Computer Simulated Engine Performance

Nicholas Phillips, Mike Saris Faculty Advisors: Vijay Kumar & C.J. Taylor
Abstract: This model is a computer simulation which determines the performance of a four stroke internal combustion (IC) engine. The modeling of this process begins with the simulation of one cylinder of the four stroke IC engine which is assumed to have an ideal pressure-volume (p-V) relationship allowing for computation of peak performance. Once the ideal cylinder is modeled, factors which compensate for less than ideal p-V relationships are injected into the simulation to allow for computation of the performance figures across the entire operating range. The single cylinder model is then expanded to simulate the interaction of multiple cylinders at once and compute their combined effect giving total output numbers for the engine as a whole. Performance figures computed include torque and horsepower curves for an engines entire operating range. Additionally, statistics are also available regarding the pressure and torque within a single cylinder as a function of the crank angle at a particular RPM. Finally, the combined efforts of cylinders functioning together and their effect on torque at a particular RPM are presented. This model has been used to simulate the performance of the Audi 1.8 liter I-4, the Subaru 3.0 liter H-6/Boxer, the Ford 347 Stroker, and a theoretical Chevy 350 buildup. The Ideal Four-Stroke Otto Cycle: Performance Data: Constant RPM (Audi 1.8 Liter I-4)

Image courtesy <http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/otto.html>

The Real Otto Cycle:

Point a is where combustion begins. Point b is where combustion ends. Point c is where the exhaust valve(s) open(s).

Moment vs. Crank angle for a single cylinder at constant RPM. Black curve is total moment, blue curve is inertial moment, red curve is moment due to pressure. Moment vs. Crank angle for all four cylinders. Black curve is total moment, colored and dashed curves are the total moments for each individual cylinder. Dashed blue line is average torque over all 720 degrees of crankshaft rotation.

Pressure vs. Crank angle for a single cylinder at constant RPM

Full torque and HP curves over entire RPM range

Dark blue curves are torque curves generated by the simulation, dark red curves are HP curves generated by the simulation. Light blue and red curves in the Ford 347 graph are real world torque and HP curves generated by a dynamometer. Image courtesy Lumley, John L. Engines: An Introduction p. 7

How the simulation captures the distorted Otto Cycle:

Blue curve is ideal p-V relationship. Red curve is maximally distorted p-V relationship. Green curves represent the 4 intermediate levels of distortion. 1968 GTO performing a wheelie at the drag strip. Image courtesy <http://www.xsrpms.com:8888/dragnet/rides/maynard/index.html>

Audi 1.8 L I-4

Ford 347 Stroker V-8

Theoretical Chevy 350 V-8, lighter curves are Ford 347 sim data seen in upper right.

Subaru 3.0 L H-6

Senior Project Poster Day 2006, CSE Dept. Univ. of Pennsylvania