Three-dimensional Transient Simulation of an Intake Manifold using CFD Techniques

The proposed paper aims to present a three-dimensional transient CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis of the flow inside an automotive intake manifold conducted by SMARTtech Fluidos for FPT - Powertrain Technologies (site at Betim, Brazil). The more important goals of the study are the determination of pressure distribution on each of the four runners during four cycles of operation and the analysis of flow uniformity (characterized by velocity distribution) at the outlet surface of the intake runners. Three different plenum geometries were tested and a comparison among them was conducted in order to verify which one presents the best performance. Transient simulations have been performed in order to take into account the sequential opening/closing of intake engine valves during the engine firing sequence.