A new and novel CFD software from Convergent Science is helping Ilmor’s engineering consultancy save 75% in prototype build costs on the latest generation race engine projects
Step-change developments in the accuracy and resolution of engine design company Ilmor’s CFD capability have slashed development times by around 50% while also providing a 75% reduction in prototype build cost for its 2016 IndyCar engine development project.
Ilmor’s recently expanded engine design consultancy division has been responsible for the design of Chevrolet’s championship-winning engine that powered Scott Dixon to the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series championship title.
With 2016 homologation opening the opportunity to find refinements in the cylinder head, Ilmor’s engineers turned to Converge, a novel CFD program specifically created to assist engine designers to optimize engine design, performance and efficiency.
According to its creators Convergent Science, Converge software differs from legacy CFD programs as it fully couples and automates the mesh at runtime, significantly reducing the time taken to calculate flow. This feature, once thought difficult to achieve in CFD, saved Ilmor eight weeks in development time on its 2016 IndyCar engine update. Generating the mesh also crucially eliminates user-to-user variation inherent in traditional CFD programmes that can lead to correlation errors.
“We have always used simulation but to date it has supported our traditional approach of us actually producing a part or concept and then trying it on the dyno,” explains Steve O’Connor, chief engineer, Ilmor Racing. “That development method obviously provided accurate, real-world data but was more costly and time consuming.
“Now Converge has improved our understanding of the complex mechanisms that occur within the combustion chamber without cutting metal and has guided us along new avenues of development for both the road and track. With complex issues such as combustion system development now critical for road car emissions, it enables engineers to test more ideas without the need to manufacture each time. It marks a step-change in how we manage our entire development process.”
“Converge was created by engine specialists to address the deficiencies of other CFD codes in their field and to focus on the areas that really mattered to them. Factors such as flame propagation and knocking can be a real problem,” added Rob Kaczmarek, director of global marketing at Convergent Science.
“You can of course create larger mesh cells to save time but your accuracy diminishes and invariably you find your runtimes extended. With runtime grid generation, Converge means Ilmor’s engineers can use their time to come up with more creative ideas instead of building meshes.”
Underlining the suitability for engine developers, Converge also links seamlessly with other software programs like GT-Power making it suitable for other applications such as exhaust aftertreatment. With opportunities to use Converge in other applications such as optimizing flame propagation, Ilmor is keen to blend its knowledge with Converge tools to acquire more OE contracts.
