Cold flow analysis on internal combustion engine with different piston bowl configurations

Abstract

Development of engine in automotive industry is deemed critical in order to fulfil demands by passengers and also due to pressure bring forward by the fact of stringent government law for protecting noise and air quality. In order to improve engine quality, understanding on flow properties in engine cylinder is of major importance because flow condition significantly influences engine efficiency. Capabilities in providing optimum flow conditions which include high discharge coefficient, optimum swirl ratio, and optimum tumble ratio in respective engine can result in enhancement of engine power and comfort, along with reduction of fuel consumption, exhaust emission and noise. This research aims to investigate the effect of different piston bowl configurations on in-cylinder flow characteristics. Cold flow simulation is used to compare in-cylinder flow for engine with three different piston bowls during intake stroke and compression stroke. Simulation analysis represents the flow properties in term of swirl ratio and tumble ratio. Result computed from this analysis shows that piston bowl geometry has little influence on in-cylinder flow during intake stroke. However, piston bowls configurations inflicted significant effect on flow during compression stroke especially near top-dead-centre. This analysis defined that at the end of compression stroke, engine model with toroidal shape piston give 34.8% improvement in term of swirl ratio and 7% improvement of tumble ratio value compared to original piston bowl shapes.