Unsteady Flow Phenomena and Volume Effects in Automotive Engines Manifolds

The knowledge of unsteady flow characteristics of the different components usually present in the intake and exhaust systems of automotive i.c. engines can substantially improve the optimization of engine performance. Within this goal a broad investigation was developed in order to analyze the behavior of component of significant volume in unsteady flow conditions. Three elements of simplified geometry were considered in the study. Several measurements were performed on a dedicated test rig and experimental data were compared with the results provided by a simulation model, taking into account different calculation procedures to simulate the investigated components. The main conclusions of this study are presented and discussed in the paper.