The 2005 Autocar award-winning 2/4SIGHT Project (downsized 2 stroke/4 stroke switching engine for passenger cars) is funded by the DTI Technology Programme: Foresight Vehicle, Engine and Powertrain.
The aim is to demonstrate an engine concept that has the potential to deliver class leading improvements of up to 30 per cent in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions together with performance. The 2/4SIGHT engine combines an innovative combustion system, an advanced fully-variable hydraulic valvetrain and novel control technologies that enable automatic switching between two and four-stroke operation. Brighton was chosen to carry out the important multi-cylinder, steady-state testing of the very first concept demonstrator engine along with combustion and cooling system analyses.
DTI Technology Programme Priority: Environmentally Friendly Transport TP/2/ET/6/1/10121 Report summary (PDF)
This project aims to investigate the thermal characteristics of a poppet valve engine that can operate using the two and four-stroke cycles. The design requirement for efficient operation in both modes leads to higher heat generation in the surfaces of the combustion chamber using the two-stroke cycle. The cooling requirements for 4 stroke operation are well documented and empirical correlations have been developed from experimental results. However, there is no existing data to support correlations for 2 stroke operation of a poppet valve gasoline engine. This proposed research project aims to address this area through the development of a heat flux correlation derived through experimental and computational studies (CFD). The accuracy of current heat flux correlations will also be investigated.
Surface mesh model of cylinder head coolant core
Project participants
Dr Steve Begg
Dr Nicolas Miché
Dr Walid Abdelghaffar
Project partners
DENSO
Ma 2T4
Ricardo UK
Brunel University
Automotive manufacturers
Project funding
Total project value: £1.82 million for three years
SHRL funding from DTI: £251,977