Numerical Analysis of Fuel Vapor Concentration Fields in a Spark Ignition Engine

A three dimensional numerical analysis is made of in-cylinder process in a typical four-cycle reciprocating spark ignition engine with an off-center intake valve. The conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy are solved on the basis of the finite volume method. The ordinary two-equation model is employed as the turbulence model. Fuel is injected into the intake port, and fuel vapor, fuel droplets and air flow into the cylinder through the valve clearance during the intake stroke. As the inlet boundary condition, the inflow velocity distribution, mass fractions of fuel vapor and droplets are given around the intake valve periphery. For simplicity, it is assumed that fuel droplets move with the gas and have the rates of evaporation which are estimated by the classical quasi-steady theory of a single droplet evaporation. Calculation is made from TDC of intake stroke to TDC of compression stroke at every 10 degrees crank angle. The temporal variations of velocity and gas phase fuel-air ratio profiles are predicted during both of intake and compression stroke. The effects of engine speed, fuel injection timing and duration, inflow velocity distribution on the mixture formation process are discussed.