CFD Study of Lubrication Pump Starvation Due to Oil Pan Sloshing

Dynamic vehicle operation, such as acceleration, deceleration, and tilting, can cause severe oil sloshing in the engine oil pan. This can lead to oil starvation at the pickup tube, compromising lubrication pump performance, and potentially damaging engine components. This study presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) multiphase model of an engine oil pan and a system of lubrication pumps, simulated using Simerics-MP+®. A series of numerical simulations are conducted at a given pump speed and extreme oil pan tilt angles or accelerations relevant to a high performance vehicle. Time-dependent oil distributions are visualized, and real-time oil flow rates are monitored at the pickup tubes to assess the impact of oil dynamics and pan position on pick-up tube starvation. This CFD model provides valuable insights into oil pan and pump behavior under extreme vehicle operation conditions, aiding in the design and optimization of lubrication systems to mitigate the risk of oil starvation and improve overall engine safety and performance.