Reducing Heat Transfer in IC Engines

Forskningsprojekt, 2014 – 2019

This research is about understanding how to influence the interaction between gas and walls in a combustion chamber, in order to reduce heat loss and heat loads on the exposed components.

There are three main tracks of investigation: the first is to reduce the heat flow by a thermal barrier and / or a reflective coating. One area that many researchers have already investigated but with the constant development of new materials, it is still of interest. The second way is to reduce heat flow by using wall structures to affect the boundary layer closest to the wall so that there is less heat transfer. The third way is to avoid high temperature and high turbulence closest to the walls. The first two tracks have the highest priority in this project. Reducing heat loss and heat loads with surface structures has been least investigated for application in internal combustion engines and is therefore very interesting.

The results of this project can lead to improved efficiency of internal combustion engines in various ways: better indicated efficiency ( from fuel energy to work on the piston), more energy to the turbine, which in turn also leads to better efficiency, and higher exhaust temperature which provides a more efficient exhaust gas aftertreatment. Finally, a lower heat load on the walls of the combustion chamber enables higher power density and smaller engines for the same power output. Indirectly , this also gives a lower fuel consumption because of lower friction, lighter weight, and a shorter warm-up to operating temperature.

 
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