Intake and exhaust pipe optimization for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

Nowadays the stringent exhaust emission limitations of the internal combustion engines force the researchers toward an optimization process of new/prototype engines; but for limiting the overall emissions of an entire fleet of vehicles, an optimization of existing engines is also a right research direction. Solutions for this optimization process may come from using biofuels made from different plants that produce oxygen via photosynthesis during their vegetative state and therefore compensate the CO2 in the internal combustion engine exhaust. Other solutions include better exhaust treatment materials and devices. The current paper proposes a study on optimizing the intake pipe and exhaust pipe of a given internal combustion engine (Opel Astra F, code C18NZ, the production year 2000) using Lotus Engine Simulation software. First the model of the engine was implemented and validated with the full load power and torque variation. For the intake and exhaust the geometrical dimensions were then varied and an optimum was obtained.