EPSRC Reference: |
EP/M005755/1 |
Title: |
Evaporative Cooling of Internal Combustion Engines |
Principal Investigator: |
Dunne, Professor J |
Other Investigators: |
|
Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
Project Partners: |
|
Department: |
Sch of Engineering and Informatics |
Organisation: |
University of Sussex |
Scheme: |
Standard Research |
Starts: |
23 February 2015 |
Ends: |
22 December 2018 |
Value (£): |
671,814
|
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
Combustion |
Fluid Dynamics |
Heat & Mass Transfer |
|
|
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
Transport Systems and Vehicles |
|
|
Related Grants: |
|
Panel History: |
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
The proposed work will examine an evaporative cooling system for use on modern Internal Combustion (IC) engines. The project aims to assess the impact of surface vibration and dynamics on the heat transfer capabilities and stability of controlled evaporative cooling for typical engine coolant jackets. The approach will include use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to predict 2-Phase flow for simplified and representative coolant jacket geometries. This CFD work will assist in getting an understanding of the physics of evaporative cooling, that will in turn assist in the development of robust control strategies to handle what is considered to be a very effective but potentially unstable heat transfer mechanism. A pilot control system will be built allowing the effectiveness of robust control in the presence of vibration and agitation to be experimentally assessed and verified. This 3-year project will be of direct benefit to the academic community since it should generate new fundamental knowledge of evaporative cooling, of particular interest to IC engine research, as existing engine cooling systems are nearing their thermal limits because they exploit forced-convection-based heat transfer involving a water/glycol mixture passing through a coolant jacket. This limit in turn, restricts the performance of both (CI) compression ignition (diesel) engines, and spark ignition (SI) gasoline engines, particularly with engine downsizing, where the intended application could be for conventional or parallel hybrid vehicles, or as compact, high power-weight-ratio range extender engines for Extended Range Electric Vehicles. Evaporative cooling is of considerable interest to automotive vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, because many see the great potential of evaporative cooling over conventional convective systems, to achieve improved IC engine fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions.
|
Key Findings |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
Impacts |
Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
Summary |
|
Date Materialised |
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
Project URL: |
|
Further Information: |
|
Organisation Website: |
http://www.sussex.ac.uk |