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A new variable density / physical property wall function formalism has been developed. The new formalism is designed to extend the validity range of wall functions to cover both the low- and high-Reynolds-number domains so that the restrictions on the non-dimensional near-wall mesh resolution can be avoided. The new formalism also accounts for the temperature gradient induced variations of density, viscosity, heat conductivity and specific heat capacity. The new wall function formalism is constructed in conjunction with a modified low-Reynolds-number turbulence model in order to avoid the conflicting requirements of low- and high-Reynolds-number models on the near wall mesh resolution. The new formulation is validated with test simulations of strongly heated air flows in circular tube against measurements and Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) results.

The study aims at providing more accurate initial conditions for turbulence prior to combustion with the help of a four valve, large bore diesel engine CFD model. Combustion simulations are typically done with a sector mesh and initial turbulence in these simulations is usually taken from relatively inaccurate correlations. This study also aims at developing a more accurate initial turbulence correlation for combustion simulations. A one-dimensional model was first used to provide boundary conditions as well as the initial flow conditions at the beginning of the simulation. Steady state and transient boundary conditions were studied. Also, the standard κ - ε and RNG/κ - ε turbulence models were compared. From the averaged values of turbulence kinetic energy and its dissipation rate over the cylinder volume, a re-tuned correlation for defining the initial turbulent conditions at bottom dead center (BDC) prior to the compression stroke is proposed.

The direct injection (DI) natural gas engine is considered as one of the promising technologies to achieve the continuing goals of the higher efficiency and reduced emissions for internal combustion engines. Shock wave phenomena can easily occur near the nozzle exit when high pressure gaseous fuel is injected directly into the engine cylinder. In the present study, high pressure gas issuing from a prototype gas injector was experimentally studied using planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique. Acetone was selected as a fuel tracer. The effects of injection pressures on the flow structure and turbulent mixing were investigated based on a series of high resolution images. The jet macroscopic structures, such as jet penetration, cone angle and jet volume, are analyzed under different injection pressures. Results show that barrel shock waves can significantly influence the jet flow structure and turbulent mixing.

A novel high pressure SCR spray system is investigated both experimentally and numerically. RANS simulations are performed using Star-CD and polyhedral meshing. This is one of the first studies to compare droplet breakup models and AdBlue injection with high injection pressure (Pinj=200 bar). The breakup models compared are the Reitz-Diwakar (RD), the Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor (KHRT), and the Enhanced Taylor Analogy Breakup (ETAB) model. The models are compared with standard model parameters typically used in diesel fuel injection studies to assess their performance without any significant parameter tuning. Experimental evidence from similar systems seems to be scarce on high pressure AdBlue (or water) sprays using plain hole nozzles. Due to this, it is difficult to estimate a realistic droplet size distribution accurately. Thereby, there is potential for new experimental data to be made with high pressure AdBlue or water sprays.

Three-dimensional diesel engine combustion simulations with single-step chemistry have been compared with two-step and three-step chemistry by means of the Laminar and Turbulent Characteristic Time Combustion model using the Star-CD program. The second reaction describes the oxidation of CO and the third reaction describes the combustion of H2. The comparisons have been performed for two heavy-duty diesel engines. The two-step chemistry was investigated for a purely kinetically controlled, for a mixing limited and for a combination of kinetically and mixing limited oxidation. For the latter case, two different descriptions of the laminar reaction rates were also tested. The best agreement with the experimental cylinder pressure has been achieved with the three-step mechanism but the differences with respect to the two-step and single-step reactions were small.

Fuel spray mixing has been analyzed numerically in a single-cylinder optical research engine with a flat piston top. In the study, a narrow spray angle has been used to align the sprays towards the piston top. Fuel spray mass flow rate has been simulated with 1-D code in order to have reliable boundary condition for the CFD simulations. Different start of fuel injections were tested as well as three charge air pressures and two initial mixture temperatures. Quantitative analysis was performed for the evaporation rates, mixture homogeneity at top dead center, and for the local air-fuel ratios. One of the observations of this study was that there exists an optimum start of fuel injection when the rate of spray evaporation and the mixture homogeneity are considered.

Direct injection of natural gas in engines is considered a promising approach toward reducing engine out emissions and fuel consumption. As a consequence, new gas injection strategies have to be developed for easing direct injection of natural gas and its mixing processes with the surrounding air. In this study, the behavior of a hollow cone gas jet generated by a piezoelectric injector was experimentally investigated by means of tracer-based planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF). Pressurized acetone-doped nitrogen was injected in a constant pressure and temperature measurement chamber with optical access. The jet was imaged at different timings after start of injection and its time evolution was analyzed as a function of injection pressure and needle lift.

The global energy crisis and drastic climate change are continuously promoting the implementation of sustainable energy sources. To meet the emission standards and carbon-neutrality targets in vehicle industry, ammonia is considered to be one of the promising carbon-neutral fuels. However, running the engines on high amounts of ammonia may lead to significantly high ammonia slip. This originates huge safety concerns. Therefore, hydrogen is added in certain ratio with ammonia to promote combustion and reduce ammonia slip. Furthermore, adding diesel as a pilot fuel further facilitates the combustion reactions. This experimental study investigated the effect of different ammonia-hydrogen blend ratios on in-cylinder pressure, heat release rate, cumulative heat release, indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), indicated thermal efficiency (ITE), CA5 and CA50. This effect of blend ratios was tested for varied diesel pilot amounts and timings.

Hydrogen (H2), a potential carbon-neutral fuel, has attracted considerable attention in the automotive industry for transition toward zero-emission. Since the H2 jet dynamics play a significant role in the fuel/air mixing process of direct injection spark ignition (DISI) engines, the current study focuses on experimental and numerical investigation of a low-pressure H2 jet to assess its mixing behavior. In the experimental campaign, high-speed z-type schlieren imaging is applied in a constant volume chamber and H2 jet characteristics (penetration and cross-sectional area) are calculated by MATLAB and Python-based image post-processing. In addition, the Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) approach is used in the commercial software Star-CCM+ for numerical simulations.

This study focuses on gaining a deeper understanding on the formation of turbulence and other in-cylinder flow structures caused by the intake jets during the intake stroke in internal combustion engines. This is important as the in-cylinder turbulence has a large effect on the mixing of fuel and oxidizer. A fine resolution large eddy simulation (LES) is carried out on an incompressible flow (Re is equivalent to 100,000) over a static valve (lift d = 7 mm) alongside with three other simulations using coarser meshes. The problem is studied in a simplified valve-cylinder geometry on which experimental data by Yasar et al., (2006) is available. The vortex cores, produced by the shear layer of the intake jets, are visualized using the λ₂ definition for vortex cores. The governing flow structures are identified and some features of the flow's mixing capabilities are observed. Additionally, the mixing is studied by releasing a passive scalar into to the flow.

This study presents a novel crank mechanism which enables easy and fast compression ratio adjustment. The novel crank mechanism and piston travel are explained and highlighted. The basic idea is that eccentric gear is installed on a crankshaft web. Eccentric gear is fitted to the big end of the connection rod and eccentricity is controlled by rotating the control gear a discrete amount. Thus the position of eccentricity is varied and controls an effective stroke length. The compression ratio is adjusted to best fit current load demand, either optimizing fuel efficiency or engine power and torque. Adjustments are individual to each cylinder. The system is capable of adjusting from min to max within 10 milliseconds [ms]. Emphasis is on reduction of CO2 emissions and reducing fuel consumption, especially at part load condition. The governing mechanical equations are presented.

A novel two-stroke engine concept is introduced. The cylinder scavenging takes place during the upward motion of the piston. The gas exchange valves are similar to typical four-stroke valves, but the intake valves are smaller and lighter. The scavenging air pressure is remarkably higher than in present-day engines. The high scavenging air pressure is produced by an external compressor. The two-stroke operation is achieved without the drawbacks of port scavenged engines. Moreover, the combustion circumstances, charge pressure and temperature and internal exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR) can be controlled by using valve timings. There is good potential for a substantial reduction in NOx emissions through the use of adjustable compression pressure and temperature and by using the adjustable amount of exhaust gas re-circulation.

Real gas effects are studied during the compression stroke of a diesel engine. Several different real gas models are compared to the ideal gas law and to the experimental pressure history. Comparisons are done with both 1-D and CFD simulations, and reasons and answers are found out for the observed differences between simulations and experimental data. The engine compression ratio was measured for accurate model predictions. In addition, a 300bar extreme pressure case is also analyzed with the real gas model since an engine capable for this performance level is currently being built at the Aalto University School of Science and Technology. Real gas effects are even more important in these extreme conditions than in normal operating pressures. Finally, it is shown that the predicted pressure history during an engine compression stroke by a real gas model is more accurately predicted than by the ideal gas law.

A modified version of the Laminar and Turbulent Characteristic Time combustion model and the Hiroyasu-Magnussen soot model have been implemented in the flow solver Star-CD. Combustion simulations of three DI diesel engines, utilizing the standard k-ε turbulence model and a modified version of the RNG k-ε turbulence model, have been performed and evaluated with respect to combustion performance and emissions. Adjustments of the turbulent characteristic combustion time coefficient, which were necessary to match the experimental cylinder peak pressures of the different engines, have been justified in terms of non-equilibrium turbulence considerations. The results confirm the existence of a correlation between the integral length scale and the turbulent time scale. This correlation can be used to predict the combustion time scale in different engines.

Non-evaporating diesel sprays have been simulated utilizing the ETAB and the WAVE atomization and breakup models and have been compared with experimental data. The experimental penetrations and widths were determined from back-lit spray images and the droplet sizes have been measured by means of a Malvern particle sizer. The model evaluation criteria include the spray penetration, the spray width and the local droplet size. The comparisons have been performed for variations of the injection pressure, the gas density and the fuel viscosity. The fuel nozzle exit velocities used in the simulations have been computed with a special code that considers the effect of in-nozzle cavitation. The simulations showed good overall agreement with experimental data. However, the capabilities of the models to predict the droplet size for different fuels could be improved.