The Role of Simulation in the Development of a Fast-Actuation Solenoid C.R. Injection System

Upcoming Euro 4 and Euro 5 emission standards are increasing efforts on injection system developments in order to improve mixture quality and combustion efficiency. The target features of advanced injection system are related to their capability of operating multiple injection with a precise control of amount of fuel injected, low cycle-by-cycle variability and life drift, within flexible strategies. In order to accomplish this task, performance must be optimised since injection system concept development by acting on. The extensive use of numerical approach has been identified as a necessary integration to experiments in order to put on the market high quality injection system accomplishing strict engine control strategies. The modelling approach allows focusing the experimental campaign only on critical issues saving time and costs, furthermore it is possible to deeply understand inner phenomena that cannot be measured. The lump/ID model of the whole system built into the AMESim^® code was presented in previous works: particular attention was devoted in the simulation of the electromagnetic circuits, actual fluid-dynamic forces acting on needle surfaces and discharge coefficients, evaluated by means 3D-CFD simulations. In order to assess new injection system dynamic response under multiple injection strategies reproducing actual engine operating conditions it is necessary to find to proper model settings. In this work the integration between the injector and the system model, which comprehends the pump, the pressure regulator, the rail and the connecting-pipes, will be presented. For reproducing the dynamic response of he whole system will be followed a step-by-step approach in order to prevent modelling inaccuracies. Firstly will be presented the linear analysis results performed in order to find injection system own natural frequencies. Secondly based on linear analysis results will be found proper injection system model settings for predicting dynamic response to external excitations, such as pump perturbations, pressure regulator dynamics and injection pulses. Thirdly experimental results in terms of instantaneous flow rate and integrated injected volume for different operating conditions will be presented in order to highlight the capability of the modelling methodology in addressing the new injection system design.