Heat Transfer Calculation of a Motorcycle Engine Block Cooling System Using a Finite Volume Method at Variable Speed and Fin Dimension
Nazaruddin Sinaga (a*), Bambang Yunianto (a), Syaiful (a), Mohamad Rifal (b) and Paridawati (c)
a) Mechanical Engineering Department, Diponegoro University, Jalan Prof. Soedharto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang 50275, Indonesia
*) nsinaga.ccfed[at]yahoo.com
b) Mechanical Engineering Department, Gorontalo University, Jalan Abd. Wahab 247,Gorontalo 96211, Indonesia
c) Mechanical Engineering Department, Universitas Islam 45 Bekasi, Jalan Cut Meuthia 83, Bekasi 17113, Indonesia
Abstract
The performance of a motorcycle engine is greatly influenced by the cooling system. If the heat is released more than it should be then the efficiency will decrease. Thus, the engine block cooling system must be designed optimally. This study aimed to obtain a computation model that could be used to develop an optimum cooling system in heat transfer for a motorcycle engine. Calculations were performed numerically using a finite volume method to determine the effect of fin geometry and vehicle speed on the heat transfer rate of a motorcycle engine. The engine block was modeled as an annular fin cylinder which had a stroke volume of 150 cc, where the outer and inner diameter was 78 mm and 62 mm, respectively, while the fin thickness was 2 mm. The simulated vehicle speed was 40 to 100 km/h at 30 oC air temperature. The fin length was varied from 10 mm to 50 mm, and the fin pitch was 4 mm to 14 mm. It was found that there were an optimal length and fin pitch for each vehicle speed. At 50 km/h motorcycle speed, the optimum fin length and pitch were 30 mm and 8 mm, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that this numerical simulation can be used to design an optimal motorcycle engine block cooling system.
Keywords: computational method, engine cooling, fin, finite volume, heat transfer
Topic: Mechanical Engineering