Robert Fairbrother

Linear Acoustic Exhaust System Simulation Using Source Data from Non Linear Simulation

Both linear (frequency domain) and non-linear (time domain) prediction codes are used for the simulation of duct acoustics in exhaust systems. Each approach has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. One disadvantage of the linear method is that information about the engine as an acoustic source is needed in order to calculate the insertion loss of mufflers or the level of radiated sound. The source model used in the low frequency plane wave range is the linear time invariant 1-port model. This source characterization data is usually obtained from experimental tests where multi-load methods and especially the two-load method are most commonly used. These measurements are time consuming and expensive. However, this data can also be extracted from an existing 1-D non-linear CFD code describing the engine gas exchange process. The pressure and velocity predictions from two acoustic load cases can be used to determine the source strength and impedance at a particular location in the exhaust line. This has been done at a location downstream of the turbocharger in the exhaust system of a heavy diesel truck over a number of speeds and engine loads. This source data is then used in a linear simulation of the exhaust line to predict sound pressure levels at a free field microphone position. The predicted source data and sound output at the microphone position is validated against measured data. The results show that you can obtain reasonably accurate source data and approximate free field sound pressure level predictions using non linear simulation in a linear acoustic model of the exhaust system. This technique can be used to extend the use of linear acoustic simulations to models of the complete exhaust line with the characterized engine as a source and exhaust sound output as a result.

A Nonlinear Quasi-3D Approach for the Modeling of Mufflers with Perforated Elements and Sound-Absorbing Material

Increasing demands on the capabilities of engine thermo-fluid dynamic simulation and the ability to accurately predict both performance and acoustics have led to the development of several approaches, ranging from fully 3D to simplified 1D models. The quasi-3D approach is proposed as a compromise between the time-demanding 3D CFD analysis and the fast 1D approach; it allows to model the acoustics of intake and exhaust system components, used in internal combustion engines, resorting to a 3D network of 0D cells. Due to its 3D nature, the model predicts high-order modes, improving the accuracy at high frequencies with respect to conventional plane-wave approaches. The conservation equations of mass and energy are solved at cell centers, whereas the momentum equation is applied to cell connections including specific source term to account for the of sound-absorbing materials and perforated elements. The quasi-3D approach has been validated by comparing the predicted transmission loss to measured data for a number of standard configurations typical of internal combustion engine exhaust systems: a reverse-flow chamber and series chambers with perforates and resistive material.

Acoustic Simulation of an Automotive Muffler with Perforated Baffles and Pipes

A complex automotive muffler consisting of multiple chambers, perforated baffles and pipes with perforated sections is simulated with both a linear and non linear solver in regard to duct acoustics. The goal is to be able to predict the acoustic performance of the muffler and correctly assess the effect of any changes to the muffler configuration. The linear solver is a frequency domain code using the transfer matrix method to predict the acoustic performance. The non linear solver is a time domain code using a finite volume method to predict the flow distribution and pressure drop across the muffler. A recently developed linear acoustic model for perforates has been applied to the perforated sections of the automotive muffler. This includes different configurations of the muffler both with and without flow. The perforate model with flow requires the correct flow distribution throughout the muffler in terms of through flow and grazing flow for each perforated section. This flow distribution is determined from the non linear simulation of the different muffler configurations. This same code can also be used to determine the pressure drop across the muffler and thereby assess the effect of the muffler on engine performance. The predicted transmission loss for different muffler configurations, both with and without flow, has been validated against measured data. The predicted pressure drop of the muffler configurations has also been validated against measured data.

Accurate Gas Exchange and Combustion Analysis Directly at the Test Bed

Accurate combustion analysis at the test bed is an important tool for the development engineer. It can help engine design, efficiency improvements or emissions reduction by providing instantaneous feedback on the combustion process. It can also provide detailed combustion information to help speed-up the engine calibration process. By implementing shared memory communication, multiple core capability and streamlined calculation techniques, the calculation time of AVL gas exchange and combustion analysis software GCA (Gas Exchange and Combustion Analysis) has been dramatically reduced without significantly decreasing calculation results accuracy. This allows AVL IndiCOM (in combination with AVL GCA) to perform accurate gas exchange and combustion analysis calculations directly and promptly at the test bed. This opens the door to a number of promising new applications by erasing the bridge between measurement data acquisition and post-processing analysis. Increase of measurement data consistency and the reduction of development time are two of the most important benefits of being able to perform “on-line” plausibility checks of measurement data. The strong links connecting AVL GCA calculation results to the measurement data and the redundancy between calculation and measurement for the assessment of some highly relevant engine parameters (e.g. IMEP, air mass flow) can greatly extend the “on-line” plausibility checks functions already available in AVL IndiCom or AVL test bed automation software PUMA. Some passenger car application examples, where valve train flexibility is used to enhance fuel economy or reduce exhaust emissions of internal combustion engines, show that the immediate availability at the test bed of gas exchange related parameters (e.g. internal EGR rate, scavenged mass, mass flows through the valves) supports an intuitive optimization of the valve train parameters.Copyright