Multi-Cylinder Engine Test Cell

The initial testing of small batches of alternative fuels begins through the use of Prof. Depcik’s single-cylinder engine test cell. Working with colleagues in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering along with Environmental Engineering, the properties of these fuels are redesigned in order to maximize fuel economy and minimize emissions while performing a Life Cycle Assessment. This multi-cylinder engine test cell allows for the continued investigation of the fuels that demonstrate significant potential. All facets of this room, including the air entering the engine, are precisely controlled in order to minimize experimental error and ensure repeatability of the data collected. Through further analysis in a production engine, Prof. Depcik and his students will be able to ensure acceptance by customers, producers, and regulatory agencies. Moreover, by coupling to an Alternating Current dynamometer, this experimental facility will provide the ability to simulate different drivetrain configurations, including hybridization, along with a complete transient analysis according to power and speed. Currently, this engine test cell is under construction in the new M2SEC building on KU’s campus and should be operational soon.


Control Room
Looking into the multi-cylinder engine test cell from the control room


Multi-Cylinder Engine Test Cell
The 6.6L GM Duramax diesel engine connected to the AC dynamometer

Engine 6.6L GM Duramax LBZ, 365 hp @ 3100 rpm, 660 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm, 4.06in bore, 3.90in stroke, compression ratio of 16.8, max engine speed of 3450 rpm, OHV four-valves per cylinder, 26000psi high-pressure common rail injection with Bosch CP3 injection pump, intercooler, variable geometry turbocharger
Dynamometer DyneSystems 351 hp/921 ft-lbs max regenerative air-cooled 3-phase Alternating Current dynamometer (0-7500 rpm); steady-state and transient testing capabilities; DyneSystems Inter-Loc V multi-loop controller and operator control station
In-Cylinder Pressure Analysis Kistler 6056A piezoelectric pressure transducer, calibrated to measure from 0 to 250 bar with no more than +/- 0.5% error at 160 kHZ and a sensitivity to shock of less than 0.5 bar; Kistler 5010B1 charge amplifier with low-pass filter; Kistler 2614CK1 Crank Angle Encoder with Kistler 2614B4 Pulse Multiplier, providing a range of 0.1 deg to 6 deg of resolution.
General Measurement Engine equipped with numerous sensors to monitor ambient temperature, pressure, and humidity, intake temperature and pressure, intake and exhaust manifold temperature and pressure, downstream exhaust temperature and pressure; Micro-Motion Coriolis Flow-Meter (model CMF0120M) for fuel flow and density measuring; engine intake airflow measurements through a Merriam Laminar Flow Element (model Z50MC2-6). Numerous ports on downstream exhaust for additional sensors.
Data Acquisition National Instruments (NI) compact-Reconfigurable Input/Output (cRIO) device (model cRIO-9024) operating in conjunction with a LabVIEW program designed and coded in-house.
Room Air and Charge Control Dedicated building-integrated air handling unit for control and monitoring of test cell temperature and pressure; dedicated building-integrated air handling unit for control and monitoring of engine intake temperature, pressure, and humidity; building-integrated glycol cooling system to control engine operating temperature; charge fuel control system to monitor and control engine fuel temperature; all systems controlled by a LabVIEW program designed and coded by Bachelor Controls.
Engine Control Engine controlled via Bosch FlexECU (model F-00K-107-106) operating on ETAS INCA Base Product; additional CAN and LIN capability via ETAS Interface Module (Model F-00K-106-452)