CFD Based Complete Engine Cooling Jacket Development and Analysis

This paper discusses application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in the development and evaluation of a diesel engine cooling system.

Commercial CFD codes are effective in developing and analyzing engine cooling systems including the complex cooling jacket.

A complete cooling circuit model developed based on 1D - 3D coupling is discussed. This approach is both cost and time effective. The coupled model enables the prediction of realistic flow rates through the cooling jacket outlets. Cooling jacket system resistance is also determined.

The paper discusses various approaches for conducting heat transfer and thermal analysis of engine crankcase and head. Boundary conditions for the thermal analysis are obtained from in-cylinder CFD simulations for diesel spray and combustion. The phenomenon of nucleate boiling, its mathematical modeling and its effect on heat transfer is discussed. It is observed that at high operating temperatures, nucleate boiling occurs in regions around the exhaust port.

The simulations are validated experimentally. Good correlations are observed with test results.