Browse Topic: Internal combustion engines
The majority of transportation systems continue to rely on internal combustion engines powered by fossil fuels. Heavy-duty applications, in particular, depend on diesel engines due to their high brake efficiency, power density, and robustness. Despite significant advancements in diesel engine technology that have reduced emissions and improved efficiency, complex and costly after-treatment systems remain necessary to meet the stringent emission regulations. Dimethyl ether (DME), which can be produced from various renewable feedstocks and possesses high chemical reactivity, is a promising alternative for heavy-duty applications, particularly in compression ignition direct injection engines. Its high reactivity, volatility, and oxygenated composition offer significant potential to address emission challenges while reducing reliance on after-treatment systems. However, DME’s lower energy density requires adjustments in injection parameters (such as injection pressure and duration) or
This paper investigates heated and cold Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sprays with the aim of establishing the effect of temperature on the resulting spray characteristics. The work is motivated by the need to optimize active Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems to meet more stringent nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission regulations for internal combustion engines. Pre-heating DEF has the potential to improve evaporation of the injected fluid, increasing the NOx conversion efficiency of the SCR at low exhaust temperatures. Experiments are carried out using the MAHLE SmartHeat fluid heater and mounted atop a DEF injector, with an incorporated thermocouple for fluid temperature. The fluid temperature established by the heater in this configuration was about 130 °C. The fluid is injected into an atmospheric environment and Schlieren imaging is used to visualize the spray evolution. CFD simulations are also carried out to validate the experimental observations and further shed light on the
Electric vehicles (EVs) are particularly susceptible to high-frequency noise, with rubber eigenmodes significantly influencing these noise characteristics. Unlike internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EVs experience pronounced variations in dynamic preload during torque rise, which are substantially higher. This dynamic preload variation can markedly impact the high-frequency behaviour of preloaded rubber bushings in their installed state. This study investigates the effects of preload and amplitude on the high-frequency dynamic performance of rubber bushings specifically designed for EV applications. These bushings are crucial for vibration isolation and noise reduction, with their role in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) management being more critical in EVs due to the absence of traditional engine noise. The experimental investigation examines how preload and excitation amplitude variations influence the dynamic stiffness, damping properties, and overall performance of
A glow plug is generally used to assist the starting of diesel engines in cold weather condition. Low ambient temperature makes the starting of diesel engine difficult because the engine block acts as a heat sink by absorbing the heat of compression. Hence, the air-fuel mixture at the combustion chamber is not capable of self-ignition based on air compression only. Diesel engines do not need any starting aid in general but in such scenarios, glow plug ensures reliable starting in all weather conditions. Glow plug is actually a heating device with high electrical resistance, which heats up rapidly when electrified. The high surface temperature of glow plug generates a heat flux and helps in igniting the fuel even when the engine is insufficiently hot for normal operation. Durability concerns have been observed in ceramic glow plugs during testing phases because of crack formation. Root cause analysis is performed in this study to understand the probable reasons behind cracking of the
The rise of electric and hybrid vehicles with separate axle or wheel drives enables precise torque distribution between the front and rear wheels. The smooth control of electric motors allows continuous operation on high-resistance roads, optimizing torque distribution and improving efficiency. In hybrid vehicles, synergistic control of both internal combustion engines and electric motors can minimize energy consumption. Using the internal combustion engine for steady driving and electric power for acceleration enhances dynamic performance. Keeping the internal combustion engine at a constant speed is key to improving energy efficiency and vehicle responsiveness. The proposed method aids in selecting optimal power levels for both engines during the design phase. As acceleration time decreases, the ratio of electric motor power to internal combustion engine power increases. The torque distribution system, relying on sensors for axle loads, vehicle speed, and engine power, can reduce
Alpha Engineered Composites’ thin profile textile composite heat shields provide thermal protection through several thermodynamic mechanisms including: radiation reflection; heat spreading; and finally heat transfer resistance. Typical under the hood automotive applications require heat shield average operational temperature up to 225°C, but newer internal combustion engines are being designed for higher operational temperatures to: increase efficiency through higher compression cycle ratios and lean burning; boost power through turbocharging; increase energy density; and support advanced emissions controls like EGR that can increase average operational temperature up to 300°C. Unfortunately, thermo-oxidative degradation mechanisms negatively impact the polymer structural adhesive within a heat shield textile composite and degrade thermal protection mechanisms. High average operational temperature degradation of traditional versus next generation textile composite heat shields is
Structural topology optimization for vehicle structures under static loading is a well-established practice. Unfortunately, extending these methods to components subjected to dynamic loading is challenged by the absence of sensitivity coefficients: analytical expressions are unavailable and numerical approximations are computationally impractical. To alleviate this problem, researchers have proposed methods such as hybrid cellular automata (HCA) and equivalent static load (ESL). This work introduces a new approach based on equivalent static displacement (ESD). The proposed ESD method uses a set of prescribed nodal displacements, simulating the resultant reaction forces of a body subjected to dynamic loading, at different simulation time steps to establish the boundary conditions for each corresponding model—one model for each simulation time. A scalarized multi-objective function is defined considering all the models. A gradient-based optimizer is incorporated to find the optimal
This paper reports on the development of a simulation model to predict engine blowby flow rates for a common rail DI diesel engine. The model is a transient, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. Managing blowby flow rates is beneficial for managing fuel economy and oil consumption. In doing so, an improved understanding of the blowby phenomenon is also possible. A mesh for the sub-micron level clearances (up to 0.5 microns) within the piston ring pack is created using a novel approach. Commercial CFD software is used to solve the pressure, velocity, and temperature distributions within the fluid domain. Ring motions within the piston grooves are predicted by a rigorous force balance. This model is the first of its kind for predicting engine blowby using a three-dimensional simulation model while solving the complete set of governing transport equations, without neglecting any terms in the equations. The predicted blowby flow rate has been validated with
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