This thesis focuses on a technology called cylinder deactivation. The technology helps reducing emissions and fuel consumption. The first part summarizes the possibilities of application of the cylinder deactivation technology as well as advantages resulting from combination with other technologies. The thesis also consists of two design options for valvetrain in inline four-cylinder engine and the results of simulations of dynamics of its cranktrain.

Master 's thesis deals with design of a drivetrain of six cylinder inline engine with cylinder deactivation for heavy agricultural vehicles. In this thesis were devised various possibilities of crankshaft balancing, the best design solution of counterweight was based on optimization in software Catia. Further, the crankshaft was analysed for force and momentum loading and torsional vibration, based on which, the torsional vibration damper was designed. There were considered several options for cylinder deactivation, which were analysed for finest run of engine and the best thermal distribution. Based on these criteria, the best option was to deactivate 2nd and 5th cylinder. The crankshaft was analysed for the fatigue failure by finite element method. The fatigue failure is the most dangerous case for the crankshaft, the resulting safety factor for this limit state is 3,05.

The transportation sector continues to be a primary source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing more than any other sector in the United States in 2017. Medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks trail only passenger cars as the largest GHG contributor in this sector [1]. The intense operating requirements of these vehicles create a reliance on the diesel engine that is projected to last for many decades. Therefore, it is vital that the efficiency and environmental sustainability of diesel engines continue to be advanced.<br><br>Cylinder deactivation (CDA) is a promising technology to improve diesel engine fuel efficiency and aftertreatment thermal management for emissions reduction. This work presents original experimental results demonstrating fuel efficiency improvements of CDA implemented on a modern engine at idle operating conditions through testing of various CDA configurations. Idle calibration optimizations result in up to 28% fuel consumption reduction at steady-state unloaded idle operation and 0.7% fuel consumption reduction over HD-FTP drive cycles at equivalent emissions levels. The low-load thermal management performance of CDA is also investigated through creep and extended idle transient cycles, during which CDA is shown to reduce fuel consumption by up to 40% with similar thermal management performance and reduced NOx and soot emissions. <br><br>Variants of CDA implementation are explored through an experimental comparison of deactivation strategies. The effort described here compares charge trapping strategies through examination of in-cylinder pressures following deactivation because: (1) choice of trapping strategy dictates the in-cylinder pressure characteristics of the deactivated cylinders, and (2) deactivated cylinders can affect torque, oil consumption, and emissions upon reactivation. Results discussed here suggest no significant differences between the strategies. As an example, the in-cylinder pressures of both trapping strategies are shown to converge as quickly as 0.8 seconds after deactivation.<br><br>Finally, the NVH effects of CDA are characterized through studies of torsional vibration, linear vibration, and acoustics. CDA causes frequency content at reduced frequencies compared to conventional operation, which has effects on all aspects of NVH. This creates possible constraints on achievable fuel efficiency and thermal management performance by restricting CDA usage. An alternate form of CDA, dynamic cylinder activation (DCA), is explored as a possible option of avoiding undesirable frequency output while maintaining the desired engine performance. <br>

In an effort to reduce harmful pollutants emitted by medium and heavy duty diesel engines, stringent emission regulations have been imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Effective aftertreatment thermal management is critical for controlling tail pipe outlevels of NOx and soot, while improved fuel efficiency is also necessary to meet greenhouse gas emissions standards and customer expectations. Engine manufacturers have developed and implemented several engine and non-engine based techniques for emission reduction, a few examples being: exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), use of delayed in-cylinder injections, exhaust throttling, electric heaters and hydrocarbon dosers. This work elaborates the use of variable valve actuation strategies for improved aftertreatment system (ATS) thermal management of a modern medium-duty diesel engine while presenting opportunities for simplification of engine air handling architecture.<div><br></div><div>Experimental results at curb idle demonstrate that exhaust valve profile modulation enables effective ATS warm-up without requiring exhaust manifold pressure (EMP) control. Early exhaust valve opening with internal exhaust gas recirculation (EEVO+iEGR) resulted in 8% lower fuel consumption and reduction in engine out emissions. Late exhaust valve opening with internal EGR in the absence of EMP control was able to reach exhaust temperature of 287^◦C, without a penalty in fuel consumption or emissions compared to conventional thermal management. LEVO combined with EMP control could reach turbine outlet temperature of nearly 460^◦C at curb idle.<br></div><div><br></div><div>LEVO was studied at higher speeds and loads to assess thermal management benefits of LEVO in the absence of EMP control, with an observation that LEVO can maintain desirable thermal management performance up to certain speed/load conditions, and reduction in exhaust flow rate is observed at higher loads due to the inability of LEVO to compensate for loss of boost associated with absence of EMP control.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Cylinder deactivation (CDA) combined with additional valvetrain flexibility results in low emission, fuel-efficient solutions to maintain temperatures of a warmed-up ATS. Late intake valve closing, internal EGR and early exhaust valve opening were studied with both three cylinder and two cylinder operation. Some of these strategies showed additional benefits such as ability to use earlier injections, elimination of external EGR and operation in the absence of exhaust manifold pressure control. Three cylinder operation with LIVC and iEGR is capable of reaching exhaust temperatures in excess of 230^◦C with atleast 9% lower fuel consumption than three cylinder operation without VVA. Three cylinder operation with early exhaust valve opening resulted in exhaust temperature of nearly 340^◦C, suitable for extended idling operation. Two cylinder operation with and without the use of valve train flexibility also resulted in turbine outlet temperature relevant for extended idling (and low load operation), while reducing fuel consumption by 40% compared to the conventional thermal management strategy.<br></div><div><br></div><div>A study comparing the relative merits of internal EGR via reinduction and negative valve overlap (NVO) is presented in order to assess trade-offs between fuel efficient stay-warm operation and engine out emissions. This study develops an understanding of the optimal valve profiles for achieving reinduction/NVO and presents VVA strategies that are not cylinder deactivation based for fuel efficient stay-warm operation. Internal EGR via reinduction is demonstrated to be a more fuel efficient strategy for ATS stay-warm. An analysis of in-cylinder content shows that NOx emissions are more strongly affected by in-cylinder O2 content than by method of internal EGR.<br></div>

The aim of this diploma thesis is design of configuration and balancing of crankshaft which is determined for four-cylinder gasoline engine. The thesis investigates kinematics, dynamics and possible ways of balancing the inertial forces and moments of the rotating and sliding parts of the central crank mechanism. Subsequently, the 3D CAD model is designed according to the presented drawing. It is transformed into a spare torsion system, from which the calculations of its own and forced torsional vibrations are based. The proposed 3D CAD model is then spatially transmitted in the FEA software Ansys Workbench and modified (boundary conditions, etc.) in the FEA software Ansys Mechanical APDL so that it can be calculated according to the selected LSA method. From the selected results of the LSA method, the crankshaft safety factor against fatigue damage is calculated.

<div>The commercial vehicle sector is an important enabler of the economy and is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. In the fight against climate change, reduction of emissions by improving fuel economy is a key step for the commercial vehicle sector. Improving fuel economy deals with reducing energy losses from fuel to the wheels. This study aims to analyze efficiency improvements for two systems that are important in reducing CO2 emissions - hybrid powertrains and natural gas engines. At first, a prototype series hybrid powertrain was analyzed based on on-highway data collected from its powertrain components. Work done per mile by the electrical components of the powertrain showed inefficient battery operation. The net energy delivery of the battery was close to zero at the end of the runs. This indicated battery was majorly used as an energy storage device. Roughly 15% of losses were observed in the power electronics to supply power from battery and generator to the motor. Ability of the hybrid system to capture regenerative energy and utilize it to propel the vehicle is a primary cause for fuel savings. The ability of this system to capture the regenerative energy was studied by modeling the system. The vehicle model demonstrated that the system was capturing most of the theoretically available regenerative energy. The thesis also demonstrates the possibility of reduction of vehicular level losses for the prototype truck. Drag and rolling resistance coefficients were estimated based on two coast down tests conducted. The ratio of captured regenerative to the drive energy energy for estimated drag and rolling resistant coefficients showed that the current system utilizes 4%-9% of its drive energy from the captured regenerative energy. Whereas a low mileage Peterbilt 579 truck could increase the energy capture ratio to 8%-18% for the same drive profile and route. Decrease in the truck’s aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance can potentially improve the fuel benefits.</div><div>The second study aimed to reduce the engine level pumping losses for a natural gas spark ignition engine by cylinder deactivation (CDA). Spark ignited stoichiometric engines with an intake throttle valve encounter pumping/throttling losses at low speed, low loads due to the restriction of intake air by the throttle body. A simulation study for CDA on a six cylinder natural gas engine model was performed in GT- Power. The simulations were ran for steady state operating points with a torque range 25-560 ftlbs and 1600 rpm. Two , three and four cylinders were deactivated in the simulation study. CDA showed significant fuel benefits with increase in brake thermal efficiency and reduction in brake specific fuel consumption depending on the number of deactivated cylinders. The fuel benefits tend to decrease with increase in torque. Engine cycle efficiencies were analyzed to investigate the efficiency improvements. The open cycle efficiency is the main contributor to the overall increase in the brake thermal efficiency. The work done by the engine to overcome the gas exchange during the intake and exhaust stroke is referred to the pumping losses. The reduction in pumping losses cause an improvement in the open cycle efficiency. By deactivating cylinders, the engine meets its low torque requirements by increase in the intake manifold pressure. Increased intake manifold pressure also resulted in reduction of the pumping loop indicating reduced pumping losses. A major limitation of the CDA strategy was ability to meet EGR fraction requirements. The increase in intake manifold pressure also caused a reduction in the delta pressure across the EGR valve. At higher torques with high EGR requirements CDA strategy was unable to meet the required EGR fraction targets. This limited the benefits of CDA to a specific torque range based on the number of deactivated cylinders. Some variable valve actuation strategies were suggested to overcome this challenge and extend the benefits of CDA for a greater torque range.</div><div><br></div>

Afin de réduire les consommations de carburant et les émissions de CO2, des technologies comme la désactivation de cylindres ont été développées. Deux stratégies ont été à l’étude chez le Groupe PSA, il s’agit de désactivations appelées fixe ou tournante en fonction du nombre de cylindres désactivés au cours d’un cycle moteur. Des modifications importantes du bruit et des vibrations transmises dans l’habitacle de la voiture en sont les conséquences ce qui modifie nettement la perception du confort par le conducteur de la voiture. Ce travail de recherche s’intéresse aux modifications de confort perçu par le conducteur dues à ces différentes stratégies appliquées au moteur ainsi qu’aux solutions potentielles qui permettraient d’améliorer ce confort. Parmi ces solutions se trouve le principe de sonification en temps réel du bruit moteur. Pour répondre à ces questions, cinq tests perceptifs sont réalisés. Les deux premiers consistent en l’évaluation du confort global dans différentes configurations ainsi qu’à la validation de l’utilisation d’un simulateur vibro-acoustique. Ces expériences ont montré qu’une des stratégies de désactivation était jugée significativement plus inconfortable que les autres. Par la suite, une seule des stratégies sera retenue. La troisième expérience permet de déterminer un seuil d’acceptabilité entre les sollicitations du moteur avec désactivation et celles du moteur habituel. Ceci afin de fixer une cible pour laquelle l’environnement vibro-acoustique serait acceptable. Dans les deux dernières expériences, deux solutions permettant d’atteindre cette cible sont simulées. La première consiste à modifier la plage de régime moteur ou à lieu la désactivation, la deuxième consiste à assouplir les suspensions horizontales afin de limiter les résonances vibratoires à faible régime. / The technology of cylinder of deactivation has been developed in order to reduce gas consumption and CO2 emissions. Two strategies were studied at groupe PSA called fixed and rotating deactivations depending on the number of cylinders deactivated per engine cycle. This implies non neglecting modifications of sound and vibrations transmitted to the car cabin depredating the global comfort of the car. This research work focused on how driver’s comfort was altered by these engine configurations and how it would be possible to improve this comfort. Among the solutions possible, appears the principle of real-time sonification of the engine noise. To answer these questions, five perceptual experiments have been conducted. First, the aim was to evaluate global comfort with different engine configurations and validate the use of a vibro-acoustic simulator. This showed that one deactivation strategy was significantly reducing the comfort evaluation. Then, we focused on the second strategy which was also considered as not comfortable. On the third experiment, we were interested in finding an acceptable threshold between the vibrations and sounds with the deactivation and with the usual engine configuration. This led to a target of signal to reach in order to provide acceptable situations in terms of sound and vibrations. In the last two experiments, we were interested in the simulation of two solutions about the deactivation settings that would reduce the annoyance: the modification of the engine speed range in which the deactivation occurs and the softening of horizontal suspensions part in order to reduce vibrations resonances at low engine speed.