Modular Design and Analyze of Air Intake Manifold for Formula Vehicle

The SAE formula student car organization constrained a rule to place a restrictor of diameter 20mm in between the throttle body and the engine inlet. The restrictor is a component that reduces and regulates the mass flow of air into the engine inlet. For this, a venture nozzle will be used as a restrictor in a vehicle to decrease the air pressure and increase the velocity in the intake manifold. Our proposed work aims to minimize the pressure drop by changing the convergent and divergent angles in the restrictor. For this by using solidworks eight various combinations of models with convergent angle as 13, 15 degrees, and divergent angle as 5,7 degrees was designed and analyzed using CFD fluent in ansys work bench. In this, 13 degree as convergent and 5 degree as a divergent model was found to have laminar airflow throughout with optimum pressure drop. The plenum is a large duct that equalizes the pressure drop caused by the restrictor in order to improve the efficiency of the engine. By varying the shape of the plenum as elliptical, with volume as 1.8, 2.8Litres eight models were designed and analyzed by applying constrains in velocity and pressure of air medium flowing through it. It was found that the elliptical shape of volume 1.8 Liters with a 15degree convergent and 7degree divergent angle was suitable to maintain effective output and response of the engine. Therefore, the proposed model of restrictor and plenum will be recommended for the nominal response of the engine without affecting the efficiency.