TECAT Engineering: WinKiva

Engine Simulations

WinKiva™

TECAT engineers have created a software package, WinKiva™, a windows-native Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of internal combustion engines. WinKiva™ is based on Kiva3V-R2 and is capable of solving fluid flow, fuel sprays, and combustion within any type of internal combustion engine. We have used WinKiva™ to develop a family of clean-sheet military inwardly-opposed 2-stroke diesel engine prototypes. WinKiva™ has also been used to develop emissions models of both 4-stroke gasoline and diesel engines over a range of bores and strokes for Advisor, the ADvanced VehIcle SimulatOR developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The following animations illustrate the value of virtual engine simulations for design and development:

Streamlines, fuel spray, and heat release iso-surfaces for a 2-valve direct injection diesel with a mexican hat piston crown

Larger video: 1.6MB

Iso-Surfaces of NOx production during diesel engine combustion

Larger video: 2.1MB

Isothermal-surfaces within a port-injected gasoline engine during the second engine cycle after a cold-start

Larger video: 2.0MB

Fuel spray and Isothermal-surfaces within a port-injected gasoline engine during the first two engine cycles after a cold-start

Larger video: 2.6MB

Using WinKiva, TECAT Engineering can readily generate complex grids, including valves, ports and manifolds, for full cycle analysis. The following list summarizes the features of WinKiva™:

Based on Kiva3V-R2
Windows Native (Windows 98 / NT / 2000 / XP)
'Block-Fill' Technique for Rapid Grid Generation of Complex Geometries
Transition Regions / Rapid Grid Generation of Induction & Exhaust Systems
Improved Grid Snapping for 2-Stroke Applications
Dynamic Local Grid Refinement During Injection
Sequential Cycle Solutions
Improved Algorithms Eliminate SIE Errors and Drastically Reduce Solution Time
Complete Cycle Chemistry Modeling with improved Time-steps
New Generalized Surface Velocity Numerical Algorithm Improves Solution and Increases Time-Step
Improved Film Spreading Model Negotiates Logical Grid Edges
Improved Radical Species Formation Soot Model
High-Quality Visualization of Flowfields, Heat Release, Spray Pattern, etc.

Library of WinKiva Video Clips

Piston Motion (21.1 MB) Shows 3D piston and valve motion during engine operation
Cylinder with Opposed Pistons (3.4MB) Shows combustion inside a cylinder of an opposed piston engine
Diesel Fuel Vaporizer (3.4MB) Shows diesel fuel being injected from above, onto a hot surface on the bottom. The diesel vapor is then injected into the cylinder. This technology has been proven out on a small unmanned aerial vehicle.
Cylinder Temperatures (1.9MB) Small engine cylinder temperatures, using diesel fuel vaporizer from above.

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