Browse Topic: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

Items (4,408)
Aerodynamics plays an important role in fuel economy and vehicle stability, aiming to deliver full performance while moving on the road. To develop the aerodynamics of vehicles at the early stages of a project, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and wind tunnel test are the main tools used by automakers to help achieve the desired aerodynamic performance. One of the most relevant factors of CFD and wind tunnel test is how the floor under the vehicle is represented, which may lead to different aerodynamic behaviors. This work aims to investigate the effect of two types of floor configuration on a generic vehicle, with open geometry using CFD simulations. The DrivAer model has been widely studied both numerically and experimentally and provides an interesting source of comparison for 5-belt and static floor configurations, proposed by the study. In addition to the floor configuration analysis, the study also presents a comparison of ground heights for the previous cases
Buscariolo, Filipe FabianSchaffazick, LuizCamargo, DanielBedante, MurilloPeres, MatheusLattari, MateusKelley, MichaelSilveira, Rafael
During the development of modern racing cars, many aspects are considered, with one major factor being how air interacts with the structures and enhances performance on the track. Aerodynamics is a concept explored by fluid mechanics that examines the motion of air and other gases and the forces they exert on solid objects moving through them, such as drag and downforce, which are prevalent in aviation and racing categories like Formula 1 (F1). F1 is one of the most internationally renowned single-seater motorsport categories, and its development involves a complex interplay of several highly advanced systems, where aerodynamics plays a central and determining role in the car's performance. Various components compose these cars and contribute to their balance and performance, such as the power unit, suspension, diffuser, and front wing. The front wing, typically made up of one or more airfoils, interacts with several other crucial elements, including the car floor, brake ducts
Freitas, de Camila MendonçaTelli, Giovani DambrosRosa, Josimar Souza
The global effort to reconsider transport in compliance with ecological challenges leads to a significant increase in the market share of Electric Vehicles (EVs), enlightening secondary sources of pollution. One of the most important is the particles emitted by the abrasion of braking pads. The innovative system addressed in this paper is among the most promising non-polluting solutions to ensure safety and comfort. It uses the capability of the Magneto-Rheological Fluid (MRF) to change its properties when subjected to a magnetic field, generating a braking torque between a stator and a rotor. This study focuses on characterizing the system's performance and endurance during an emergency braking situation by developing a numerical model that involves fluid and structural considerations. This model takes the form of a Finite-Element Model (FEM) that interpolates local forces determined from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and takes them as input. It enables analysis of the stresses
de Carvalho Pinheiro, HenriqueBilliant, LucasImberti1, GiovanniCarello, Massimiliana
The front wing is a critical component of a Formula 1 car, directly influencing aerodynamic efficiency and overall performance. This study focuses on optimizing the computational simulation process for a Formula 1 front wing, using the Imperial Front Wing (IFW) model as a benchmark. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were for this study, with a particular emphasis on evaluating ground effect and aerodynamic drag characteristics. A higher ground height configuration of the IFW is evaluated in this study. The results, including aerodynamic coefficients and fluid flow visualizations, were compared with findings from previous literature to assess their accuracy and consistency. The study demonstrated strong alignment with theoretical expectations, validating the simulation approach. Additionally, this research lays the groundwork for further refinements in mesh optimization and simulation methodologies, contributing to more efficient aerodynamic analysis in high-performance
Victor, Gabriel Santos Barreto FreitasGonzalez, José Fernando PazAlves, Julio César LelisBuscariolo, Filipe Fabian
The objective of this work was to develop an analysis methodology for engine intake manifolds in Formula SAE prototypes, addressing the three-dimensional (3D) airflow characteristics within these complex geometries. Air flow modelling via one-dimensional (1D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software does not capture properly the manifold airflow characteristics and may lead to unrealistic engine performance prediction. On the other hand, the use of purely 3D-CFD simulations of intake manifold isolated from engine, without adequate boundary conditions, also does not conduct to realistic behavior. To address these issues, a 1D-CFD transient analysis model was created using GT-Suite software from Gamma Technologies, which provided boundary conditions for the engine’s airflow demand to Ansys Fluent, the 3D-CFD simulation software. Ansys Fluent, in turn, returned the actual conditions imposed by the manifold geometry to the 1D model, enabling a bidirectional simulation that enhances the
Piotto, Gustavo FernandoSantos Souza, Thiago CavalheriFoz, Tiago AlcantaraPegoraro, Bruno CoimbraZabeu, Clayton Barcelos
The sustainability of the transportation sector demands the continuous development of new technologies in internal combustion engines, aiming at reducing pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing fuel conversion efficiency. Pre-chamber (PC) ignition systems have recently emerged as an important technological pathway to explore. These systems generate turbulent combustion gas jets capable of accelerating flame propagation in the main chamber. The use of this mechanism enables a more homogeneous and efficient combustion, as well as allowing an increase in the compression ratio, resulting in improvements in engine performance and a reduction in pollutant emissions. One of the strategies to further enhance the benefits of pre-chambers is the introduction of air injectors. The objective of this modification is to promote the cleaning of residual gases that remain in the pre-chamber after combustion, mitigating adverse effects such as mixture dilution and ignition instabilities
Rocha, Hiago Tenório Teixeira SantanaOliveira, Wender Pereira deFilho, Fernando Antonio RodriguesBaeta, José Guilherme CoelhoGuzzo, Márcio ExpeditoAssis, Marcelo Suman SilvaMoreira, Thiago Augusto Araujo
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Assis, GuilhermeSánchez, Fernando ZegarraPradelle, Renata Nohra ChaarBraga, Sergio LealTicona, Epifanio MamaniSouza Junior, JorgePradelle, Florian
The DrivAer model has been widely studied both numerically and experimentally in terms of aerodynamic performance, providing an interesting and large database for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes validation. Soiling simulations are a new trend in the automotive industry since the development of self-drive features and autonomous vehicles, which rely mostly on sensors. Dust, water or incorrect positioning of the sensors may lead vehicles to fail on self-driving tasks and might cause accidents or wrong operation. This study aims to contribute to the automotive community by performing a CFD soiling simulation on the DrivAer fastback model and evaluate its performance in terms of water accumulation and how the water particles interact with the flow structures. The particle trajectory and the impingement regions are evaluated and illustrated in order to provide a map for correct sensor position or adding cleaning points. Two DrivAer fastback vehicles are considered for the study and
Buscariolo, Filipe FabianGonzales, José Fernando PazVolpe, Leonardo José DellaAlves, Julio Cesar Lelis
Hydrodynamic energy-saving devices are widely used in ship energy-saving technologies. To enhance the hydrodynamic performance of propellers, a novel annular free-rotating rotor was designed and installed aft of the KP505 propeller. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were used to evaluate its performance. Additionally, the hydrodynamic performance of single propellers and propellers with added appendages was compared and predicted under different advance coefficients, and the energy-saving effects were assessed. Results show that the propeller with the added appendage achieves a maximum improvement in propulsion efficiency of 6.59% at the design advance coefficient. This confirms that the annular free-rotating rotor has potential for enhancing propeller hydrodynamic performance.
Huang, TangyiLi, DongqinWang, YuLv, Gui
Combining simulation with probabilistic ML enables engineers to chart the full design landscape, quantify uncertainty and uncover viable options that intuition and brute force alone would miss. Components and systems are routinely designed and validated virtually through tools like CFD and FEA before any physical prototype is built. The benefits are obvious: faster iteration, reduced cost and better products. But simulation is not cheap. Each run can take hours, consume costly GPU/CPU resources and require highly skilled engineers who are already in short supply. Licenses and compute costs can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars per seat, and most teams can complete only a few runs per day.
Appleyard, Nick
The free-piston engine represents a paradigm shift in internal combustion engine technology, with its unique structure promising efficiency gains. However, injection parameters are one of the core elements of free-piston engine performance. This study employs computational fluid dynamics analysis to optimize the spray cone angle and start of injection timing for a two-stroke dual-piston opposed free-piston engine equipped with a flat-head combustion chamber. A three-dimensional transient model incorporating dynamic adaptive mesh refinement was constructed by using CONVERGE 3.0 software. The results indicate that a spray cone angle of 25° achieves optimal fuel distribution, yielding a peak indicated thermal efficiency of 42.14% and an indicated mean effective pressure of 9.08 bar. Crucially, advancing the ignition timing to 215°CA improves mixture homogeneity but simultaneously increases peak cylinder temperatures and NOx. Conversely, delayed start of injection timings reduces NO
Xu, ZhaopingYang, ShenaoLiu, Liang
Efficient thermal management is critical for the reliability and performance of power electronics systems in automotive applications. This work presents a computationally efficient modeling approach for transient thermal simulation of power electronic systems, with a focus on inverter modules using multiple MOSFETs mounted on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). A case study of an inverter module comprising six MOSFETs arranged as high-side and low-side pairs for a three phases system mounted on a PCBA, attached to a heat sink is considered. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations in Ansys® Icepak™ are performed considering different heat transfer mechanisms, including natural convection, forced convection at constant velocity, and forced convection with varying flow velocity. A transient thermal model is developed using the lumped parameter linear superposition (LPLSP) method, a hybrid approach that combines lumped parameter modeling with the principle of linear
Padmanabhan, Neelakantan
Virtual reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed reality (MR) are advanced engineering techniques that coalesces physical and digital world to showcase better perceiving. There are various complex physics which may not be feasible to visualize using conventional post processing methods. Various industrial experts are already exploring implementation of VR for product development. Traditional computational power is improving day-by-day with new additional features to reduce the discrepancy between test and CFD. There has been an increase in demand to replace actual tests with accurate simulation approaches. Post processing and data analysis are key to understand complex physics and resolving critical failure modes. Analysts spend a considerable amount of time analyzing results and provide directions, design changes and recommendations. There is a scope to utilize advanced features of VR, AR and MR in CFD post process to find out the root cause of any failures occurred with
Savitha, BhuduriSharma, Sachin
In the electrical machines, detrimental effects resulted often due to the overheating, such as insulation material degradation, demagnetization of the magnet and increased Joule losses which result in decreased lifetime, and reduced efficiency of the motor. Hence, by effective cooling methods, it is vital to optimize the reliability and performance of the electric motors and to reduce the maintenance and operating costs. This study brings the analysis capability of CFD for the air-cooling of an Electric-Motor (E-Motor) powering on Deere Equipment's. With the aggressive focus on electrification in agriculture domain and based on industry needs of tackling rising global warming, there is an increasing need of CFD modeling to perform virtual simulations of the E-Motors to determine the viability of the designs and their performance capabilities. The thermal predictions are extremely vital as they have tremendous impact on the design, spacing and sizes of these motors.
Singh, BhuvaneshwarTirumala, BhaskarBadgujar, SwapnilHK, Shashikiran
An agricultural tractor comprises a tightly packed underhood compartment, which poses distinct challenges in managing airflow through its heat exchangers. The intricate design results in uneven airflow patterns, as the fan-driven system draws air from the front, top, and side openings. This work presents a methodology to measure the cooling airflow volume in the tractor and establishing a correlation between test airflow and CFD simulated airflow values. A handheld anemometer and 3x3 matrix type anemometer used for airflow measurement. Measurements were taken at front and back of heat exchanger. It was concluded that, measuring airflow through the heat exchanger with a matrix-type anemometer positioned behind it can enhance the correlation with CFD results to 84%.
A, BoopalshanmugamGanesan, ThanigaivelReddy, LakkuSateesh, TadiGopinathan, Nagarajan
Turbocharging is a vital technology for enhancing internal combustion engine (ICE) performance and efficiency while enabling engine downsizing to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. This research analyzes turbocharger systems by examining their components—turbine, compressor, intercooler, and waste-gate—and their roles in boosting engine efficiency. It explores how exhaust energy drives the turbine to compress intake air, improving power output. The study evaluates turbocharger impact on fuel economy, emissions, and engine response under various driving conditions. It also considers wheel design, material selection, and durability under high temperatures and speeds. Advanced simulations using CFD and FEA analyze airflow, pressure, and thermal behavior to optimize performance. This research affirms turbocharging’s role in creating high-performance, fuel-efficient, and environmentally sustainable engines, offering insights that support the design of next-generation automotive
Chandrashekar, B. AdityaBhaduria, Abhishek
The average product development cycle spans 3-5 years, involving extensive virtual and physical testing of the machine. Advances in simulation tools have significantly enhanced our ability to identify product solutions early in the design phase. Tools like 1D KULI and Creo Flow Analysis (CFA) offer faster solutions in less time, thereby accelerating the product development cycle. Cooling systems are crucial components of off-highway tractor machines, directly affecting engine efficiency and overall machine functionality. An optimized cooling system ensures the engine operates within safe temperature ranges, preventing overheating and potential damage. Thus, designing an effective cooling system is a vital aspect of machine engineering. 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are essential for evaluating cooling system performance. These high-fidelity simulations provide detailed insights into fluid flow and heat transfer, enabling engineers to predict and enhance cooling
Ukey, SnehalTirumala, BhaskarNukala, Ramakrishna
To ensure the effective operation of engine cooling systems in agricultural tractors, several critical parameters must be considered, including grille opening area and location, grille resistance, front-end blockage, fan speed, and coolant flow rate. While grille design has been moderately explored for highway vehicles, research specific to grille configuration in agricultural tractors remains limited. This study investigates the influence of grille location, grille resistance (modeled using porous inertial and viscous resistance coefficients) front-end blockage, fan speed, and coolant flow rate on radiator top tank temperature (TTT) using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The analysis is conducted in two phases: first, the effects of grille opening area and location, grille resistance, and front-end blockage are evaluated under fixed fan speed and coolant flow rate; second, an orthogonal array design of experiments is employed to rank the influence of grille opening area, fan speed
Subramani, SridharanBaskar, SubramaniyanGopinathan, Nagarajan
The push for reducing greenhouse gas emissions has extended to various sectors, including outdoor power equipment. While electrification is a promising solution for low-power gardening tools, the substitution of small two-stroke engines becomes critical for applications requiring higher power and range. Biofuels and e-fuels produced from renewable sources present a viable short-term alternative, leveraging existing engine technologies to minimize dependence on fossil fuels. However, the ability of current engines to operate with these fuels while maintaining performance and emission levels without modifications requires thorough evaluation. This study investigates the feasibility of using e-fuels as sustainable alternatives to gasoline in small two-stroke engines. Preliminary computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to evaluate the performance of the e-fuel after defining a proper fuel surrogate. Experimental tests were then carried out to assess combustion
Breda, SebastianoFontanesi, StefanoMerolla, SantoGagliardi, VincenzoCicalese, GiuseppePati, MatteoDalseno, LucaKuschel, Mario
High-performance and high-revving Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) are central to the motorbike driving experience. To achieve these peculiar characteristics, rich combustion strategies are often used to improve combustion performance, resulting in incomplete combustion leading to high unburned Hydro-Carbon (uHC) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) emissions. Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) combustion could replace standard Spark Ignition (SI) systems to improve combustion efficiency and reduce emissions with minimal modification to existing configurations. Extensive experimental and numerical analyses are needed to develop and understand the complex phenomena that characterize TJI combustion, using considerable time and resources. To address this, reduced-order models are used to accelerate the research and development processes by simplifying the analysis of complex combustion phenomena. This paper presents an enhanced reduced-order model initially developed for SI engines and later extended to
Ballerini, AlbertoD'Errico, GianlucaNodi, AlessandroButtitta, MarcoMarmorini, Luca
Rotary engines offer a highly attractive solution for uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and portable power generation, thanks to their compact design, high power-to-weight ratio, fewer moving parts, and ability to operate on multiple fuels. Despite their promising advantages, these engines still require significant improvements to match the efficiency and lifespan of traditional reciprocating internal combustion engines. In particular, fuel consumption is impacted by heat losses due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of the combustion chamber, as well as the unfavorable interaction between the rotor and stator, which slows down flame propagation. To address these challenges, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become an important tool for the study and optimization of Wankel engines, providing insight into how fuel efficiency is influenced by the complex interactions between combustion chamber design, flame dynamics, flow characteristics, and turbulence distribution. This work
Lucchini, TommasoGianetti, GiovanniRamognino, FedericoCerri, TarcisioMarmorini, LucaButtitta, Marco
The development of next-generation hydrogen-fueled engines introduces critical challenges related to thermal loads within the combustion chamber, particularly in high-performance applications. To address the extreme temperatures encountered, effective piston cooling strategies, such as oil jet impingement, are essential. Accurately predicting thermal stresses to prevent component failure is therefore crucial. However, numerical simulations often come with significant computational costs. This paper presents a comprehensive multi-fidelity modeling approach to predict the thermal behavior of pistons under these demanding conditions. The model integrates a simplified 3D thermal representation of the piston, a lumped-parameter mechanical model of the piston-liner assembly, and convective boundary conditions obtained at various levels of fidelity, from high-level Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to literature correlations. Additionally, the study examines the influence of
Sassoli, AndreaRomani, LucaFerrara, GiovanniPaolicelli, GiovanniBalduzzi, Francesco
Liquid cooling systems are a widely used method for cooling lithium-ion batteries in modern electric vehicles. Battery thermal plate (BTP) is a key component of the liquid-cooled thermal management system, which regulates battery temperature to prevent thermal runaway and fire accidents. Designing an energy efficient flow pattern with uniform velocity and temperature distribution is a major challenge for the BTP. In this paper, the effect of flow patterns in cooling performance of the BTP is examined. Battery temperature can be efficiently controlled by varying direction, number of flow channels and structure of the BTP. Complex flow pattern networks are modeled and compared based on the computational fluid dynamics results. The channel flow resistance, pressure drop, and temperature distribution are key parameters which are evaluated for varying mass flow rate conditions. From this study, the flow pattern which satisfies the temperature requirement and has 10% less pumping power
K, MuthukrishnanS, SaikrishnaK, KeshavbalajeGutte, Ashish
The rapid advancement in thermal management for electric vehicles (EVs) is driven by the need to reduce battery load and enhance EV range. Unlike conventional platforms, EV thermal management is complex due to temperature sensitivity and the numerous components involved. Powertrain components, such as the motor and transmission, operate at higher temperatures, while the battery and passenger cabin require distinct thermal conditions. This necessitates a carefully modelled thermal layouts that considers the diverse thermal needs of each component. The primary objective of this study is to improve the existing thermal layout of EVs, aiming for a more efficient design and evaluating its benefits through simulation. Utilizing the 1D commercial software GT-SUITE, the research integrates different layouts of EV’s and study the hydraulic and thermal feasibility. Integrations are based on operating temperatures, flow, and pressure requirements, while ensuring thermal comfort in the cabin and
Patel, Vedant UmangKoti, ShivakumarGurdak, Michaelsingh, Ramanand
This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the methodology employed in leveraging CFD for optimizing HVAC kinematics, focusing on reducing the operating torque by improvising the flap geometry. The aim here is to utilize the CFD simulation in order to predict the torque generated on the actuator motor connected to the flap when the flap is placed in high speed airflow and based on this value work out an optimized geometry of the flap, since its geometry plays a significant role when it comes to determining the torque values. Different flap geometry imparts different torque on motor. This torque is generated because of the force acting on the flap which is acting as a buffer in the path of airflow. The torque generated should be less than the stall torque of the actuator motor in order for smooth performance/movement of the flap. Initial geometry of the flap generated a torque of around 82.5 Ncm which was much higher than the recommendation limit. So in order to bring these torque
Madaan, AshishKumar, RaviBehera, SureshChauhan, Arpit
Internal combustion (IC) engines experience several parasitic losses at the vehicle level, including those from cooling fans, hydraulic pumps, air compressors, and alternators. These losses limit the available output power for various applications. By replacing a conventional mechanical or hydraulic fan—typically driven by the engine crankshaft or hydraulic motor—with an electrically operated fan, engine frictional losses (fan drag) can be reduced, resulting in a gain in power. The fuel conserved due to the absence of fan drag contributes to usable power for applications. Mechanical fans operate at a fixed drive ratio that is directly proportional to engine speed, while hydraulic fans rely on a hydraulic motor, drawing power from the engine's alternator. In contrast, electric fans can run at constant speeds, independent of engine RPM, providing higher airflow at maximum torque speeds, which mechanical fans cannot achieve. The cooling performance of the engine remains uncompromised, as
Dewangan, NitinKattula, NitinKamal, Ankit
The Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry is rapidly growing, particularly in the automotive sector since they are integral to maintaining passenger comfort in vehicles by regulating the internal temperature. This growth has led to an increased demand for highly optimized and efficient HVAC systems for a uniform temperature distribution in vehicles. However, achieving this in the cabin remains a challenge due to the complex airflow dynamics within the HVAC system. A critical factor in ensuring uniform temperature distribution for year-round performance is maintaining temperature linearity within specified limits, which is essential for user comfort. Temperature linearity refers to the temperature differential between duct outlets when air is distributed through multiple vents, such as those aimed at the face and feet. This differential typically ranges from 15°C to 20°C, varying based on customer and manufacturer specifications. The flap angle significantly
Madaan, AshishKumar, RaviDangwal, Raj
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