AUT - Samantha Jack
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Samantha Jack
Diploma Mechanical Engineering and Bachelor of Engineering
Technology
Project -Crankcase breather characterisation and simulation
“I had to characterise the motorcycle crankcase and derive the equations necessary to calculate the pressure/volume relationship. This required linking of the volume to crank displacement equations with the ideal gas thermodynamic laws which was necessary with each stroke to equate the change in crankcase volume available from the areas under the piston.”
Challenges
“Sticking with the same mass of calculations day-in and day-out was a major challenge. Ultimately it took three months of almost regular, consistent work to achieve the theoretical answers produced in the spreadsheet calculations. The next most challenging part was presenting all the data in a coherent manner for each set of presentations, then standing in front of an audience and presenting my findings and developments in the field I had been studying.”
Highlights
“My triumph was designing a spreadsheet to calculate crankcase pressure change over 360 degrees of rotation. My main aim was getting the figures for the pressure inputs and outputs of the crankcase at each stage of the stroke from Top Dead Centre to Bottom Dead Centre and back again.
“The last chapter of my final report was a definite highlight. I discovered a lot of technical aspects of my work and calculations suddenly came to life. Rather than just being pistons moving up and down in the combustion cycle of a motorcycle they took on a life of their own and the calculations reinforced their meaning and the graphs matched all this.”
Lessons learned
“I learnt how to pace myself to last the distance. With something as complex as an engine project, nothing is going to happen overnight. Often it took three or four days of working on the same thing to see a result.
“I learnt not to be disheartened by a calculation that had gone amiss, but to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate all my own decisions and conclusions in order to solve the problem or calculation from another approach.
“Most of all I learned how much passion I have for the technical points of engines whether they are two-stroke or four stroke and no matter what the configuration.
“This project has highlighted my love of the internal combustion engine and it was because of this that I could dedicate myself to this project to see it through all the hard stuff. “
TechnologyProject -Crankcase breather characterisation and simulation
“I had to characterise the motorcycle crankcase and derive the equations necessary to calculate the pressure/volume relationship. This required linking of the volume to crank displacement equations with the ideal gas thermodynamic laws which was necessary with each stroke to equate the change in crankcase volume available from the areas under the piston.”
Challenges
“Sticking with the same mass of calculations day-in and day-out was a major challenge. Ultimately it took three months of almost regular, consistent work to achieve the theoretical answers produced in the spreadsheet calculations. The next most challenging part was presenting all the data in a coherent manner for each set of presentations, then standing in front of an audience and presenting my findings and developments in the field I had been studying.”
Highlights
“My triumph was designing a spreadsheet to calculate crankcase pressure change over 360 degrees of rotation. My main aim was getting the figures for the pressure inputs and outputs of the crankcase at each stage of the stroke from Top Dead Centre to Bottom Dead Centre and back again.
“The last chapter of my final report was a definite highlight. I discovered a lot of technical aspects of my work and calculations suddenly came to life. Rather than just being pistons moving up and down in the combustion cycle of a motorcycle they took on a life of their own and the calculations reinforced their meaning and the graphs matched all this.”
Lessons learned
“I learnt how to pace myself to last the distance. With something as complex as an engine project, nothing is going to happen overnight. Often it took three or four days of working on the same thing to see a result.
“I learnt not to be disheartened by a calculation that had gone amiss, but to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate all my own decisions and conclusions in order to solve the problem or calculation from another approach.
“Most of all I learned how much passion I have for the technical points of engines whether they are two-stroke or four stroke and no matter what the configuration.
“This project has highlighted my love of the internal combustion engine and it was because of this that I could dedicate myself to this project to see it through all the hard stuff. “
Last updated: 15 Sep 2011 4:57pm