Search Results

The effect of eight installation and component parameters on cooling system heat rejection and air flow were examined in detail in a wind tunnel facility. A quarter-replicate, two level factorial test plan was followed. Within the ranges of each parameter tested, the fan characteristics and the projection of fan into the shroud are highly significant parameters. The fan to radiator distance, the radiator characteristics, and the fan tip to shroud clearance are significant parameters. The fan to engine block distance and the type of shroud are not significant parameters.

Two turbocompound diesel engines were assembled and dynamometer tested in preparation for vehicle tests. Both engines met the 1980 California gaseous emission requirement and achieved a minimum BSFC of .313 lb/bhp-hr and a BSFC at rated conditions of .323 lb/bhp-hr. These engines were then installed in Class VIII heavy-duty vehicles to determine the fuel consumption and performance characteristics. Fuel consumption testing showed a 14.8% improvement for the turbocompound engine in comparison to a production NTC-400 used as a baseline. The turbocompound engine also achieved lower noise levels, improved drive-ability, improved gradeability, and moderately increased engine retardation. The second turbocompound engine was placed in commercial service and accumulated 50,000 miles on a cross-country route without malfunction. Tank mileage revealed a 15.92% improvement over a production NTCC-400 which was operating on the same route.

A Minimum Cooled Engine (MCE) has been successfully run for 250 hours at rated condition of 298 kW and 1900 rpm. This engine was all metallic without any coolant in the block and lower part of the heads. Ring/liner/lubricant system and thermal loading on the liner at top ring reversal (TRR) as well as on the piston are presented and discussed. Ring/liner wear is given as well as oil consumption and blow-by data during the endurance run. Another engine build with a different top ring coating and several lubricants suggested that a 1500 hours endurance run of MCE is achievable. Rig test data for screening ring materials and synthetic lubricants necessary for a successful operation of a so-called Adiabatic Engine with the ring/ceramic liner (SiN) interface temperature up to 650°C are presented and discussed.

Torsional vibrations of an engine-powered hydraulic system were analyzed. The system consisted of: a diesel engine, spline shaft with clearance, universal joints, propeller shaft, mechanical transmission with clutch engagement, hydraulic pump, and a load. Excessive torsional vibrations resulted in propeller, spline shaft, and U-joint failures. Although the system had been adequately designed for the steady-state horsepower requirements of the pump, field failures began to occur after several systems were built and delivered. A nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed, which included variations in system parameters. The analysis revealed that two design changes would reduce the dynamic stresses. These were to increase spline clearance and to add a torsional damper to the propeller shaft.

The paper presents the latest research results on the piston ring free shape. A new free shape measurement method with optical gauging was developed. Three numerical models to compute the contact force distribution of piston ring were developed using finite element analysis (FEA). These numerical methods have been compared each other, and validated with the experimental results of ring deformation in a ring gage. The contact force distribution of a piston ring at working condition was also studied. It consists of the ring thermal boundary conditions (RTBC) validation, 3-D FEA thermal analysis and thermal contact force computation based on validated wire-cable element model. The RTBC for heavy duty diesel engine has been validated for the first time using a CUMMINS L10 engine test. Three different free shapes have been tested. The wear band measurements of tested rings all show tremendous improvements over the standard top ring.

The influence of bowl offset on motored mean flow and turbulence in a direct injection diesel engine has been examined with the aid of a multi-dimensional flow code. Results are presented for three piston geometries. The bowl geometry of each piston was the same, while the offset between the bowl and the cylinder axis was varied from 0.0 to 9.6% of the bore. The swirl ratio at intake valve closing was also varied from 2.60 to 4.27. It was found that the angular momentum of the air at TDC was decreased by less than 8% when the bowl was offset. Nevertheless, the mean (squish and swirl) flows were strongly affected by the offset. In addition, the distribution of turbulent kinetic energy (predicted by the k-e model) was modified. Moderate increases (10% or less) in mass averaged turbulence intensity at TDC with offset were observed. However, the TDC turbulent diffusivity was changed less than 3% due to a slight decrease in turbulent length scale with increasing offset.

Water was inducted with the intake air and injected emulsified with the fuel, in a conventional single cylinder D.I. diesel engine. The major effects of inducted water were an increase in ignition delay, and reduction in the oxides of nitrogen and smoke at a constant fuel/air ratio. When the water was emulsified with the fuel, the ignition delay increased so much that no benefits were obtained except for a reduction in smoke. The results are compared to a similar study on an engine with the “M” combustion system. The major differences between the results obtained with the two combustion systems are attributed to the differences in the ignition delay caused by the water addition.

A study was undertaken to establish what happens to engine emissions, and to turbocharger and injection pressure requirements, as the specific output is raised. For any given engine package, increasing specific output increases injection pressures while reducing air/fuel ratios. Thus, if the highly rated engine must satisfy the same design constraints, then raising the engine operating torque by only 10% resulted in more than 30% increase in total particulates! However, the same emission levels may be maintained if increases in specific output are accompanied by changes to engine design so as to maintain the air-fuel mixing parameters, specifically air/fuel ratio and injection pressures, throughout the entire engine operating conditions.

Design and development of the Cummins Signature 600, a new high horsepower dual overhead cam truck diesel engine, has been completed. The Signature 600 product system includes an all-new engine, controls, fuel system, and business information systems. During product definition, particular emphasis was placed on target markets, customer input to design, engineering and manufacturing processes, concurrent engineering and extensive mechanical and thermal analyses. Cummins Signature 600 fulfills the needs of Owner-Operator and Premium Fleet linehaul trucking businesses.

Testing procedures to evaluate new coolant pump seal face materials and new coolant pump seal designs were evaluated. Rig testing of materials and seals followed by engine dynamometer testing enabled changes in the seal materials or design to be validated prior to field testing and limited production. These procedures were used to test and implement a coolant pump seal face material change to silicon carbide versus carbon. The change resulted in higher reliability for the coolant pump seal and reduced warranty cost for the engine.

Diesel engine manufacturers have traditionally done most engine noise development work under steady: state operating conditions. However, truck driveby noise tests are acceleration tests, and engines exhibit different noise behavior under accelerating conditions. Acceleration noise can be affected by engine performance parameters which may have no influence on steady state noise levels. In this study, a test cell simulation of the truck driveby procedure has been developed and evaluated. Test cell simulation and truck driveby results are compared for a naturally-aspirated and a turbocharged engine. This simulation procedure has been shown to predict reliably results measured in vehicles. As a result, the simulation can be used to evaluate engine modifications during the development process without requiring a vehicle installation.

The wider flammable limits of methanol compared to unleaded gasoline impose additional safety concerns when storing nearly neat methanol fuels. The upper flammable limit temperatures (UFLT) of various methano1/gasoline fuels were determined. An excellent correlation between the UFLT of methanol/gasoline mixtures and their dry Reid vapor pressures (RVP) was obtained. It is now possible to predict the upper temperature limit of the flammability range of methano1/unleaded gasoline fuels from a knowledge of their dry RVPs. The lower flammable limit temperatures were also determined. A good correlation was obtained between the lower flammable limit temperature and the dry RVP.

This paper presents several techniques used to define quantitatively the problem of excessive noise through engine structural vibration. These techniques include both operating engine tests and bench tests. In addition, analytical techniques are shown which give a better understanding of how the critical components within the engine cause this vibration. Through the use of analytical and experimental techniques, examples illustrate practical solutions for diesel engine noise reduction.

RAPID CORROSIVE WEAR OF COPPER ALLOYS caused by a friction reducing additive was encountered in field tests of experimental lubricants. This oil soluble molybdenum, sulphur, and phosphorous containing additive subsequently was used in several commercial heavy duty diesel lubricants although the additive manufacturer did not recommend it for such applications. Numerous engine failures occurred due to the aggressiveness of this additive toward copper. Standard laboratory engine test methods or standard bench test methods did not predict the severe field problem. A new laboratory engine test method has been shown to duplicate the field failures. Bench test methods to duplicate the field failures are discussed. The mode of failure is shown and described.

A new telemetry system has been developed for temperature or strain measurements on a spherical joint piston. The system includes a piston mounted signal multiplexer and transmitter. A patented, piston mounted power generator operates in conjunction witii a modified cylinder liner. The telemetry system is robust, having high inertia load capability and high environmental temperature operating capability. The telemetry system was installed and operated on an engine motoring test rig. Temperature signals were transmitted at engine speeds from 400 rpm to 2100 rpm. Over 100 hours of high engine speed testing with oil sump temperatures up to 122°C were completed.

The development of smoke measurement procedures and instruments has been one of the significant factors contributing to the reduction of smoke from diesel-powered trucks. There is a need, however, for better information on the relation between measurements and the appearance of the smoke plume, for improved smokemeters, and for common international test procedures. Studies of smoke plumes using jet theory, alumina tracer, and hydraulic analog techniques indicate that the plumes are sometimes unstable and subject to large-scale shedding in the region where free-plume smokemeters are located. This introduces a significant random variation into smoke measurements made in this location. A future test procedure based on smoke measurements made with a long path (500 mm) in-line smokemeter during a dynamic cycle is suggested for consideration. Smoke limits would be based on tests similar to those conducted by MIRA to relate smoke levels and engine size to human response.

A series of comparative evaluation tests to determine the effect of various full-flow and combination full-flow and bypass filter systems on diesel engine piston ring and crankshaft bearings was made using radioactive tracer wear measurement and component weight loss techniques. The results of these tests indicate that bypass lube oil filtration combined with good full-flow lube oil filtration result in lowest engine wear rate and lowest total cost for the engine user.

Previous work on the cooling jackets of the Cummins L10 engine revealed flow separation, and low coolant velocities in several critical regions of the cylinder head. The current study involved the use of detailed cooling jacket temperature measurements, and finite element heat transfer analysis to attempt the identification of regions of pure convection, nucleate boiling, and film boiling. Although difficult to detect with certainty, both the measurements and analysis pointed strongly to the presence of nucleate boiling in several regions. Little or no evidence of film boiling was seen, even under very high operating loads. It was thus concluded that the regions of seemingly inadequate coolant flow remained quite effective in controlling cylinder head temperatures. The Cummins L10 upon which this study has focused is an in-line six cylinder, four-stroke direct injection diesel engine, with a displacement of 10 liters.

Measurements have been made to determine the effect of piston crown surface properties on combustion. Back-to-back engine tests were conducted to compare surface modified pistons to a production piston. Each modified piston was found to prolong combustion duration. Porous coatings and a non porous, roughened piston were observed to increase fuel consumption. Increase in fuel consumption was determined to be the result of increased heat release duration. The data show surface roughness alone affects the duration of heat release. The shift in magnitude of the centroid of heat release was similar to the shift observed in insulated engine experiments.

Data have been gathered to compare the performance of steel crown pistons coated with yttria stabilized zirconia or mullite to an uncoated piston. The effect of coated pistons on in-cylinder heat transfer was determined from curves of ISFC versus centroid of heat release. Error analysis of the measurements showed uncertainty of ± 3% in ISFC and ± 2 crank angle degrees in the centroid of heat release could be expected for the data. Particulate emissions increased at advanced injection timings with the mullite coated piston while the zirconia coated piston showed an increase in particulate and NOx at advanced timings.