Comparison of flow field and combustion in single and double side ported rotary engine

Intake and exhaust ports have great importance on performance of the rotary engines, since flow structure of the combustion chamber is depended on position and geometry of these ports. Similar to reciprocating engines that have different in-flow patterns according to valve characteristics of the engine, the flow patterns inside the combustion chamber change according to port position, quantity and channel geometry of rotary engines. In this study, air flow inside a double-side-ported rotary engine including 4 inlet and 2 exhaust ports with ports was numerically investigated by using computational fluid dynamic techniques. Numerical flow field results were compared with experimental data presented in the literature. Change of volumetric efficiency according to engine speed and flow field data were obtained for different port combinations. The results reveal that swirl and tumble motions are together formed in one side-ported engine simulations. When double-sided-ports are used, tumble motion is prevented by opposing air flow. Results show that double side intake port configuration has highest volumetric efficiency up to 8000 rpm. Single side intake port configuration has high volumetric efficiency up to 3000 rpm and it deteriorates rapidly after 3000 rpm because of high flow frictional losses. For all configurations, it is observed that rotating flows are prevailed by rotor motion at end of compression period and almost similar flow patterns are formed when rotor reaches at top dead center. After obtaining flow field results, combustion of single and double port intake configurations were compared with each other.