Abstract
To optimize the intake flow condition in the heavy-duty LPG SI engine, five different swirl ratios of intake port were investigated experimentally by oil spot method, LDV and single cylinder engine test. The flow characteristics near the piston surface were observed by oil spot method and magnitudes of swirl flow were measured quantatively by LDV method in the steady flow rig. The engine performances of various swirl flow were also tested with the heavy-duty LPG SI single cylinder engine. In the results, high swirl ratio, above $R_s$=2.3, was not suitable to develope a stable flame kernel and to produce high engine performance. Especially it was more serious under lean burn conditions, since turbulence intensity was smaller than bulk flow though those are increased together. These results were also confirmed by LDV measurement and oil spot method. On the contrary, low swirl ratio($R_s$=1.3) is not good to propagate a flame since the turbulence intensity and bulk flow are vanished during compression stroke and low swirl ratio has too weak initial energy for stable combustion. Therefore, the of optimized swirl ratio f3r the heavy-duty LPG engine in this work was found around $R_s$=2.0.
