Automotive: Multiphysics Sparks Innovation in Engine Design
By Dr. C. Hartwig - TRW Automotive, Barsinghausen, Germany
Fuel consumption is a universal goal, and in this regard spark-ignition engines have great potential. One system that shows great promise is the fully variable electromagnetic valve train (EMVT) that replaces the camshaft.
A lightweight design has been studied to achieve the goals of minimizing electrical power consumption, design space, and transition times. Special attention was paid to reduce the moving masses and also, partially, the spring mass.
TRW Automotive Engine Components, Germany, found the electromagnetic analysis capabilities of COMSOL Multiphysics to be very helpful when optimizing the electromagnets in their systems. This helped greatly in investigating the viability of bringing this technology to market.