Evan on Engineering Software

I ran across an intriguing new design for an internal combustion engine.  The Scuderi Split-Cycle Engine promises engine efficiency increases from 33% to almost 40%, with toxic emissions reductions as great as 80%.

Yet, the engine has never been built.  At least not yet. Southwest Research Institute (a very respected lab) is currently building a prototype.  So how does Scuderi know how it will perform?

Simulation. 

I was curious about what software Scuderi could have used for doing the simulation work on this engine.  Pro/E is particularly good for designing engines, LMS is great for vibration analysis, Fluent is top notch for CFD -- so I figured they had to have used a combination of high-end tools like these.

I was wrong.  Scuderi uses a program called GT-Power from Gamma Technologies.  After checking out Gamma's web site, I had to call the company, to find out a bit more about this product that I'd never heard of. (Yes, I'm embarrassed about that - especially considering everyone from Renault F1 to BMW to  Briggs & Stratton uses GT-Power.)

I spoke with Rifat Keribar, a Vice President at Gamma.  He explained to me that GT-Power is part of an integrated suite of applications for the conceptual modeling and analysis of engines. It allows an engineer to create a complete functional model of an engine, and analyze combustion characteristics, acoustics, fuel economy, emissions, valvetrain kinematics/dynamics, camshaft vibrations, cam design, injection system pressure and flow dynamics, hydraulic systems, engine heat management, cooling, crankshaft dynamics and torsional vibrations, engine balance, block vibrations, mounts, bearing oil films - and apparently even more.  This is not a program for weekend mechanics, but rather a tool for serious powertrain engineers.

My sense is that the type of conceptual design and analysis that GT-Power can handle is quite a ways beyond what a collection of even best-in-class applications (such as those I mentioned above) could manage -- at least without requiring a lot more work to connect things together.

Recently, there's been some talk about Functional Design, in the context of mainstream MCAD programs.  I believe it is products such as GT-Power that are at the forefront of functional design.  In GT-Power, there are no "dumb" geometric objects, like in other CAD systems.  Everything that the program can model - from connecting rods to injector rails - is represented functionally.

Maybe it's just opinion, but a program that has tools to help you design an engine that gets 20% better gas mileage and pollutes 80% less seems a whole lot more compelling than a program that merely has tools to help you design pulley and belt systems.