A Transient Hydrostatic Dynamometer for Single Cylinder Engine Research With Real Time Multi-Cylinder Dynamic Simulation

A new high-bandwidth transient hydrostatic dynamometer test system has been developed that accurately replicates multi-cylinder engine operation using a single-cylinder research engine. Single-cylinder engines are typically used for research because of their low cost and good cylinder accessibility for instrumentation and optics. This dynamometer maintains these advantages while dramatically improving transient and low speed testing capabilities. The system also incorporates hardware-in-the-loop models for simulation of other components that would typically be present in a vehicle application. These models include: adjoining cylinders and ancillary components in the engine, the transmission, driveline, and vehicle load. Utilizing these models it is possible to replicate actual driving cycles. This high-bandwidth transient dynamometer extends the test capabilities of single-cylinder research far beyond the traditional steady state regime, enabling transient speed single-cylinder engine research while providing single-cylinder engine operation that is comparable to the multi-cylinder engine.