Title: Design and analysis of an electromechanical actuator for the valve train of a camless internal combustion engine

Authors: Yuelei Yang; Tyler Wright; Mike Herbison; Chris Gallagher; Sterling Little; Andrew Jaciw-Zurakowky

Addresses: Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario, Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada ' Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario, Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada ' Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario, Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada ' Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario, Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada ' Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario, Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada ' Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario, Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: The conventional mechanical driven valve train for the internal combustion engines has difficulty to handle the various valve events. In this paper, an electromechanical actuated valve train system is developed to provide a more efficient option for valve timing management. The details of the mechanical design of the valve have been discussed, as well as the control system. A prototype of the valve actuation system has been built to verify the design. The testing has shown that the prototype system can actuate the valves to any desired timing at a maximum reliable speed of 3,000 RPM without soft seating, and achieve a partial soft seating at an engine speed of 500 RPM.

Keywords: internal combustion engines; camless IC engines; electromechanical actuators; actuator design; valve train; valve timing management; mechanical design; valve actuation; valve control; soft seating.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMRS.2015.069036

International Journal of Mechanisms and Robotic Systems, 2015 Vol.2 No.2, pp.169 - 181

Received: 27 Sep 2014
Accepted: 27 Nov 2014
Published online: 09 May 2015 *

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