavenging pump. This paper records the initial investigations of this concept using a purpose built single cylinder engine. Results from different combustion systems are presented together with tests with the same engine when using an external air supply. Measurements from a parallel investigation using a laser doppler anemometer to measure air swirl motion within one of the chambers are also presented.

This paper reports on the use of mathematical modelling by the GPB method of pressure wave propagation through finite systems, for the design of prototype exhaust systems and silencers for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The motorcycle engine is the classic 1340 cm3 45° V-twin power unit. The design objectives were to gain mid-range power and torque without loss of performance at either end of the speed range and to design silencers which would enhance the performance and the noise image of the machine. The Queen's University of Belfast (QUB) (3)* employed their unsteady gas flow modelling techniques to the design of the system and its silencers to complement a new camshaft design from Crane Cams. The results of the use of these computer based design techniques are reported as performance characteristics of power and torque for the new design by comparison with the stock system.