A Multi-Domain Thermal Model for Positive Displacement Machines
Creators: name: Mukherjee, Swarnava
Publisher: name: Purdue University Graduate School
Year: 2023
Subjects: Mechanical engineering not elsewhere classified

description: Positive displacement machines (PDMs) operate based on the principle of positive displacement, which necessitates a periodic alteration of volume. This volume variation is accomplished through relative motion between machine components. PDMs find extensive applications in diverse domains, encompassing fluid power systems, lubrication systems, fluid transport systems, fuel injection systems, and more. The primary distinction among PDMs lies in the geometric mechanisms employed for fluid displacement, as well as the flow distribution mechanisms they employ. PDMs can be broadly classified into piston machines, vane machines, screw machines, and gear machines. In fluid power systems, the most commonly used PDMs are the piston and gear machines. Piston machines can be further classified into radial piston machines, in-line piston machines, and axial piston machines. The most commonly used piston machines are the axial piston machine owing to their superior efficiency and compactness. Gear machines can be further classified into external gear machines, internal gear machines, and annular gear machines. The most commonly used gear machine is the external gear machine owing to its price. <br> PDMs typically involve multiple solid bodies in relative motion, with micron-level gaps between them. These gaps, known as lubricating interfaces, present a significant design challenge during the machine development process. They are a primary source of power losses and play a crucial role in determining the efficiency and durability of the machine. The lubricating interfaces must effectively balance loads and maintain a high-pressure fluid seal. Achieving this delicate balance necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the underlying physical phenomena. Lubricating interfaces generate substantial heat due to viscous dissipation, which directly impacts the operation of the entire machine. The viscosity of the working fluid rapidly decays with temperature, causing the warmer fluid within the lubricating interface to possess lower viscosity. Consequently, it can support lesser loads and is more prone to leakage. Moreover, as the solid bodies enclosing the warmer fluid heat up, they undergo thermal expansion, further changing the clearance and leading to a decline in performance. Additionally, the elevated temperature of the fluid within the lubricating interface affects the compressibility of the displacement chamber fluid, thereby influencing the pressurization characteristics of the entire unit. Thus, thermal effects play a critical role in the performance of PDMs. <br> The ever-increasing market demand for more compact, efficient, and reliable designs requires a continuous process of design improvements over previous designs, and sometimes completely new designs. Sophisticated simulation tools are a necessity for such a design process. Additionally, these simulation tools also prove to be valuable in formulating design modifications in case of underperforming designs. Due to the complexity associated with the operation of such units, the simulation tools need to capture a wide variety of physical phenomena. Over the past few decades, owing to the increasing computing power of the desktop computer, several simulation tools have been proposed across the literature to aid the design process of such machines with each having limitations of their own. <br> The objective of the present thesis is to propose a modeling approach that assists in the design process of positive displacement machines, addressing various limitations identified in the existing literature. The approach is intentionally designed to be generic, enabling its application across a diverse range of positive displacement machines. The modeling approach encompasses three distinct domains: the displacement chamber fluid domain, the lubricating interface fluid domain, and the solid domain. A novel thermal model that integrates all three domains is introduced. <br> To validate the effectiveness of the proposed modeling approach, two separate validation studies are conducted. The first study focuses on a model for an isolated piston/cylinder interface of an axial piston machine, operating under the mixed lubrication regime. The model demonstrates a strong agreement with the measured data. The second study involves steady-state measurements of an entire axial piston machine. The model is validated by comparing the steady-state flow characteristics and temperature distribution on the valveplate, both of which are accurately captured by a single fully coupled model. The modeling approach developed in this study, specifically, the energy conservation in the lubricating interface, heat transfer in the solid bodies, and thermal deformation in the solid bodies are all generalized for applicability in different types of PDMs. However, the results presented in this thesis pertain to an axial piston machine.