Preliminary design of twin-cylinder engines

This report deals with the preliminary design of a twin-cylinder engine. The goal of the work is not to make the detailed design of the engine but to draw the main characteristics of each kind of engine and to investigate which configuration of twin-cylinder engine matches in the best way to given requirements.

A simple model is developed from the motion equations of the rotating and oscillating parts of piston engine. This model allows calculating the values of the inertia forces and moments for each angular position of the crankshaft. Different configurations of single-cylinder and twin-cylinder engines (including in-line or boxer, in-phase or out-of-phase motion of the piston) are considered. All of these configurations are characterized by their own set of forces and moments.

As the free forces and moments are responsible for engine vibrations and thus vibrations of the vehicle and its passengers, a set of balancing solutions (modification of the crankshaft, addition of first or second order balance shafts) is considered to reduce these loads. This is the balancing of the engine. Great reductions of forces and moments can be obtained with more or less complex solutions. From a design point of view, the next step is to determine what level of vibration is acceptable and which solutions permit to reach this level. A model of a classical four-cylinder engine is made in order to serve as a reference for the comparison of the different configurations of twin-cylinder engine.

In addition to the inertia forces, the combustion of the fuel inside the cylinder produces also forces and moments in the engine. To estimate the total forces and moments created by the engine, the gas pressure force is calculated for each configuration of the engine.

The last step of this preliminary design consists in investigating the influence of design parameters that can impact the balancing of the engine. A sensitivity analysis is made with different design parameters of the engine (i.e. the mass of the piston, the mass and length of the connecting rod…) This analysis permits to know, depending of the configuration of the engine, which characteristics will require a greater attention during the design phases.