Influence of pressure pulsation on the performance of compression system and turbocharged engine

Abstract

Pressure pulsation widely exists in power machinery combining compression components and pipelines. It has substantial effects on the performance of compressor as part of the compression system, as well as the engine. In this paper, the pressure pulsations under different excitation frequencies are measured and analyzed in the intake system of a turbo-charged and inter-cooled internal combustion engine. It is pointed out that the amplification of the pressure pulsation at the compressor inlet and outlet is caused by the coupling effects within the compression system, which consequently lead to the formation of a stable standing wave. Further research indicates that the pulsation at the compressor boundary will cause its pressure ratio to fluctuate. Additionally, because the compressor characteristic curve resembles a concave function, the fluctuation of transient pressure ratio will further cause the time-averaged pressure ratio to decline. Finally, the impact on engine performance is evaluated based on a well-validated simulation model.