Using virtual engineering techniques to aid with design trade-off studies for an enclosed generator set

Abstract

The influence of even a single parameter change can be difficult to second guess at the design stage of a product. There may be many fluid, acoustic or structural performance effects that are sensitive to specific parameters. Modifiying the product to satisfy one area of performance may weaken it in others. The sensitivity of parameter changes in terms of performance can be extremely difficult to determine through experimentation. Virtual Engineering techniques were used to highlight the sensitivity of Sound Pressure Level (SPL) and cooling airflow rate for a typical inlet vent of a power generator set, whose open area was reduced to induce a parameter change. For this parameter change, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation showed how the cooling airflow rate was unaffected. An acousitc analaysis using the engine and alternator as the source noise showed how the Sound Pressure Levels (SPLs) were sensitive to this parameter change at low frequencies. This work underlines the necessity to always consider both the acoustic and cooling performance as a coupled system during design for this particular product. © 2008 Springer-Verlag London Limited.