Front End Cooling Volvo PDF

Validation and Optimization of Front End Cooling
Module for Commercial Vehicle using CFD Simulation

Ashok Patidar, Umashanker Gupta, Nitin Marathe
VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd. INDIA
(A VOLVO GROUP AND EICHER MOTORS JOINT VENTURE)
VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd - Overview
Trucks : 5 Tons – 40 Tons Buses : 12 seater – 65 seater

Haulage: 5 Tons – 31 Tons School Buses:
Tipper: 8 Tons – 25 Tons Staff Buses:
Articulated Tractor: 40 Tons City Buses & Special applications:
Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 2

Contents
 Introduction
 Methodology
 Results
 Summery

Introduction
In CFD modeling full vehicle is modeled considering front
bumper, grille, cabin, cargo, surrounding under hood and
under body components.
The flow resistance of heat exchangers is considered
using porous modeling technique.
Heat exchanger performance data generated from 1-D
Kuli software is taken in simulation using single pass
Heat Exchanger model.
Front End Cooling analysis is done for max power and
max torque vehicle conditions.
Introduction
Preliminary CFD Front End Cooling analysis is done on
existing commercial vehicle and correlated well with
field test results.
Front grille Opening Intercooler Radiator

Developed and validated CFD Front End Cooling process
is implemented on new commercial Vehicle.
Hot and cold air recirculation zones are identified in
under hood compartment. Elimination of recirculation
showed good improvement in radiator and intercooler
cooling performance.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012 5
2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress
Methodology: CFD Simulation
CAD Model
CAD Cleanup Using HyperMesh
Mesh Model Generation Using TGrid
Setup and Solver (solve

Using Fluent
fundamental equations)
Post Processing and Result

Using CFD Post
Interpretation
No Is met
Design Change Recommendation the
targets?
Yes
Final Proto Test Verification
Methodology: Mesh Generation
Non conformal mesh technique is used for heat exchanger
modeling
Tri Shell @ Intercooler tank
headers & Hoses
Quad Shell @ Intercooler

Faces
Non conformal Mesh @ Intercooler

modeling
Tri Shell @ radiator tank
headers & Hoses
Quad Shell @ radiator

Faces
Non conformal Mesh @ Radiator

modeling
Radiator Tank
Radiator
Radiator Fan
Intercooler
Under-hood components
Volume Mesh @ Computational Domain
Methodology: Input Conditions
Vehicle Speed & Fan Speed:
Max Power Max Torque
Vehicle Speed (KMPH) V1 V2
Radiator Fan Speed (RPM) N1 N2
Input Parameters for thermal analysis :

Max Power Max Torque
Radiator
Coolant Flow Rate (kg/s) mc1 mc2
Coolant Inlet Temp ( C) Tcin1 Tcin2
Intercooler
Charged air Flow Rate (kg/s) ma1 ma2
Charged air inlet temp ( C) Tain1 Tain2
Heat Exchanger Model:

• Ungrouped Macro Based Model is used
• Fix inlet temperature
Note : Owing to IPR policy the numerical values cloud not disclosed
Methodology: Input Conditions
Heat exchanger performance data generated through 1-D

KULI software for computing heat rejection and outlet
temperature of coolant and charged air :
Radiator performance data : Intercooler performance data :
Coolant flow charged air flow
c1 c2 c3 c4 c5 c6 c1 c2 c3 c4 c5 c6
rate (kg/s) rate (kg/s)
Air Flow rate Air Flow rate
Heat Transfer (W) Heat Transfer (W)
(kg/s) (kg/s)
a1 h11 h21 h31 h41 h51 h61 a1 h11 h21 h31 h41 h51 h61
a2 h12 h22 h32 h42 h52 h62 a2 h12 h22 h32 h42 h52 h62
a3 h13 h23 h33 h43 h53 h63 a3 h13 h23 h33 h43 h53 h63
a4 h14 h24 h34 h44 h54 h64 a4 h14 h24 h34 h44 h54 h64
a5 h15 h25 h35 h45 h55 h65 a5 h15 h25 h35 h45 h55 h65
a6 h16 h26 h36 h46 h56 h66 a6 h16 h26 h36 h46 h56 h66
Note : Owing to IPR policy the numerical values cloud not disclosed
Results: Existing Vehicle – Max Power Condition
Intercooler Radiator
Velocity contours (m/s) Velocity contours (m/s)
Max Max
Velocity = 5.2 m/s

Min
Velocity = 7.2 m/s

Min
Temperature contours ( C) Temperature contours ( C)

Inlet Face Outlet Face Inlet Face Outlet Face
Coolant flow direction
Max
Charged Air Flow direction
Max
Min
Min
Test Charged Air ∆T =63.7 C CFD ∆T = 76.5 C Test Coolant ∆T = 4.7 C CFD ∆T = 5.5 C
Results: Existing Vehicle – Max Power Condition
Max Max
Velocity = 5.2 m/s

Min
Velocity = 7.2 m/s

Min

Max
Max
Min
Min
Test Charged Air ∆T =63.7 C CFD ∆T = 76.5 C Test Coolant ∆T = 4.7 C CFD ∆T = 5.5 C
Correlation: Existing Vehicle – Max Power Condition
Predicted vehicle level performance of intercooler and

radiator at fixed inlet temp
Ambient Temp = 28.5 C Correlation Correlation
Test CFD Test CFD
(%) (%)
CFD Inputs
Flow Rate (kg/s) ma1 ma1 -- mc1 mc1 --
Coolant/ Inlet Temp (°C) Tain1 Tain1 -- Tcin1 Tcin1 --
Charged air
side CFD Outcomes
Outlet Temp (°C) Taout1Test Taout1CFD -- Tcout1Test Tcout1CFD --
Temp Drop (°C) 63.7 76.5 80 4.7 5.5 83
Heat Rejection (kW) 8.3 10 79.5 42.6 49.9 82.8

Results: Existing Vehicle – Max Torque Condition
Max Max
Velocity = 2.2 m/s

Min
Velocity = 3.1 m/s
Min

Max
Max
Min
Min
Test Charged Air ∆T =47.3 C CFD ∆T = 52.5 C Test Coolant ∆T = 5 C CFD ∆T = 5.8 C
Results: Existing Vehicle – Max Torque Condition
Max Max
Velocity = 2.2 m/s

Min
Velocity = 3.1 m/s
Min

Max
Max
Min
Min
Test Charged Air ∆T =47.3 C CFD ∆T = 52.5 C Test Coolant ∆T = 5 C CFD ∆T = 5.8 C
Correlation: Existing Vehicle – Max Torque Condition
Predicted vehicle level performance of intercooler and

radiator at fixed inlet temp
Ambient Temp = 29 C Correlation Correlation
Test CFD Test CFD
(%) (%)
CFD Inputs
Flow Rate (kg/s) ma2 ma2 -- mc2 mc2 --
Coolant/ Inlet Temp (°C) Tain2 Tain2 -- Tcin2 Tcin2 --
Charged air
side CFD Outcomes
Outlet Temp (°C) Taout2Test Taout2CFD -- Tcout2Test Tcout2CFD --
Temp Drop (°C) 47.3 52.5 89 5 5.8 84
Heat Rejection (kW) 3.1 3.4 90.3 20.1 23.4 83.6

New Vehicle – Geometry Details
Intercooler – Radiator
-Fan Module (IRFM)

Results: New Vehicle – Under-hood Thermal Flow Field
Hot air recirculation in front of
intercooler

intercooler
Path Lines coloured by Temperature ( C)

intercooler

intercooler

Results: New Vehicle – Baseline IRFM Packaging
Intercooler – Radiator –Fan

Module

Results: New Vehicle –Improved IRFM Packaging
IRFM Sealing
Intercooler – Radiator –Fan

Module
 introduced IRFM Sealing to stop hot air recirculation in under-hood compartment as

shown in above fig.
Baseline – IRFM Packaging Improved – IRFM Packaging
Hot air recirculation in No hot air recirculation in

front of intercooler front of intercooler

Results: New Vehicle – Max Power Condition
Intercooler Intercooler
Max
Max
Improved ambient air

Velocity = 5.2 m/s
Velocity = 5.2 m/s temperature profile at
Min
Min the intercooler inlet
Temperature contours ( C) face
Temperature contours ( C)
Charged Air Flow direction Max
Max
Min
Min
CFD ∆T = 70.1 C CFD ∆T = 78.5 C
Intercooler Intercooler
Max
Max

Velocity = 5.2 m/s
Velocity = 5.2 m/s temperature profile at
Min
Min the intercooler inlet
Temperature contours ( C) face
Temperature contours ( C)
Charged Air Flow direction Max
Max
Min
Min
CFD ∆T = 70.1 C CFD ∆T = 78.5 C
Radiator Radiator
Max
Max

temperature profile at Velocity = 7.3 m/s
Velocity =7.3 m/s Min
Min the Radiator inlet face

Coolant flow direction Coolant flow direction
Max Max
Min
Min
CFD ∆T = 5.9 C CFD ∆T = 6.4 C
Radiator Radiator
Max
Max

temperature profile at Velocity = 7.3 m/s
Velocity =7.3 m/s Min
Min the Radiator inlet face

Coolant flow direction Coolant flow direction
Max Max
Min
Min
CFD ∆T = 5.9 C CFD ∆T = 6.4 C
Summery
 Correlation level between Field test and CFD simulation is
more than 80%
 Hot air recirculation has been identified for new vehicle

under-hood compartment using validated CFD process
 Under-hood compartment thermal flow field has been

improved by stooping hot air recirculation by introducing
sealing, thus improved :
 12% Intercooler performance &
 8.5% Radiator performance

THANK YOU !!
Contact:
Ashok Patidar
akpatidar@vecv.in

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Validation and Optimization of Front End Cooling

Module for Commercial Vehicle using CFD Simulation

Trucks : 5 Tons – 40 Tons Buses : 12 seater – 65 seater

Tipper: 8 Tons – 25 Tons Staff Buses:

Articulated Tractor: 40 Tons City Buses & Special applications:

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 2

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 3

Front grille Opening Intercooler Radiator

CAD Cleanup Using HyperMesh

Mesh Model Generation Using TGrid

Setup and Solver (solve

Post Processing and Result

Quad Shell @ Intercooler

Non conformal Mesh @ Intercooler

Quad Shell @ radiator

Non conformal Mesh @ Radiator

Input Parameters for thermal analysis :

Heat Exchanger Model:

Heat exchanger performance data generated through 1-D

Velocity = 5.2 m/s

Velocity = 7.2 m/s

Temperature contours ( C) Temperature contours ( C)

Velocity = 5.2 m/s

Velocity = 7.2 m/s

Temperature contours ( C) Temperature contours ( C)

Predicted vehicle level performance of intercooler and

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 14

Velocity = 2.2 m/s

Temperature contours ( C) Temperature contours ( C)

Velocity = 2.2 m/s

Temperature contours ( C) Temperature contours ( C)

Predicted vehicle level performance of intercooler and

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 17

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 18

Hot air recirculation in front of

Path Lines coloured by Temperature ( C)

Hot air recirculation in front of

Path Lines coloured by Temperature ( C)

Intercooler – Radiator –Fan

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 21

Intercooler – Radiator –Fan

 introduced IRFM Sealing to stop hot air recirculation in under-hood compartment as

Hot air recirculation in No hot air recirculation in

Path Lines coloured by Temperature ( C)

Improved ambient air

Improved ambient air

Improved ambient air

Temperature contours ( C) Temperature contours ( C)

Improved ambient air

Temperature contours ( C) Temperature contours ( C)

 Hot air recirculation has been identified for new vehicle

 Under-hood compartment thermal flow field has been

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 2012 Automotive Simulation World Congress 28

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