Integrated 1D to 3D Simulation Workflow of Exhaust Aftertreatment Devices

Future limits on emissions for both gasoline and Diesel engines require adequate and advanced systems for the after-treatment of the exhaust gas. Computer models as a complementary tool to experimental investigations are an indispensable part to design reliable after-treatment devices such as catalytic converters and Diesel particulate filters including their influence on the power-train. Therefore, the objective of this contribution is to present an integrated 1D to 3D simulation workflow of of catalytic converters and Diesel particulate filters. The novelty of this approach is that parameters or set of parameters, obtained by a fast and efficient 1D-gas exchange and cycle simulation code for power-trains (AVL (2002a)), are readily transferable onto a 3D general purpose simulation code (AVL (2002b)). Thus, detailed aspects such as spatial distribution of temperatures or heat losses are investigated with only a single effort to estimate parameters. This is based on identical models predicting flow, energy and conversion of species of the exhaust gas, employed to both the 1D gas exchange/cycle and the 3D CFD simulation code. This approach allows, in a first stage to carry out a basic analysis and to define first layouts for the exhaust system by the 1D gas exchange and cycle simulation code. Characteristic parameters of this stage are used for the multi-dimensional simulation to evaluate the overall performance including fine tuning of after-treatment systems. Thus, the life-time cycle of different layout concepts is reduced significantly.