Search Results

The wear mechanisms of the methanol engine were studied using dynamometer tests. Formic acid from methanol combustion mixes with the lubricant oil and attacks the metal surfaces. The iso tacho prorissis method was successfully applied to analyze the formic acid content of the used oil. A large amount of condensed water is also formed by methanol combustion and accelerates the wear. Wear can be effectively reduced by shortening lubricant oil change intervals, by using a special oil and by durable surface treatment of engine parts.

The potential of 48V Mild Hybrid is promising in meeting the present and future CO2 legislations. There are various system layouts for 48V hybrid system including P0, P1, P2. In this paper, P2 architecture is used to investigate the effects of water injection benefits in a mild hybrid system. Electrification of the conventional powertrain uses the benefits of an electric drive in the low load-low speed region where the conventional SI engine is least efficient and as the load demand increases the IC Engine is used in its more efficient operating region. Engine downsizing and forced induction trend is popular in the hybrid system architecture. However, the engine efficiency is limited by combustion knocking at higher loads thus ignition retard is used to avoid knocking and fuel enrichment becomes must to operate the engine at MBT (Maximum Brake Torque) timing; in turn neutralizing the benefits of fuel savings by electrification.

With progressing electrification of automotive powertrains and demands to meet increasingly stringent emission regulations, a combination of an electric motor and downsized turbocharged spark-ignited engine has been recognized as a viable solution. The SI engine must be optimized, and preferentially downsized, to reduce tailpipe CO2 and other emissions. However, drives to increase BMEP (Brake Mean Effective Pressure) and compression ratio/thermal efficiency increase propensities of knocking (auto-ignition of residual unburnt charge before the propagating flame reaches it) in downsized engines. Currently, knock is mitigated by retarding the ignition timing, but this has several limitations. Another option identified in the last decade (following trials of similar technology in aircraft combustion engines) is water injection, which suppresses knocking largely by reducing local in-cylinder mixture temperatures due to its latent heat of vaporization.

Rankine bottoming system, which operates on waste heat of engine cooling, has been developped to improve the fuel economy of a passenger car. Evaporative engine cooling system is utilized to obtain high thermal efficiency and simplicity of the Rankine bottoming system. The bottoming system uses HCFC123 as a working fluid, and scroll expander as a power conversion unit. The results indicate that energy recovery, which depends on the ambient temperature, is almost 3 percent of engine output power at ambient temperature of 25°C.

Previous research on both small-scale and full-scale vehicles shows that base extensions are an effective method to increase the base pressure, enhancing pressure recovery and reducing the wake size. These extensions decrease drag at zero yaw, but show an even larger improvement at small yaw angles. In this paper, rear extensions are investigated on an SUV in the Volvo Cars Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel with focus on the wake flow and on the unsteady behavior of the surface pressures near the base perimeter. To increase the effect of the extensions on the wake flow, the investigated configurations have a closed upper- and lower grille (closed-cooling) and the underbody has been smoothed with additional panels. This paper aims to analyze differences in flow characteristics on the wake of an SUV at 0° and 2.5° yaw, caused by different sets of extensions attached to the base perimeter. Extensions with several lengths are investigated with and without a kick.

Pre-chamber combustion (PCC) has re-emerged in recent last years as a potential solution to help to decarbonize the transport sector with its improved engine efficiency as well as providing lower emissions. Research into the combustion process inside the pre-chamber is still a challenge due to the high pressure and temperatures, the geometrical restrictions, and the short combustion durations. Some fundamental studies in constant volume combustion chambers (CVCC) at low and medium working pressures have shown the complexity of the process and the influence of high pressures on the turbulence levels. In this study, the pre-chamber combustion process was investigated by combustion visualization in an optically-accessible pre-chamber under engine relevant conditions and linked with the jet emergence inside the main chamber. The pre-chamber geometry has a narrow-throat. The total nozzle area is distributed in two six-hole rows of nozzle holes.

The effects of EGR on diesel combustion were visually examined in a single-cylinder heavy duty research engine with a low compression ratio, low swirl, a CR fuel injection system and an eight-orifice nozzle. Optical access was primarily obtained through the cylinder head. The effects of EGR were found to be significant. NOx emissions were reduced from over 500 ppm at 0% EGR to 5 ppm at 55% EGR. At higher levels of EGR (approximately 35% or more) there was a loss in efficiency. Constant fuel masses were injected. Results from the optical measurements and global emission data were compared in order to obtain a better understanding of the spray behaviour and mixing process. Optical measurements provide fundamental insights by visualizing air motion and combustion behaviour. The NOx reductions observed might be explained by reductions in oxygen concentration associated with the increases in EGR.

This paper describes and confirms the effect of low frequency sinusoidal steering torque input on vehicle response and steering behavior using vehicle test, analysis with equations of motion and simulations. The vehicle response by low frequency torque input is quite different to the vehicle response by low frequency steer angle input. Steering system parameters such as moment of inertia, damping, friction and power steering assist torque have an effect on low frequency torque input steering system dynamics. The dynamic response of the vehicle with electric power steering (EPS) system, which has a big moment of inertia with electric motor and friction of the reduction gear, is affected by the steering system dynamic properties. The vehicle response by low frequency torque input test has capability for contribute to vehicle evaluation such as steer feel or maneuverability of handling.

In order to develop the valve rocker arm material for the new type engine, we investigated various materials whose chemical compositions were selected using 30% chromium cast iron, which had shown good results in screening evaluation tests, as the basis. High chromium cast irons are well known for their abrasive wear resistance, but it has been very difficult to apply them for use as rocker arm material because their machinability is very poor, and because it is difficult for them to have a regular microstructure. In this paper, both the manufacturing method for the rocker arm which decreases the disadvantages that high chromium cast iron have and the rocker arm material best suited for this method are described.

The SEA model of wind noise requires the quantification of both the acoustic as well as the turbulent flow contributions to the exterior pressure. The acoustic pressure is difficult to measure because it is usually much lower in amplitude than the turbulent pressure. However, the coupling of the acoustic pressure to the surface vibration is usually much stronger than the turbulent pressure, especially in the acoustic coincidence frequency range. The coupling is determined by the spatial matching between the pressure and the vibration which can be described by the wavenumber spectra. This paper uses measured vibration modes of a vehicle window to determine the coupling to both acoustic and turbulent pressure fields and compares these to the results from an SEA model. The interior acoustic intensity radiating from the window during road tests is also used to validate the results.

The wavelet transform is used in the analysis of the cylinder pressure trace and the ionic current trace of a knocking, single-cylinder, spark ignition engine. Using the wavelet transform offers a significant reduction of mathematical operations when compared with traditional filtering techniques based on the Fourier transform. It is shown that conventional knock analysis in terms of average energy in the time domain (AETD), corresponding to the signal's energy content, and maximum amplitude in the time domain (MATD), corresponding to the maximum amplitude of the bandpass filtered signal, can be applied to both the reconstructed filtered cylinder pressure and the wavelet coefficients. The use of the filter coefficients makes possible a significant additional reduction in calculation effort in comparison with filters based on the windowed Fourier transform.

The need for a more complete understanding of the flow behavior in aerodynamic wind tunnels has increased as they have become vital tools not only for vehicle development, but also for vehicle certification. One important aspect of the behavior is the empty test section flow, which in a conventional tunnel should be as uniform as possible. In order to assess the uniformity and ensure consistent behavior over time, accurate measurements need to be performed regularly. Furthermore, the uncertainties and errors of the measurements need to be minimized in order to resolve small non-uniformities. In this work, the quantification of the measurement uncertainties from the full measurement chain of the new flow uniformity measurement rig for the Volvo Cars aerodynamic wind tunnel is presented. The simulation based method used to account for flow interference of the probe mount is also discussed.

Among aluminum heat exchangers used for automotive air conditioning, the evaporator is located in the instrument panel. We have developed a new evaporator by: 1) improving the heat transfer performance through use of thinner tubes and fins; 2) establishing technologies for improving corrosion resistance and enabling reduction in wall thickness (development of highly corrosion-resistant material and control of Zn diffusion by shortening brazing time); and 3) improving refrigerant distribution in the tanks. The new evaporator is equivalent to our conventional MS Evaporator (of Multi-Tank Super-Slim Structure)(1) in cooling performance and corrosion resistance, while being significantly thinner (35% reduction) and lighter in weight (40% reduction).

In light of the drive for energy efficiency and low CO2 emissions, extensive research is performed to reduce vehicle aerodynamic drag. The wheels are relatively shielded from the main flow compared to the exterior of the passenger car; however, they are typically responsible for around 25% of the overall vehicle drag. This contribution is large as the wheels and tyres protrude into the flow and change the flow structure around the vehicle underbody. Given that the tyre is the first part of the wheel to get in contact with the oncoming flow, its shape and features have a significant impact on the flow pattern that develops. This study aims at identifying the general effects of two main tyre features, the longitudinal rain grooves and lateral pattern grooves, using both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel tests. This is performed by cutting generic representations of these details into identical slick tyres.

A phosphor thermometry, for measurements of two-dimensional gas-phase temperature was examined in turbulent combustion in an engine. The reasonable temperature deviation and the agreement with calculated data within 5% precision were achieved by single-shot images in the ignition process of compression ignition engine. Focusing on the local flame kernel, the flame structure could be quantitatively given by the temperature. It became evident that the HCCI flame kernels had 1-3 mm diameter and the isolated island structures. Subsequently, the HTR zone consisted of the combined flame kernels near TDC.

Soot particle size, particle concentration and volume fraction were measured by laser based methods in optically dense, highly turbulent combusting diesel sprays under engine-like conditions. Experiments were done in the Chalmers High Pressure, High Temperature spray rig under isobaric conditions and combusting commercial diesel fuel. Laser Induced Incandescence (LII), Elastic Scattering and Light Extinction were combined quasi-simultaneously to quantify particle characteristics spatially resolved in the middle plane of a combusting spray at two instants after the start of combustion. The influence that fuel injection pressure, gas temperature and gas pressure exert on particle size, particle concentration and volume fraction were studied. Probability density functions of particle size and two-dimensional images of particle diameter, particle concentration and volume fraction concerning instantaneous single-shot cases and average measurements are presented.

A Turbulent Flame Speed Closure Model is modified and implemented into the FIRE code for use in 3D computations of combustion in an SI-engine. The modifications are done to account for mixture inhomogeneity, and mixture compression through the dependency of local equivalence ratio, pressure and temperature on the chemical time scale and a global reaction time scale. The model is also subjected to further evaluation against experimental data, covering different mixture and turbulence conditions. The combustion process in a 4-valve pentroof combustion chamber is simulated and heat release rates and spatial flame distribution are evaluated against experimental data. The computations show good agreement with the experiments. The model has proven to be a robust and time effective simulation tool with good predictive ability.

Toyota has developed a new system, which uses integrated control of powertrain by PowerTrain Management (PTM), in order to improve driving comfort and reliability. This system is currently in use on Lexus's new LS460. This system is composed of 4 parts: a generation part, a mediating part, a modification part and a distribution part. In each part, processes are based on drive power and torque. In the generation part, requests from a programmed model driver, Driving Support Computer and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) are generated and expressed by drive power. In the mediating part, most suitable vehicle drive power was selected among the requests. In the modification part, the selected request is modified using a programmed powertrain model, which considers internal combustion engine condition and powertrain response and transmission's tolerance. In the distribution part, optimized engine torque and gear ratio are processed.

A new compact five-speed automatic transmission (A650E) has been developed for front engine rear wheel drive cars. The development of this transmission has been aimed at improving fuel consumption, power performance, engine noise reduction during highway cruising and smooth acceleration by employing a wide range of gearing and close gear ratios. Generally a five-speed automatic transmission is larger than a four-speed, because of additional friction elements and gears. This can result in a change in the floor panel of the car body. However, by removing a one-way clutch for second gear and employing a unique gear-train layout, this transmission has the same circumference and length as the conventional four-speed automatic transmission (A340E)(1).1 In order to reduce first or second gear noise, gear specification and supporting structures of planetary gears have been optimized by FEM analysis.

The third generation four valve lean combustion engine controlled by newly designed combustion pressure sensor has been developed. This combustion sensor composed of a metal diaphragm and a thin silicone layer formed on devitron piece detects the combustion pressure in the No.1 cylinder. Comparing with the lean mixture sensor equipped in the first and second generation lean combustion engine, the lean misfire limit was detected directly with this sensor, and the lean operation range was expanded, which realized lower fuel consumption and NOx emission. The output torque fluctuation was minimized by precisely compensating the fuel supplied to individual cylinder based on the crank angle sensor signal. Separated dual intake ports, one with the swirl control valve and the other with helical port shape was designed and a twin spray injection nozzle was equipped between those ports. The swirl ratio was lowered from 2.2 to 1.7.