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An integrated engineering approach using computer modeling, laboratory and vehicle testing enabled the Ford GT engineering team to achieve supercar thermal management performance within the aggressive program timing. Theoretical and empirical test data was used during the design and development of the engine cooling system. The information was used to verify design assumptions and validate engineering efforts. This design approach allowed the team to define a system solution quickly and minimized the need for extensive vehicle level testing. The result of this approach was the development of an engine cooling system that adequately controls air, oil and coolant temperatures during all driving and environmental conditions.

A flow network method was developed to predict the underhood temperature distribution of an automobile. The method involves the solution of simplified energy and momentum equations of the air flow in control volumes defined by subdividing the air space between the surfaces of the underhood components and the front-end geometry. The control volumes are interconnected by ducts with branches and bends to form a flow network. Conservation of mass and momentum with appropriate pressure-loss coefficients leads to a system of algebraic equations to be solved for the flow rates through each volume. The computed flow rates are transferred to a thermal model to calculate the temperatures of the air and the major vehicle components that affect the underhood environment. The method was applied to a 1986 3.0L Taurus and compared with vehicle experiments conducted in a windtunnel.

There have been many articles published in the last decade or so concerning the components of an electronic stability control (ESC) system, as well as numerous statistical studies that attempt to predict the effectiveness of such systems relative to crash involvement. The literature however is free from papers that discuss how engineers might develop such systems in order to achieve desired steering, handling, and stability performance. This task is complicated by the fact that stability control systems are very complex and their designs and what they can do have changed considerably over the years. These systems also differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and from vehicle to vehicle in a given maker of automobiles. In terms of ESC hardware, differences can include all the components as well as the addition or absence of roll rate sensors or active steering gears to name a few.

The galvanostatic polarization method was used to determine the pitting potentials of candidate wrought aluminum alloys in inhibited ethylene glycol engine coolants. It was shown that the relative value of the pitting potential is an excellent measure of the long-term effectiveness of the coolants in preventing spontaneous pitting and crevice attack in the aluminum heat exchangers. The long-term effectiveness was determined by metallographic examination of aluminum heat exchangers subjected to a four-month, 50,000 mile simulated service circulation test.

The presentation here of a computer program simulating an engine cycle emphasizes mechanical factors under the control of the engine designer rather than scientific aspects of combustion. Data secured by measuring valves, manifolds, and other parts on a flow bench are used to calculate instantaneous flow in and out of the cylinder for the firing engine. Heat transfer, finite time of combustion, and variable specific heat of the gas are also calculated. The program is particularly well adapted to indicating the direction and relative magnitude of the effect of changing one variable, such as valve size, at a time.

In recent years, rapid and significant advances in fuel cell technology, together with advances in power electronics and control methodology, has enabled the development of high performance fuel cell powered electric vehicles. A key advance is that the low temperature (80°C) proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) fuel cell has become mature and robust enough to be used for automotive applications. Apart from the apparent advantage of lower vehicle emission, the overall fuel cell vehicle static and dynamic performance and power and energy efficiency are critically dependent on the intelligent design of the control systems and control methodologies. These include the control of: fuel cell heat and water management, fuel (hydrogen) and air (oxygen) supply and distribution, electric drive, main and auxiliary power management, and overall powertrain and vehicle systems.

Most coolant formulations designed for cast iron engines are unsatisfactory for aluminum head/block use because of excessive heat-transfer corrosion, resulting in heavy corrosion product deposition and loss of cooling efficiency in the radiator. The effect of inhibitor and buffer additives, singly and in combination, on the heat-transfer corrosion rates for cast aluminum alloys was investigated. It was shown that some tetraborate and phosphate mixtures can be excessively corrosive. Silicate, in contrast, effectively protects the heat-transfer surfaces. In addition, the effects of heat-transfer surface temperature, nucleate boiling, and variations in glycol, dissolved oxygen and chloride concentrations on the heat-transfer corrosion rate were investigated.

A low-pressure CO2-based climate-control system has the environmental benefits of CO2 refrigerant but avoids the extremely high pressures of the transcritical CO2 cycle. In the new cycle, a liquid “cofluid” is circulated in tandem with the CO2, with absorption and desorption of CO2 from solution replacing condensation/gas cooling and evaporation of pure CO2. This work compares the theoretical performance of the cycle using two candidate cofluids: N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and acetone. The optimal coefficient of performance (COP) and refrigeration capacity are discussed in terms of characteristics of the CO2-cofluid mixture. Thermodynamic functions are determined either from an activity coefficient model or using the Soave equation of state, with close agreement between the two approaches. Reductions in COP due to nonideal compressor and heat exchangers are also estimated.

In an automotive engine cooling system, the heat rejected to the coolant by the engine and other components is transferred to the air by the radiator. The cooling system engineer must predict the coolant inlet temperature (the top water temperature) for each operating conditions of interest. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computer programs have been developed to predict the cooling air flow velocities and temperatures entering the radiator. Radiator effectiveness is measured on a calorimeter with uniform air velocity and temperature entering the radiator. Computer programs have been developed to predict calorimeter performance for new radiators based on experimental data from existing components. In applying the calorimeter performance model to a vehicle, some means must be used to derate the performance slightly based on the non-uniform inlet air velocity and temperature distribution entering the radiator.

A new, 1-D analytical engine thermal management tool was developed to model piston, oil and coolant temperatures in the Ford 3.5L engine family. The model includes: a detailed lubrication system, including piston oil-squirters, which accurately represents oil flow rates, pressure drops and component heat transfer rates under non-isothermal conditions; a detailed coolant system, which accurately represents coolant flow rates, pressure drops and component heat transfer rates; a turbocharger model, which includes thermal interactions with coolant, oil, intake air and exhaust gases (modeled as air), and heat transfer to the surroundings; and lumped thermal models for engine components such as block, heads, pistons, turbochargers, oil cooler and cooling tower. The model was preliminarily calibrated for the 3.5L EcoBoost™ engine, across the speed range from 1500 to 5500 rpm, using wide-open-throttle data taken from an early heat rejection study.

As vehicle fuel economy continues to grow in importance, the ability to accurately measure the level of parasitic losses on all driveline components is required. A standardized comparison procedure enables manufacturers and suppliers to measure component losses consistently, in addition to offering a reliable process to assess enablers for efficiency improvements. This paper reviews the development of a comprehensive test procedure to measure transfer case speed-dependent parasitic losses at key speed, load, and environmental conditions. This procedure was validated for repeatability considering variations in soak time, temperature measurement positions on the transfer case, and test operating conditions. Additional assessments of spin loss at low ambient temperatures, and the effect of component break-in on spin loss were also conducted.

This paper presents engine dynamometer testing and modeling analysis of ethanol compared to gasoline at part load conditions where the engine was not knock-limited with either fuel. The purpose of this work was to confirm the efficiency improvement for ethanol reported in published papers, and to quantify the components of the improvement. Testing comparing E85 to E0 gasoline was conducted in an alternating back-to-back manner with multiple data points for each fuel to establish high confidence in the measured results. Approximately 4% relative improvement in brake thermal efficiency (BTE) was measured at three speed-load points. Effects on BTE due to pumping work and emissions were quantified based on the measured engine data, and accounted for only a small portion of the difference.

The Taunus has been designed to meet the market demand for a car sized midway between the smallest and average sized European car, one that would provide exceptionally low cost of operation and rider comfort. The design described here had as us objectives low weight, low initial cost, superior performance and handling characteristics, comfortable seating and riding qualities, and ample luggage space. Tests show that the manufacturer has not fallen short of any of these objectives.

Meeting increasingly stringent targets for vehicle performance, economy and emissions requires a deep understanding of the overall IC engine system behavior and the ability to optimize it considering all control and noise factors and their variations. The tradeoffs in exhaust gas temperature, exhaust valve temperature, engine performance, economy and emissions demand a combination of capable CAE analytical tools and a methodology capable of leading the design to a reliable and robust solution. This paper presents a newly developed methodology that uses a Ford in-house quasi-dimensional combustion model called GESIM (General Engine Simulation Program) and a 3D conjugate heat transfer (CHT) model to predict crank angle resolved exhaust gas temperatures and cycle average valve temperatures in a 6-Sigma context, which considers a wide range of engine factors and their variations, to determine a feasible robust design solution.

THE Free-Piston Engine Program described in this paper was concerned with determining thermodynamic relationships of small, high-speed engines. The purpose was to establish proper engine geometry and mechanical design which could then be applied to developing larger automotive engines. The author outlines the problems encountered during the Program's beginnings: starting system, powerplant assembly, cooling system, and lubrication. The results indicated that the free-piston engine would be particularly applicable to the farm tractor. The author thinks that such a powerplant may equal or better the diesel engine in economy.

PURPOSE - Present the new Control Trac four wheel drive system which is the first application of an interactive four wheel drive in a sport utility vehicle. PROBLEM - The Control Trac system was developed in response to the need for a light weight, space efficient, customer friendly, and full function four wheel drive system. The system was targeted to be fully compatible with on highway and off road usage. CONCLUSION - The Control Trac system is a remarkably user friendly, practical, technologically advanced four wheel drive system; compatible with on highway and off road operation.

Ford's thermal management with batteries. Presenter Robert Taenaka, Ford Motor Co.

This paper presents a guide for front wheel drive transverse engine mount optimization. The rationale for trying to achieve certain powerplant mode shapes and desirable frequency trends for these mode shapes is discussed. A mathematical proof is given for conditions which will ensure that the engine firing torque pulses excite only one engine mode. This will be shown to be desirable for satisfying the many conflicting design constraints. A review of various optimization procedures which were tried is discussed and a detailed explanation of the selected MONTE CARLO procedure is given. Extensive MOTRAN computer results are presented, both for a grounded engine and for a full vehicle.

Surface heat transfer measurements have been taken in the intake port of a single cylinder four valve SI engine running on isooctane fuel. The objective has been to establish how fuel characteristics affect trends in surface heat transfer rates for a range of engine operating conditions. The heat transfer measurements were made using heat flux gauges bonded to the intake port surface in the region where highest rates of fuel deposition occur. The influence on heat transfer rates of the deposited fuel and its subsequent behaviour has been examined by comparing fuel-wetted and dry-surface heat transfer measurements. Heat transfer changes are consistent with trends predicted by convective mass transfer over much of the range of surface temperatures from 20°C to 100°C. Towards the upper temperature limit heat transfer reaches a maximum limited by the rate and distribution of fuel deposition.

Fuel-air mixing in a direct-injection SI engine was studied to further improve full-load torque output. The fuel-injection location of DI vs. PFI results in different heat sources for fuel evaporation, hence a DI engine has been found to exhibit higher volumetric efficiency and lower knocking tendency, resulting in higher full-load torque output [1]. The ability to change injection timing of the DI engine affects heat transfer and mixture temperature, hence later injection results in lower knocking tendency. Both the higher volumetric efficiency and the lower knocking tendency can improve engine torque output. Improving volumetric efficiency requires that the fuel is injected during the intake stroke. Reducing knocking tendency, in contrast, requires that the fuel is injected late during the compression stroke. Thus, a strategy of split injection was proposed to compromise the two competing requirements and further increase direct-injection SI engine torque output.