Control-Oriented Modelling of a Wankel Rotary Engine: A Synthesis Approach of State Space and Neural Networks

Chen, Anthony Siming; Vorraro, Giovanni; Turner, Matthew C.; Islam, Reza; Herrmann, Guido; Burgess, SC; Brace, Chris; Turner, James; Bailey, Nathan

doi:10.4271/2020-01-0253

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(27 reference statements)

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“…The Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) at the University of Bath carried out the testing and performance development of the AIE 225CS rotary engine by means of experimental and numerical activities, with the primary objective of making the thermal machine Euro 6 compliant. In that respect, many development aspects have been analysed and tested within a prolific partnership between the academic research team and AIE UK, ending up in interesting works on fuel control strategies specifically designed for rotary engines [4] [5] and theoretical and numerical investigations aimed at improving the emissions by means of novel mechanical configurations [6] [7]. Furthermore, AIE UK designed a specific rotary expander to be employed in series with the conventional Wankel engine in order to improve the overall efficiency of the system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part II: Motoring Analysis

Vorraro

Turner

Brace

2022

SAE Technical Paper Series

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The present work represents the continuation of the introductory study presented in part I [11] where the experimental plan, the measurement system and the tools developed for the testing of a modern Wankel engine were illustrated. In this paper the motored data coming from the subsequent stage of the testing are presented. The AIE 225CS Wankel rotary engine produced by Advanced Innovative Engineering UK, installed in the test cell of the University of Bath and equipped with pressure transducers selected for the particular application, has been preliminarily tested under motored conditions in order to validate the data acquisition software on the real application and the correct determination of the Top Dead Centre (TDC) location which is of foremost importance in the computation of parameters such as the indicated work and the combustion heat release when the engine is tested later under fired conditions. In this testing phase much importance has been given also to the measurement of the frictions at the different operating rotational speeds. Interestingly, the data have been collected at three different coolant temperatures, 30°C, 60°C and 90°C respectively, in order to investigate and quantify any possible effect and interaction of the heat transfer on the mechanical and thermodynamics engine parameters for the usual operating temperature range. The collected data are subsequently used for the determination of the Friction Mean Effective Pressure (FMEP) to be employed in the computation of the Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) from the indicated pressure cycle or in the numerical models created for simulation purposes. Finally, still by means of the analysis of the indicated pressure cycle, further considerations are drawn on the thermo-fluid dynamics interactions of the three moving chambers with the self-pressurizing air-cooled rotor system (SPARCS) with its details already described in the first part of this suite of papers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part II: Motoring Analysis

Vorraro

Turner

Brace

2022

SAE Technical Paper Series

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“…Within the University of Bath, the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) established a fruitful co-operation with AIE UK where their 225CS rotary engine [16] has been experimentally tested and modelled through kinematic and computational fluid dynamics codes to make this machine Euro 6 complaint. Within the project, much effort was spent on innovative fuel control strategies to reduce the rotary's well-known appetite for fuel [17,18]. In addition, the several theoretical investigations supported by numerical activities proved that is possible to improve the emissions of Wankel rotary engines and successfully employ them as range extenders [19,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part III: Firing Condition Analysis

Vorraro¹,

Turner²,

Akehurst³

2022

SAE Technical Paper Series

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This work represents a further contribution to reporting experimental activities carried out on a modern Wankel rotary engine. Specifically, in this study, the firing performance of the Advanced Innovative Engineering 225CS engine is analysed. Preliminary presentations of the experimental and measurement setup and a motoring analysis were extensively covered in Part I and II of this suite of papers while the current work presents the combustion analysis of the firing indicated pressure cycles collected through the bespoke combustion analyser software developed within the project. With the Wankel rotary engine gaining popularity again due to its potential as a range extender for battery electric vehicles, the aim of this work was mainly to analyse the fuel consumption together with the overall efficiency and the emissions at different engine speeds and loads as per classic steady-state engine testing. The characteristic curves of power and torque thus derived from the experimental measurements are reported while further deductions on combustion phenomena are then drawn from an analysis of the indicated pressure cycles. Specifically, parameters such as the rate of heat release, the net heat release, the IMEP and the indicated instantaneous torque are assessed. Further considerations are drawn on the overall mechanical efficiency relying on the IMEP computed from the indicated pressure cycles and the BMEP inferred from the torqued measured experimentally under steady-state conditions. Furthermore, the effects of the combustion on the internal pressure of the Self-Pressurizing Air-Rotor-Cooling System employed are evaluated in addition to parameters such as the Coefficient of Variation of the IMEP for the evaluation of the cycleto-cycle combustion quality and engine regularity. Finally, the postprocessed data represent an update to the historical literature on Wankel rotary engines. In addition, it can be used for the development and validation of numerical models for such engines hence allowing investigation by means of simulations of the effect on efficiency and performance of the rotary engine when employing alternative fuels such as hydrogen in the future.

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“…The engine was tested in steady-state motoring and firing conditions [11][12] using a bespoke experimental plan, data acquisition system and combustion analyser [13]. Subsequently, given the flexibility of the GEMS electronic control unit employed, specific engine control strategies were developed and implemented to reduce both the fuel consumption and emissions of the engine [14,15] assessing those parameters at steady-state operating conditions and during the start and stop of the engine [16]. Finally, unusual porting configurations for emissions reduction and the application of a rotary expander connected as an energy recovery system were evaluated by means of numerical and experimental activities, respectively [17,18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part IV: Overall Mechanical and Thermal Balance

Vorraro

Turner

2022

SAE Int. J. Adv. & Curr. Prac. in Mobility

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The present work extends the performance analysis of a rotary Wankel engine for range extender applications already introduced in the companion papers of this series. Specifically, in this work, an overall balance was carried out on mechanical and thermal parameters inferred from the indicated pressure cycles and those measured by the dynamometer and the data acquisition system during steady-state engine testing, highlighting the energy fluxes within the machine. The evaluation of the in-chamber heat transfer coefficient, by means of an adapted Woschni model, and the related heat rejected to the coolant represent the additional and necessary analysis to complete the experimental assessment already presented in the previous papers. The tested engine is the Advanced Innovative Engineering 225CS and the experimental testing was conducted using a combustion analyser specifically developed for rotary machines. The results reported in this work are representative of the performance of current rotary engine technology. The engine was tested in steady-state motored and firing conditions while collecting all the usual engine data. The indicated torque, the net heat release and the rate of heat release were computed from the indicated pressure cycle taking into account the engine geometrical parameters and employing analytical relations and numerical procedures. The indicated torque at different operating points was compared under further simplifying assumptions (friction torque curve measured in motoring condition considered unaltered in firing condition) with the motoring and firing torque measured by the dynamometer while the net heat released was compared with the instantaneous fuel flow rate, the mechanical power delivered and the heat rejected in the coolant. The results show a good balance closure of the aforementioned parameters with a low level of imbalance mainly due to simplifying assumptions and measurement uncertainties, hence validating the methodologies extensively reported in Part II and III of this suite of papers. The data reported here and in the previous works also represent the initial steps in validating CFD models and the optimisation of fuel consumption and emissions for the aforementioned engine to be employed as a range extender in Series Hybrid (or Range-Extended) Electric Vehicles.

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Control-Oriented Modelling of a Wankel Rotary Engine: A Synthesis Approach of State Space and Neural Networks

Cited by 9 publications

References 22 publications

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part II: Motoring Analysis

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part II: Motoring Analysis

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part III: Firing Condition Analysis

Testing of a Modern Wankel Rotary Engine - Part IV: Overall Mechanical and Thermal Balance

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