Experimental characterization of the turbulent intake jet in an engine flow bench

Abstract

The turbulent intake flow of an optically accessible internal combustion engine is modeled using an air flow bench to reduce the complexity in the number of variables inherent within engine flows. By removing the piston and introducing a new optically accessible housing and outlet channel, the flow bench design simulates engine flows in the region just downstream of the intake valves and offers the possibility to measure and calculate quantities that would be difficult or impossible to obtain in the unsteady environment of a dynamic engine. Velocity data obtained via high-speed particle image velocimetry of the flow bench in the symmetry and valve planes are compared with data from a base operating condition of the motored engine at an intake pressure of 0.95 bar and a speed of 800 rpm at - 270°CA (270 crank-angle-degrees before compression top dead center), beginning with stationary valves at the corresponding valve lift of - 270°CA, then with moving valves. Analysis of the intake jet turbulence for increasing mass flow rates reveals a coherent flapping of the jet at a frequency of 752.5 Hz for only the 100% mass flow rate case. The vortex shedding frequency of the valve stem is estimated to being in the range of 634–799 Hz, indicating a possible link between the coherent jet flapping and the vortex shedding surviving the acceleration through the valve gap. Through comprehensive analysis, this study provides valuable validation data and insight into the intake flows of internal combustion engines.