558 Diesel engine system design
© Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2011
amplitudes of the harmonics indicate the energy contents of the harmonics.
Both harmonic amplitude and harmonic number are important in determining
the dominant harmonics of the cam acceleration as a source of vibration
excitation for the valvetrain and valve spring surge. The harmonic peaks around
approximately the 13th harmonic are important indicators of the tendency
for valve spring surge. The higher the peaks, the greater the tendency is.
A cam that possesses a good acceleration shape and induces low vibration
usually has low harmonic amplitudes. An example of cam harmonic analysis
is shown later in Fig. 9.18 in the section on cam design. More information
about the frequency analysis of valvetrain vibrations is provided in Norton
et al. (1998) and Grönlund and Larmi (2004).
Valvetrain dynamics modeling has been motivated by the following two
needs: designing the cam and predicting the dynamic response of each
valvetrain component. There are generally two types of valvetrain dynamics
models (Fig. 9.15): the single-degree-of-freedom model, and the multi-
body dynamics model. The single-degree-of-freedom model is a lumped
simplication of the valvetrain system by lumping the component masses
to a valvetrain equivalent mass and lumping the component stiffness to an
overall valvetrain stiffness (Jensen, 1987). The damping and gas loading
effects are ignored in the model. Moreover, the model is only valid for
the congurations that have one-dimensional translational motion, such as
the pushrod valvetrain and the direct-acting OHC valvetrain. The single-
degree-of-freedom model can be used to output the Polydyne cam lift prole
(Jensen, 1987; Thoren et al., 1952; Stoddart, 1953). The Polydyne cam lift
prole is computed based on a prescribed input of a smooth non-vibratory
dynamic valve lift prole at a ‘design speed’. At other engine speeds, the
model outputs vibratory dynamic valve lift proles.
Although the multi-body dynamics model does not have the simplication
or restrictions mentioned above, the model only uses cam prole as an input
and does not have the ability to output a cam design. An advanced integrated
approach requires using the single-degree-of-freedom model to conduct
Polydyne cam prole design and then using the multi-body dynamics model
to check the dynamic response of the cam by considering the sophisticated
effects such as the stiffness and damping of each individual component, gas
loading, and the dynamic behavior of the hydraulic lash adjuster (if any). Note
that recompression pressure control is especially important for the valvetrain
dynamics of modern diesel engines. The recompression pressure analysis is
rst conducted with a cycle simulation model (e.g., GT-POWER) and then
the result is input into the multi-body valvetrain dynamics model.
Typical simulation results of valvetrain dynamics are show in Fig. 9.16.
At low engine speeds, the pushrod force (or cam force) is dominated by the
valve spring force because the dynamic inertia force is low. At high speeds,
the vibratory valve acceleration force becomes prominent, and therefore the
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