Title: Simulation of the ventilation losses in the crankcase of an internal combustion engine

Authors: Wilfried Edelbauer, Andreas Diemath, Heinrich Kratochwill, Gunter Brenn

Addresses: Advanced Simulation Technologies, AVL List GmbH, Hans List Platz 1, 8020 Graz, Austria. ' Advanced Simulation Technologies, AVL List GmbH, Hans List Platz 1, 8020 Graz, Austria. ' Advanced Simulation Technologies, AVL List GmbH, Hans List Platz 1, 8020 Graz, Austria. ' Institute of Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria

Abstract: The reduction of CO₂ emissions from internal combustion engines by increasing their efficiency becomes more and more important. Improved efficiency may be achieved by decreasing ventilation losses due to the pumping in the crankcase. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was rarely used for simulating the crankcase flow so far. This work presents a new model for the prediction of the windage and breathing losses, and applies a model for the blow-by flow. The complete moving crank drive is resolved. The simulation of one engine cycle shows the complex three-dimensional gas flow field, resulting in the crank angle resolved ventilation loss moment.

Keywords: crankcase flow; carbon emissions; CO2 emissions; vehicle emissions; ventilation loss; crankcase breathing; crankcase windage; blow-by; nonlinear mesh movement; numerical simulation; labyrinth model; internal combustion engines; computational fluid dynamics; CFD; gas flow field.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2010.030419

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2010 Vol.10 No.1, pp.1 - 18

Published online: 15 Dec 2009 *

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