SINGLE VALVE TRAIN ANALYSIS OF IC ENGINE USING RICARDOS VALDYN SOFTWARE Author : Ashwinkumar S. Dhoble and R. P.

Sharma R&D Centre, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Nashik, India.

ABSTRACT The authors have made an attempt to analyse the dynamic behaviour of a single pushrod type valve train configuration using Ricardos VALDYN software. The valve train model was prepared using flexible mathematical element approach. Within this approach, each component of the valve train is modelled as a lumped mass system having stiffness and damping. The stiffness properties of the valve train components were calculated using 3-D finite element model of the components prepared and analysed using IDEAS software. The valve train was analysed for the rated speed and overspeed to find out the dynamic forces acting on the components. The results in the form of nodal displacements and valve acceleration were plotted to reveal the occurrence of the jump phenomenon at the rated speed and or at overspeed. The effect of variation in the cam profile on dynamic forces acting on the valve was also studied. The dynamic forces obtained from the analysis were used as input for finite element model of the valve train components for sustainability of the valve train components at rated and overspeed.

INTRODUCTION Valve train design and the valve timing directly affect the engine performance. Validation of existing valve train is carried out using Ricardo VALDYN software. The important objectives of valve train are, Engine performance: The main demands here are the exact timings (Valve opening and closing), a high volumetric flow (fat valve lift), fast opening and in some cases a short overlap period. The usual considerations for design optimisation are WOT (wide open throttle) performance characteristics for gasoline engines and full load smoke for diesel engines. Durability: The limits for the design are given by Hertz pressure, the oil film thickness at cam/follower, velocity and force at the valve seat, prevention of contact loss and valve bouncing. Vibration and Noise: Optimum solutions are achievable with high stiffness and high natural frequencies of the valve train. The impacts and the inertia forces should be minimised.

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Conflicting demands in the design may occur due to fast opening of valve, valve train dynamics and its effects on the gas exchange process. On the one hand big effective opening areas of the valve are required to optimise the engine air flow and to minimise the pumping losses for a given valve timing. This requirement forces the designer to go close to the limits of valve train durability. On the other hand the resulting high forces in the valve train may cause significant differences between the geometric and dynamic valve lift curves depending on the stiffness of the valve train. The gas exchange process of the engine, however, is controlled by the dynamic valve lift. In view of this conflict the best compromise can only be found if accurate prediction of the system performance can be made. This is particularly important at high speeds. VALVE TRAIN SIMULATION The dynamic simulation of a single valve train is done using Ricardo VALDYN software, version 2.1. The software consists of two modules; the first is the VALDYN module, which consists of the pre-processor and solver. The second module is RPLOT, which is the post processor. The current work was carried out on the Windows NT based platform. VALDYN uses a flexible elemental approach to model valve trains. Within this approach individual parts of the valve train are represented by modelling elements, which can be linked together to form the whole valve train model. The software models each valve train component as a lumped mass system, having stiffness and damping. The

excitation to the model is provided by a rotating element. Then the equations of motion are solved simultaneously for subsequent elements in the model. VALVE TRAIN MODELLING The modelling of the valve train components is done using the representative mathematical elements in the VALDYN object palette. The detailed model of the valve train analysed is shown in Fig.1. The geometric data and material data were taken from the component engineering drawings. The stiffness data

was collected by carrying out the CAE analysis of the valve train components. The 3-D models of the components were made in IDEAS. The discretization of

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the model is also performed in IDEAS. The boundary conditions were specified in accordance with actual loading of the component in valve train with unit load. The static displacement results were used to calculate the individual component stiffness value. The damping values for the component were assumed to be 3-5% of critical damping. The mass data for the rocker arm was to be calculated from the moment of Inertia around the axis of rotation (transformation of rotational motion into a transversal motion). The effect of temperature on the valve train component can not been taken into consideration in the VALDYN model. SIMULATION RESULTS The performance of the valve train becomes critical at higher engine speeds, particularly in relation to the dynamic valve lift, velocity and acceleration. The displacement, velocity and acceleration curves for the valve are shown in Fig.2 and Fig.3 at the rated speed and the over-speed. It can be observed from Fig.4 that the dynamic valve lift is comparatively lower than the kinematic lift. This can be
Fig. 2.0 Displacement Comparison
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This phenomenon has an adverse effect on the effective flow area and consequently leads to reduction in the volumetric efficiency of the engine. Breathing of the engine can be made effective by increasing the dynamic valve lift. The dynamic valve lift can be increased by reduction in the energy losses in the valve train or by increasing the forces acting on the valve to the limit of durability. For a given valve train the energy losses can not be reduced below a certain limit constrained by material and friction. At this juncture it becomes very important to check the valve train for the maximum dynamic forces. A lag in the valve displacement is observed with respect to the cam at the start of lift. This is due to the inertia effect of tappet, pushrod, rocker, valve and the spring pre-load. The valve velocity plot shows a usual trend of reversal of velocity at the point of maximum valve lift.
F ig .3 .0V a lv eV elo cityC o m p a riso n

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Cam Lift Kinematic Valve Lift Dynamic Valve Lift

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attributed to the flexural rigidity of the component and individual component damping.

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In valve train performance the valve acceleration at overspeed gives information of the occurrence of the shock phenomenon. A steep acceleration curve signifies the probability of shock phenomenon, which is one of the causes of valve breakage and detrimental from the point of view of airflow into the cylinder. The acceleration curve for the simulated valve train does not show any probability of shock. It is observed that there is abrupt change in the acceleration during valve closure. This leads to a minor shock at the overspeed, but that is not the case at the rated speed.
Fig. 4.0 Valve Acceleration Comparison
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Valve Acceleration (m/s2)

F ig.5.0V a lv eF o rceC o m p a riso n

700 600 500 400 Valve Force (N) 300 200 100 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 3800 rpm 4750 rpm

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CamA ngle (d eg)

durability limits has been established. Based on the above results it can be said that there is no valve jumping within the engine operation range. Also the valvetrain is safe from strength point of view. This result matches with the durability testing done on engine dynamometer. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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CamAngle (deg)

3800 rpm 4750 rpm

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The dynamic forces on the valve follows the same trend as that of valve acceleration and the maximum value of the dynamic force acting encountered during overspeed is well below the first mode buckling load. The buckling load value is established by carrying out finite element analysis of the valve using IDEAS. CONCLUSION An approach to quantify the dynamic forces acting on the valve train components focusing on the valve train performance within the frame of -4-

The authors would like to express sincere thanks to Dr. P. K. Goenka, Vice President (R&D) , Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Management of Mahindra and Mahindra Limited for their support and guidance to publish this paper. The result matches with the durability tasking done on engine dynamometer. References 1. Akio Kinoshita, Hirofumi Aoki and Masao Ishihama, An Effective Approach for Reducing Valve Train noiseJSAE Review, December 1985 p. 48. 2. W. Hellinger, H. H. Priebsch, K. Landfahrer and U. Mayerhofer, Valve Train Dynamics and Its

Contribution to Engine Performance, paper C389/129, FISITA 92 Congress London , 7-11 June 1992 3. M. Colechin, C. R. Stone, and H. J. Leonard, Analysis of Roller Follower Valve Gear, SAE Paper 930692 (1992) 4. Saied M. Baniasad and Michael R. Emes, Design and Development Method of Valve- Train Fricton Measurement, SAE Paper 980572 (1998).

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