Dynamic analysis of diesel engine crankshaft system using finite elements and multibody system simulation programs

Abstract

In this thesis, dynamic analysis of in-line six cylinder diesel engine crankshaft system is carried out using analytical and numerical methods. The dynamic analysis of the crankshaft system consists of calculation of forces, displacements and stresses over a complete engine cycle (two revolutions of the crankshaft) under steady state (constant speed) conditions with a model of the whole cranktrain. Crankshaft system consists of crankshaft, engine block, pistons, piston pins, connecting rods, flywheel, torsional vibration damper, bearings and mounts that support the engine block. The loading on the system comes from the cylinder gas pressure and inertia of crankshaft system components. In the analytical part of the study, first, the forces acting on the crankshaft system are determined. Then, main bearing loads are calculated using a statically determinate system approach for each crank throw. Finally, torsional vibration and stress analyses of the crankshaft system are performed. In the numerical analysis of the crankshaft system, Msc. Nastran and Msc. Adams programs are used. The dynamic stress distribution in the crankshaft is evaluated using a flexible crankshaft model that is obtained through finite elements and Component Mode Synthesis (CMS) technique. To study the effect of oil holes on crankshaft dynamic stresses, crankshaft models with and without oil holes are used. The effect of TV damper on crankshaft stresses is investigated. Bearings are modeled using hydrodynamic bearing models of ADAMS. Coupled axial, bending and torsional vibrations of the crankshaft system are considered. Effect of each part of the crankshaft system on crankshaft dynamic stress and vibration characteristics are investigated. A separate chapter is devoted to effects of counterweight mass and position on main bearing load and crankshaft bending stresses. In the analysis, rigid, beam and 3D solid (flexible) crankshaft models are used. Main bearing load results for rigid, beam and 3D solid models are compared and beam model is used in counterweight configuration analyses. Twelve-counterweight configurations with a zero degree counterweight angle and eight-counterweight configurations with thirty degree counterweight angle, each for 0%, 50% and 100% counterweight balancing rates, are considered. It is found that maximum main bearing load and web bending stress increase with increasing balancing rate, and average main bearing load increases with decreasing balancing rate. Both configurations show the same trend. For this specific engine, the load from gas pressure rather than inertia forces is the parameter with the most important influence on design of the crankshaft. Results of bearing loads and web bending stresses are tabulated.