Axisymmetric Flow in a Motored Reciprocating Engine

Abstract

A study was made of axisymmetric, laminar and turbulent flow in a motored reciprocating engine with flow through a cylinder head port. Measurements were obtained by laser-Doppler anemometry and predictions for the laminar case were generated by finite-difference means. Agreement between calculated and measured results is good for the main features of the flow field, but significant small scale differences exist, due partly to uncertainties in the inlet velocity distribution. The measurements show, for example, that the mean velocity field is influenced more strongly by the engine geometry than by the speed. In general, the results confirm that the calculation method can be used to represent the flow characteristics of motored reciprocating engines without compression and suggest that extensions to include compression and combustion are within reach.