Internal Combustion Engine Testing with Thermal Simulation of Additional Cylinders

TECH FIELD(S)
Mechanical Engineering - Engines & automotive

FEATURES
Single-cylinder test engines are used in the automotive industry to simulate the performance of a multiple-cylinder engine in research and development. However, multiple-cylinder engines perform differently than their single-cylinder counterparts, and these differences cause considerable difficulty in engine development. For this reason, single-cylinder engines are rarely used today in engine development, in spite of their many attributes. Accurately simulating the multi-cylinder transients on the single-cylinder engine would represent a major advance, and could shorten engine development time considerably. This invention provides an apparatus to simulate heat transfer of a multiple-cylinder engine on a single-cylinder test engine. Virtual cylinders are simulated by a processor, and “loads,” or energy inputs are applied to the single-cylinder test engine to more accurately reflect its performance in a multiple-cylinder engine. Flow passages allow fluid to flow in and around the single cylinder. The temperature of the fluid is controlled by a processor to replicate the presence of heat from virtual cylinders around the single-cylinder test engine.

BENEFITS

• Important engine tests, such as the cold-start test, can be moved forward in the design process
• Effects of heat transfer within the engine can be studied and optimized for very low cost on the single-cylinder engine
• Discoveries using the single-cylinder engine can be more directly applied to the multi-cylinder engine with minimal modification, representing a significant cost saving
• Flow passages may be controlled independently, providing heat on some sides and coolant on others to study heat transfer effects on engine emissions
• Rapidly varies heat transfer for various studies, such as port fuel preparation
• Accurately replicates heat transfer effects

INVENTOR(S)
John J. Moskwa, Stephen J. Klick, Brian D. Krosschell, Marcus D. Marty

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY STATUS
View U.S. Patent No. 7,506,537 in PDF format

CONTACT INFORMATION
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