An investigation of the dynamics of air bubbles in engine oil.

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Pursuing engine fuel economy via lower viscosity lubricants has lead to concerns over aeration, and the influence on engine component operability, such as maintaining oil films actuation of engine hydraulic devices (cam phasers). Aeration is a long standing technical challenge for crankcase lubrication.The student will conduct an experimental study of bubble air entrainment, transportation and release within lubricants and apply this to modelling of an oil stream entering a free surface of an oil entraining bubbles on impact.This will involve developing an understanding of bubble convection, separation and release along a partially filled channel and the fundamentals of bubble entrainment, transportation and collapse in an engine sump environment.The student will develop a rig and test to simulate the engine aeration phenomena and study the sensitivity of base oil, additives and key engine hardware features. The work will involve developing a semi-empirical model to describe the process and infer further insights.The rig data will be validated against CFD modelling of key features.