DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Numerical optimization of flow uniformity inside an under body- oval substrate to improve emissions of IC engines

  • Om Ariara Guhan, C.P. (Hinduja Tech Ltd (A Hinduja Group Company) Guindy) ;
  • Arthanareeswaran, G. (Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology) ;
  • Varadarajan, K.N. (Tech Mahindra Ltd.) ;
  • Krishnan, S. (Ashok Leyland - VVC)
  • Received : 2015.12.07
  • Accepted : 2016.02.09
  • Published : 2016.07.01

Abstract

Oval substrates are widely used in automobiles to reduce the exhaust emissions in Diesel oxidation Catalyst of CI engine. Because of constraints in space and packaging Oval substrate is preferred rather than round substrate. Obtaining the flow uniformity is very challenging in oval substrate comparing with round substrate. In this present work attempts are made to optimize the inlet cone design to achieve the optimal flow uniformity with the help of CATIA V5 which is 3D design tool and CFX which is 3D CFD tool. Initially length of inlet cone and mass flow rate of exhaust stream are analysed to understand the effects of flow uniformity and pressure drop. Then short straight cones and angled cones are designed. Angled cones have been designed by two methodologies. First methodology is rotating flow inlet plane along the substrate in shorter or longer axis. Second method is shifting the flow inlet plane along the longer axis. Large improvement in flow uniformity is observed when the flow inlet plane is shifted along the direction of longer axis by 10, 20 and 30 mm away from geometrical centre. When the inlet plane is rotated again based on 30 mm shifted geometry, significant improvement at rotation angle of $20^{\circ}$ is observed. The flow uniformity is optimum when second shift is performed based on second rotation. This present work shows that for an oval substrate flow, uniformity index can be optimized when inlet cone is angled by rotation of flow inlet plane along axis of substrate.

Keywords

References

  1. Martin AC, Will NS. Effect of flow distribution on emissions performance of catalytic converters. SAE technical paper no. 980936. 1998
  2. Deutschmann Olaf, Lanny D. Schmidt modeling the partial oxidation of methane in a short-contact-time reactor. AIChE Journal 1998;44(1)2465-77. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.690441114
  3. Braun J, Hauber T, Tobben H, Zacke P. Influence of physical and chemical parameters on the conversion rate of a catalytic converter: a numerical simulation study. SAE technical paper no. 2000-01-0211. 2000.
  4. Wu Guojiang, Tan Song. CFD simulation of the effect of upstream flow distribution on the light-off performance of a catalytic converter. Energy Conversion and Management 2001;46(13-14)2010-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2004.11.001
  5. Shuai Shi-Jin, Wang Jian-Xin. Unsteady temperature fields of monoliths in catalytic converters. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2004;100(1-3)95-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2004.01.013
  6. Zhang X, Tennison P. Numerical study of flow uniformity and pressure loss through a catalytic converter with two substrates. SAE technical paper no. 2008-01-0614. 2008.
  7. Hayes RE, Fadic A, Mmbaga J, Najafi A. CFD modelling of the automotive catalytic converter. Catalysis Today 2012;188(1)94-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2012.03.015
  8. Zygourakis K. Transient operation of monolith catalytic converters: a two-dimensional reactor model and the effects of radially nonuniform flow distributions. Chemical Engineering Science 1989;44(9)2075-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2509(89)85143-7
  9. Lai MC, Lee T, Kim JY, Cheng CY, Li P, Chui G. Numerical and experimental characterizations of automotive catalytic converter internal flows. Journal of Fluids and Structures 1992;6(4)451-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/0889-9746(92)90026-Y
  10. Hwang K, Lee K, Mueller J, Stuecken T, Schock HJ, Lee, J-C. Dynamic flow study in a catalytic converter using laser doppler velocimetry and high speed flow visualization. SAE technical paper no. 950786. 1995.
  11. Jahn R, Snita D, Kubicek M, Marek M. 3-D modelling of monolith reactors. Catalysis Today 1997;38(1)39-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0920-5861(97)00037-0
  12. Martin A, Will N, Bordet A, Cornet P. Effect of flow distribution on emissions performance of catalytic converters. SAE technical paper no. 980936. 1998.
  13. Jeong S, Kim W. A numerical approach to investigate transient thermal and conversion characteristics of automotive catalytic converter. SAE technical paper no. 980881. 1998.
  14. Heibel A, Spaid MAA. A new converter concept providing improved flow distribution and space utilization. SAE technical paper no. 1999-01-0768. 1999.
  15. Wollin J, Benjamin SF. A study of the flow performance of ceramic contoured substrates for automotive exhaust catalyst systems. SAE technical paper no. 993624. 1999.
  16. Taylor W. CFD prediction and experimental validation of high-temperature thermal behavior in catalytic converters. SAE technical paper no. 1999-01-0454. 1999.
  17. Breuer M, Schernus C, Bowing R, Kuphal A. Experimental approach to optimize catalyst flow uniformity. SAE technical paper no. 2000-01-0865. 2000.
  18. Shi-jin S, Jian-xin W, Ren-jun Z, Jun-rui C. Study on flow characteristics of automotive catalytic converters with various configurations. SAE technical paper no. 2000-01-0208. 2000.
  19. Shuai SJ, Wang JX, Dong QL, Zhuang Piv RJ. Measurement and numerical simulation of flows in automotive catalytic converters. SAE technical paper no. 2001-01-3494. 2001.
  20. Badami M, Millo F, Zuarini A. CFD analysis and experimental validation of the inlet flow distribution in close coupled catalytic converters. SAE technical paperno. 2003-01-3072. 2003.
  21. Windmann J, Braun J, Zacke P, Tischer S, Deutschmann O, Warnatz J. Impact of the inlet flow distribution on the light-off behavior of a 3-way catalytic converter. SAE technical paper no. 2003-01-0937. 2003.
  22. Chakravarthy VK, Conklin JC, Daw CS, D'Azevedo EF. Multi-dimensional simulations of cold-start transients in a catalytic converter under steadyinflow conditions. Applied Catalysis A-General 2003;241(1)289-306. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0926-860X(02)00490-8
  23. Holmgren A, Gronstedt T, Andersson B. Improved flow distribution in automotive monolithic converters. Reaction Kinetics and Catalysis Letters, 1997;60(2)363-71. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02475700
  24. Voltz SE, Morgan CR, Liederman D, Jacob SM. Kinetic study of carbon monoxide and propylene oxidation on platinum catalysts. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Product Research and Development 1973;12(4)294-301. https://doi.org/10.1021/i360048a006
  25. Windmann J, Braun J, Zacke P, Chatterjee D, Deutschmann O, Warnatz J. Impact of the inlet flow distribution on the light-off behavior of a 3-way catalytic converter. SAE technical paper no. 2003-01-0937. 2003.
  26. Campbell B, Finch A, Tancell P, Hitchings A. Effect of catalyst inlet cone flow mal-distribution on emissions performance of a close-coupled catalytic converter. SAE technical paper no. 2004-01-1489. 2004.
  27. Mazumder S, Sengupta D. Sub-grid scale modeling of heterogeneous chemical reactions and transport in full-scale. Combustion and Flame 2002;131(1)85-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-2180(02)00392-9
  28. Mazumder S. A new numerical procedure for coupling radiation in participating media with other modes of heat transfer. Journal of Heat Transfer 2005;127(9)1037-45. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1929780
  29. Kumar A, Mazumder S. Toward simulation of full-scale monolithic catalytic converters with complex heterogeneous chemistry. Computers & Chemical Engineering 2010;34(2)135-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2009.05.018
  30. Tsinoglou DN, Koltsakis GC, Missirlis DK, Yakinthos KJ. Transient modelling of flow distribution in automotive catalytic converters. Applied Mathematical Modelling 2004;28(9)775-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apm.2003.12.006
  31. Salasc S, Barrieu E, Leroy V. Impact of manifold design on flow distribution of a close-coupled catalytic converter. SAE technical paper no. 2005-01-1626. 2005.
  32. Zhang X, Romzek M, Keck M, Kurz F. Numerical optimization of flow uniformity in front of diesel particular filters. SAE technical paper no. 2005-01-3720. 2005.
  33. Guojiang W, Song T. CFD simulation of the effect of upstream flow distribution on the light-off performance of a catalytic converter. Energy Conversion and Management 2005;46(13-14)2010-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2004.11.001
  34. Shuai S, Wang J. Unsteady temperature fields of monoliths in catalytic converters. Chemical Engineering Journal 2004;100(1-3)95-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2004.01.013
  35. Lun H, Xiaowei N, Liang Z, Yongping L, He Z, Wei H. CFD simulation of the effect of monolith wall thickness on the light off performance of a catalytic converter. International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering 2010;8(1)1542-6580.
  36. Jeong S, Kim T. CFD investigation of the 3-dimensional unsteady flow in the catalytic converter. SAE technical paper no. 971025. 1997.
  37. Zhang X, Gomulka T, Romzek M. Numerical optimization of flow uniformity inside an F-oval substrate. SAE technical paper no. 2007-01-1088. 2007.

Cited by

  1. Improvement of flow behavior in the spiral casing of Francis hydro turbine model by shape optimization vol.34, pp.9, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0817-9
  2. Air flow quality analysis of an open-circuit boundary layer wind tunnel and comparison with a closed-circuit wind tunnel vol.32, pp.12, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0031613