Numerical Study of the Maximum Impact on Engine Efficiency When Insulating the Engine Exhaust Manifold and Ports during Steady and Transient Conditions

In the present work, a study about the impact on engine performance, fuel consumption and turbine inlet and outlet temperatures with the addition of thermal insulation to the exhaust ports, manifold and pipes before the turbocharger of a 1.6L Diesel engine is presented. First, a 0D/1D model of the engine was developed and thoroughly validated by means of an extensive testing campaign. The validation was performed by means of steady state and transient running conditions and in two different room temperatures: 20°C and -7°C. Once the validation was complete, in order to evaluate the maximum gain by means of insulating materials, the exhaust air path before the turbine was simulated as adiabatic. Results showed that the thermal insulation proved to have a great potential in regard to T4 increase that would lead to a reduction of the warm up time of the aftertreatment systems. However, its impact on engine efficiency was limited in both steady and transient conditions.