Mixture Preparation Optimization by CFD of a Flex-Vehicle (Gasoline/Ethanol) Intake System Layout

Abstract

<div class="htmlview paragraph">The paper describes the optimization to match the Brazilian market requirements for a Flex-Vehicle of the intake system and in particular the fuel injectors of a small displacement (1.6 l) 8 valves passenger car engine. The imposed target was to find a compromise for the hardware components related to the mixture preparation process, which optimize their performance with respect to a gasoline with a random content (from 0 to 100 %) of ethanol.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The analytical optimization process is performed by use of a 3-D numerical virtual engine in which can be studied the physical phenomena of spray atomization, vaporization and momentum fluctuations from different injector atomizer layouts.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The different atomizer layouts as well as several vaporization enhancement approaches are rated with respect to a baseline configuration on the virtual engine. The paper presents the results obtained by highest rated solutions, which were manufactured as prototypes and tested on the real engine.</div>