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CFD simulation and investigation on flow field characteristics and temperature predictions of an electric generator unit

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Abstract

In order to evaluate the cooling performance and thermal characteristics of an electrical generator unit, a three-dimensional model with and without fluid–solid temperature coupling is established and the model reliability is verified by temperature experiments. Results show that the air quantity distribution of each cooling air duct of the engine in original electric generator is uneven and there is a zero-velocity zone in the local area of the muffler. After structural improvement, the uniformity of air quantity distribution improves significantly and the surface velocity of muffler cover increases. The simulated temperature values of magneto surface and muffler front cover obtained are in good agreement with the experimental values, having the relative error of 5.8% and 4.9%, respectively. The maximum temperature of engine body, winding coil of magneto, and inverter is 200 ℃, 137.13 ℃, and 91.66 ℃, respectively. The research results can be used to quantitatively evaluate the cooling characteristics of electric generator.

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Abbreviations

EG :

Electric generator

u :

Fluid velocity component at X direction, m/s

v :

Fluid velocity component at Y direction, m/s

w :

Fluid velocity component at Z direction, m/s

U :

Velocity vector

x,y,z :

Spatial coordinate, m

t :

Time, s

p :

Pressure, Pa

T :

Temperature, K

C p :

Specific heat capacity of the fluid, J/(kg‧K)

S T :

Internal heat source of the fluid, J

K :

Turbulent kinetic energy, m2/s2

μ t :

Turbulent viscosity, N.s/m2

G k :

Turbulent kinetic energy term generated by the velocity gradient

G b :

Turbulent kinetic energy term generated by the buoyancy

YM :

Pulsating expansion term

C1 ε, C2 ε, C3 ε :

Empirical constants

S k :

User-defined source term

S ε :

User-defined source term

φ b12 :

Radiation energy, W

X 12, X 21 :

Angle coefficients

A 1 ,A 2 :

Surface areas, m2

E b1, E b2 :

Radiation capacity, W/m2

CFD:

Computational fluid dynamics

ρ :

Density, kg/m3

λ :

Fluid heat transfer coefficient, W/m2‧K

ε :

Turbulent dissipation rate, m2/s3

τ :

Viscous stress, Pa

σk :

Prandtl number corresponding to the turbulent kinetic energy

σε :

Prandtl number corresponding to the turbulent dissipation rate

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51876109), Key project of International Science and Technology Cooperation Program for Shaanxi Province (2020KWZ-015), Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi Province (2017KW-001), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2017YFD0400902-1) and The Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities(2019).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, 6 Xuefuzhong Road, Weiyangdaxueyuan District, Xi’an, 710021, China

    Libin Tan & Yuejin Yuan

  2. Research and Development Center, Loncin Motor Co., Ltd, ChongQing, 400039, China

    Libin Tan, Can Huang & Qianying Yu

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  1. Libin Tan
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Contributions

LT done methodology, formal analysis, writing and manuscript submission; YY performed conceptualization, funding acquisition and project administration; CH was involved in prototype model designer, experimental test and data comparison analysis; QY contributed to simulation software guidance, validation, manuscript reviewing and checking.

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Correspondence to Yuejin Yuan.

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Technical Editor: Jose A. R. Parise.

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Tan, L., Yuan, Y., Huang, C. et al. CFD simulation and investigation on flow field characteristics and temperature predictions of an electric generator unit. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 43, 263 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-021-02981-y

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