Spatially Resolved Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Flow through the Intake Port of an Internal Combustion Engine

Abstract

Modern spark-ignited internal combustion engines have intake ports designed to introduce high levels of so-called “tumble” charge motion. Correspondingly high shear rates can lead to high fluctuations and turbulence within the combustion chamber. A suitable test case to characterize the intake flow is a steady-state flow bench. Although routinely used in the engine development process to determine the global discharge coefficients, only a few detailed numerical and experimental studies use this test case to analyze the flow in the vicinity of the valve with high spatial and temporal resolution. In this paper, we combined highly resolved two-dimensional, two-component Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements and numerical simulations using a Detached-Eddy Simulation (DES) model to characterize engine-relevant flow features on a flow bench. The spatial resolution of numerical simulations on two different grids is assessed and compared to that of the PIV measurement. The results of simulations and experiment are then compared in terms of their mean and fluctuation velocity fields and the jet orientation. A detailed study of the area around the valve seats investigates the validity of wall functions in this region. Finally, we examine structures induced by vortex-shedding at the valve stem and if they are transported into the combustion chamber.