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Measurements were made of the in-cylinder fluid velocities in a crankcase compression, piston ported two-stroke engine under both motored and fired operating conditions to investigate the effect of combustion on the scavenging process. The engine was modified to allow optical access to the clearance volume and was operated in a burst fired manner, where the firing sequence was controlled by modulating the fuel delivered to the crankcase. The burst fired sequence consisted of 30 cycles, of which there were twelve consecutive cycles where fuel was injected into the crankcase. The engine was operated at a speed of 500 RPM, with a delivery ratio of 0.54, and a fuel-air equivalence ratio of 1.28. Laser Doppler Velocimetry was used to measure two components of the in-cylinder fluid velocity at five locations in the cylinder head cup during the burst fired operation of the engine.

The main purpose of this investigation was to develop the virtual prototype of the whole log forwarder by using ADAMS dynamic system simulation software. The virtual prototype contains hydraulic systems of the loader (except the grapple), mechanisms (steering, bogie axles), tire-terrain interaction, the log loader with structural flexibility and the control systems of the loader. Then the virtual prototype was validated with a simple procedure describing loading dynamics.

With the legislative demands increasing on recreational vehicles and utility engined applications, the two-stroke engine is facing increasing pressure to meet these requirements. One method of achieving the required reduction is via the introduction of a catalytic converter. The catalytic converter not only has to deal with the characteristically higher CO and HC concentration, but also any oil which is added to lubricate the engine. In a conventional two-stroke engine with a total loss lubrication system, the oil is either scavenged straight out the exhaust port or is entrained, involved in combustion and is later exhausted. This oil can have a significant effect on the performance of the catalyst. To investigate the oiling effect, three catalytic converters were aged using a 400cm3 DI two-stroke engine. A finite level of oil was added to the inlet air of the engine to lubricate the internal workings. The oil flow rate is independent of the engine speed and load.

CFD (computational fluid dynamics) theory such as equations of conservation and of the turbulent kinetic energy are explained along with their numerical solution and the FIRE solution algorithm. The techniques are applied to different areas of four-stroke and two-stroke engines such as to a small 4-valve engine with moving piston and moving valves and different intake ports to show the in-cylinder charge movement, followed by the flow calculation and heat transfer in the water jacket and applied also to detect the velocity pattern on the front face of the catalyst, all in the same 150cc engine. One of the CFD applications to different two-stroke engines deals with the variation of manifold-diffuser-catalyst layouts to obtain an evenly distributed velocity in the catalyst. Second a fan cooling system with rotating fan indicates the weaknesses of the original layout in terms of cylinder temperature distribution and improvement steps are shown.

An experimental and theoretical investigation to minimise the hydrocarbon emissions from a 25 cm3 two-stroke engine with finger transfer ports is described. Finger ports have the side of each passage closest to the cylinder axis open to the cylinder bore making it possible to produce high-pressure die castings with the simplest of dies. Cylinders utilising this type of porting are believed to have inferior scavenging characteristics compared to those using closed or cup-handle porting. The effects of cylinder scavenging characteristics and port optimisation on engine performance were examined using a computer simulation. It is concluded that there is potential for a 70% reduction in exhaust hydrocarbon emissions through scavenging efficiency improvements and port optimisation, provided the cylinder scavenging can be developed to match that of the best existing unconventional crossflow scavenged designs.

Washcoat sintering and substrate meltdown have traditionally been the principle deactivating mechanisms of catalysts fitted to two-stroke engines. The reduction of the excessively high HC and CO levels responsible for these effects has therefore been the focus of considerable research which has led to the introduction of direct in-cylinder fuel injection to some larger versions of this engine. However, much less attention has been paid to the effects of oil and its additives on the performance and durability of the two-stroke catalyst. The quantity of oil emitted to the exhaust system of the majority of two-stroke engines is much greater than in four-stroke engines of comparable output due to the total loss lubrication system employed. The fundamental design of the two-stroke also permits some of this oil to ‘short-circuit’ to the exhaust in a neat or unburned form.

The ASTM test method D-2882 (Standard Test Method for Indicating the Wear Characteristics of Petroleum and Non-Petroleum Hydraulic Fluids in a Constant Volume Vane Pump) is widely used to evaluate hydraulic fluids. Performing this method can be difficult due to problems with the pump hardware and the written procedure. This paper discusses the problems and suggests possible remedies.

Diesel powered commercial engines dominate the surface transportation markets such as trucks, barges, ships, locomotives and public transport. Manufacturers of diesel engines and systems are increasing being pressured to offer more efficient fuel delivery systems with minimal pollution. Various high pressure direct diesel injection systems have been designed to atomize the fuel so that. it bum efficiently and emit very little pollution. The use of pressure transducers in closed loop with an Engine Control Unit (ECU), is on the increase to help achieve the goals for performance and pollution. These demanding applications are forcing pressure transducer manufacturers to include features in their products so that the device can operate in a hostile environment while maintaining a good price-performance ratio with excellent durability.

A family of logic-based radio-controlled components, engine speed sensors, and industrial magnetic pulleys suitable for the most severe applications found in the environmental management industries has been developed. The relay logic boards are user friendly and user ready for an unlimited array of output to match OEM's ever-changing demand. The speed sensors relieve the engine power plant and drive components of unnecessary abuse when the plant is under a heavy load. The industrial magnetic head pulleys are a “new breed” of ceramic magnet that create a unique magnetic field capable of removing a large percentage of ferrite metal from waste wood grinding.

An appropriate test procedure, based on a duty cycle representative of real in-use operation, is an essential tool for characterizing engine emissions. A study has been performed to develop and validate a snowmobile engine test procedure for measurement of exhaust emissions. Real-time operating data collected from four instrumented snowmobiles were combined into a composite database for analysis and formulation of a snowmobile engine duty cycle. One snowmobile from each of four manufacturers (Arctic Cat, Polaris, Ski-Doo, and Yamaha) was included in the data collection process. Snowmobiles were driven over various on- and off-trail segments representing five driving styles: aggressive (trail), moderate (trail), double (trail with operator and one passenger), freestyle (off trail), and lake driving. Statistical analysis of this database was performed, and a five-mode steady-state snowmobile engine duty cycle was developed.

In the last two decades we have literally became a global society in all aspects of technology. Unfortunately, this has caused us to “race” to stay competetive and consistent in our desires to remain in this technological race. Any time an accelerated pace is demanded, mundane things are often overlooked. This becomes the basis for many lost opportunities.

This paper will describe the history of gear oils and how they have evolved over the years to provide the protection required with the extended oil change intervals demanded in today's heavy-duty commercial vehicles. It will also highlight the development of an oil that satisfies the current needs of the axle for an extended length of time, and also meets the extremely demanding requirements of the manual transmission. This paper will provide a comparison of photos and test results obtained with this “single barrel” lubricant to those obtained with traditional gear oil formulations.

Noise emitted from the pump can be a major influence on the overall noise created by a power steering system. Dynamic simulation can aid the designer by showing the effect of the pump geometry and oil properties on noise before the prototype has been built. This paper discusses a simulation of suction port flow ripple in a power steering vane pump, which is validated against experimental data. Results show that the mean pressure in the delivery line affects the amplitude of suction port flow ripple. Internal leakage in the pump was found to have little effect on suction port flow ripple. The level of high-frequency flow ripple from the suction port was found to be comparable with or greater than that from the delivery port. The simulation is used to recommend the addition of relief grooves to reduce the high-frequency flow ripple.

Currently, the industry standard pump test which is used to evaluate the lubricating performance of hydraulic fluids is ASTM D-2882 [1,2]. This test, and others, utilizes the Vickers V-104 vane pump [3]. Although ASTM D-2882 has been an industry standard for many years, it does not provide the necessary correlation required for prediction of the lubricating properties of a hydraulic fluid in various piston pump operations. The objective of this paper is to detail the recently proposed Rexroth Piston Pump Test which is being proposed as an ASTM standard. A description of the proposed hardware, pump testing strategies and methods of standardized wear determination will be provided.

This paper addresses a common problem associated with data analysis when a 1st failure in n, Weibull analysis is used. This is known among Weibull practitioners as the method of “sudden death”. Weibull analysis is a widely used reliability assessment and prediction technique. The “sudden death” method was initially developed to help reduce test time. In a “sudden death” test, k groups of n parts each are tested. In each test group testing is halted when the first failure occurs. This is referred to as the “first failure in n” and is usually detected by periodic inspection or by automatic/electronic test shut-off when the first failure occurs. It may happen that the first failure is not detected and there are two or more failures found upon inspection. In such cases the first failure time is lost since there are now 2 or more failures. If the second or third failure time is used as if it were the first failure time, overestimation of the reliability will result.

For most rolling element bearings used in practical applications, the permissible speed is defined as the bearing speed corresponding to a certain assumed limiting operating temperature in the bearing. Prediction of bearing permissible speed requires a thermal balance analysis considering 1) bearing heat generation (or torque) and 2) the heat dissipation of the bearing system, which is a function of ambient temperature, housing material and geometry and its heat transfer parameters. Recent results of running torque measurement of needle roller bearings and other types of roller bearings have been reviewed and compared with the well known Palmgren's prediction. The experimentally based formula for bearing power loss for needle bearings is used in the heat balance analysis for determining bearing reference and permissible speed. The calculated reference speed is compared with the DIN calculated reference speed using Palmgren's formula.

To obtain the simplified formula of viscous rolling resistance in the roller-raceway contact of tapered roller bearings, full EHD analyses in line contacts have been carried out for a wide range of dimensionless EHD parameters and meniscus distances in the inlet region. The results show that the effects of G and W on the viscous rolling resistance under full flooded conditions are small. However, the effects of U, G and W are influenced by the meniscus distance. The formula for frictional torque taking into account the simplified formula has been compared to the frictional torque obtained from experiment.

A new test method has been developed that enables the resistance to through cracking of different bearing materials operating under the influence of hoop stress to be assessed. Using this method the resistance to through cracking of a new case hardened medium carbon bearing steel together with standard through hardened SAE 52100 and case hardened SAE 5120 bearing steels has been assessed. The results showed that the new case hardened medium carbon and SAE 5120 steels had a higher resistance to through ring cracking than the through hardened SAE 52100 steel at a given hoop stress. The results also showed that the resistance to through cracking of the new case hardened medium carbon steel was similar to that of SAE 5120 steel.

Cavitation is the dynamic process of gas cavity growth and collapse in a liquid. These cavities are due to the presence of dissolved gases or volatile liquids and they are formed at the point where the pressure is less than the saturation pressure of the gas (gaseous cavitation) or vapor pressure (vaporous cavitation). In this paper, various hydraulic system design factors and fluid properties affecting the cavitation process, and bubble collapse mechanisms will be discussed. In-situ generation of cavitation, examination of the cavitation process in model hydraulic systems, material effects and test methods will be reviewed.

Thermal distortions of friction disks caused by frictional heating modify pressure distribution on friction surfaces. Pressure distribution, in turn, determines distribution of generated frictional heat. These interdependencies create a complex thermoelastic system that, under some conditions, may become unstable and may lead to severe pressure concentrations with very high local temperature and stress. The phenomenon is responsible for many common thermal failure modes of friction elements and is known as frictionally excited thermoelastic instability (TEI). In the paper, one of the cases of TEI is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The study involves a two-disk structure with one fiction disk and one matching steel disk that have one friction interface. An unsteady heat conduction problem and an elastic contact problem are modeled as axisymmetric ones and are solved using the finite element method.