Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

PIV analysis of in-cylinder flow structures over a range of realistic engine speeds

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Experiments in Fluids Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In-cylinder PIV measurements have been performed in a four-valve single cylinder optical gasoline direct injection engine, motored at speeds of 750, 2,000 and 3,500 rpm. Mean vector flow fields have been produced during the latter half of the intake stroke in the symmetry plane between the valve pairs. The flow fields show the development of the in-cylinder flow structures at 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2° crank angle steps for a time period of approximately 5 ms at each of the three engine speeds, respectively. Tumble ratios have been calculated for the available field of view showing a change in the flow structure between 2,000 and 3,500 rpm. This is believed to be caused by an increase in the flow of air traveling underneath the recirculation vortex at the higher engine speed. This translates the vortex position upwards and further to the right when compared to the lower engine speeds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ABDC:

After bottom dead centre

ATDC:

After top dead centre

BDC:

Bottom dead centre

CCD:

Charged coupled device

CCW:

Counter clockwise

CFD:

Computational fluid dynamics

CW:

Clockwise

IC:

Internal combustion

Nd YAG:

Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet

PIV:

Particle image velocimetry

RMS:

Roost mean squared

RPM:

revolutions per minute

SCORE:

Lotus single cylinder optical research engine

TDC:

Top dead centre

References

  • Allen J, Simms A, Williams P, Hargrave G, Wigley G (1999) An advanced optically accessed single cylinder research and development engine for fuel/air mixing and combustion diagnostics. In: JSAE internal combustion engine symposium (international), JSAE9936102, Seoul, Korea

  • Dierksheide U, Meyer P, Hovestadt T, Hentschel W (2002) Endoscopic 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) flow field measurements in IC engines. Exp Fluids 33:794–800

    Google Scholar 

  • Graftieaux L, Michard M, Grosjean N (2001) Combining PIV, POD and vortex identification algorithms for the study of unsteady turbulent swirling flows. Meas Sci Technol 12:1422–1429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heywood JB (1988) Internal combustion engine fundamentals. McGraw-Hill series in mechanical engineering, New York

  • Jarvis S, Justham T, Clarke A, Garner C, Hargrave G, Halliwell N (2005) Time resolved digital PIV measurements of flow field cyclic variation in an optical IC engine. In: 2nd International conference on optical and laser diagnosis (ICOLAD), City University, London

  • Li Y, Zhao H, Peng Z, Ladommatos N (2002) Tumbling flow analysis in a four valve spark ignition engine using particle image velocimetry. Int J Eng Res 3(3):139–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitcher G, Wigley G (2001) LDA analysis of the tumble flow generated in a motored 4-valve engine. In: Laser anemometry—advances and applications. EALA, Limerick

    Google Scholar 

  • Reeves M, Haste MJ, Garner CP, Halliwell NA (1999) Barrel swirl break down in spark-ignition engines: insights from particle image velocimetry measurements. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part C J Mech Eng Sci 213(D03398):595–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuss DL, Megerle M, Sick V (2002) Particle-image velocimetry measurement errors when imaging through a transparent engine cylinder. Meas Sci Technol 13:1029–1035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stansfield P, Wigley G, Garner C, Patel R, Ladommatos N, Turner J, Pitcher G, Nuglish H, Helie J (2007) Unthrottled engine operation using variable valve actuation: the impact on the flow field, mixing and combustion, SAE 2007–01–1414

  • Towers DP, Towers CE (2004) Cyclic variability measurements of in-cylinder engine flows using high-speed particle image velocimetry. Meas Sci Technol 15:1917–1925

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner JWG, Pitcher G, Burke P, Wigley C, Garner C, Stansfield P, Nuglisch H, Ladommatos N, Patel R, Williams P (2005) The HOTFIRE homogeneous GDI and fully variable valve train project—an initial report, SAE 2006–01–1260

  • Wigley G, Garner CP, Stansfield PA, Pitcher G, Turner J, Nuglisch H (2005) Air-fuel mixing in a homogeneous direct injection spark ignition engine with a fully variable valve train. In: Engine combustion processes—current problems and modern techniques, Berichte zur Energie und Verfahrenstechnik, Haus der Technik, Munich

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK

    Phil Stansfield, Graham Wigley, Tim Justham & Julian Catto

  2. Powertrain Research, Lotus Engineering Ltd, Hethel, Norwich, UK

    Graham Pitcher

Authors
  1. Phil Stansfield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Graham Wigley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tim Justham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Julian Catto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Graham Pitcher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Phil Stansfield.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stansfield, P., Wigley, G., Justham, T. et al. PIV analysis of in-cylinder flow structures over a range of realistic engine speeds. Exp Fluids 43, 135–146 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-007-0335-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-007-0335-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation