Engine compartment front end module layout placements to achieve maximum volumetric efficiency

The increasing demand for electric vehicles has led to design considerations prioritizing visual brand consistency across both electric vehicles (EV) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Front grille is one such area where efforts are taken to have similar looking features between both EV and ICE. This has lead to low front grille opening and low air flow through the front. A critical consequence of this design trend: the suboptimal thermal performance, high engine bay and air intake temperatures of snorkel-type air intake systems in ICE vehicles when paired with front grille designs intended to mimic EV aesthetics. Factors such as snorkel positioning, airflow patterns must be optimized to maintain cooler intake air. Effective system design ensures that the engine receives air at an optimal temperature, improving combustion efficiency, throttle response, and reducing the likelihood of knock. This paper emphasizes the importance of controlling intake air temperature through strategic air intake system design, focusing on achieving desired performance levels while meeting strict emissions standards. Through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and experimental validation, we demonstrate that grille designs with reduced airflow, implemented for visual parity with EVs, can significantly elevate the temperature of the air entering the snorkel intake. This intake of pre-heated air negatively impacts engine efficiency, power output, and potentially increases emissions. Our findings quantify the thermal penalty associated with this design compromise and highlight the necessity for tailored front-end thermal management strategies in ICE vehicles to mitigate the adverse effects of aesthetically driven grille designs. The study proposes design recommendations to optimize airflow and minimize heat soak in snorkel air intake systems without compromising the desired visual consistency between EV and ICE models