Research

The oil control ring is a critical device to ensure proper lubrication of the piston ring pack and to minimize oil consumption. This study utilizes two-phase CFD simulation and Bayesian optimization technique to study the oil transport in the oil control ring region and to optimize the drain hole placement to maximize the performance of the oil control ring.

The Digital Twin Model for lubrication oil transport and oil consumption seeks to provide a convenient tool for studying the oil transport pattern and oil consumption value of any piston ring pack design. It leverages traditional physics-based modeling as well as data-driven techniques to integrate physics of multiple length and time scales, and serves as a convenient and cost-effective tool for piston ring pack design evaluation by reducing the time needed for actual engine experiments.

The 2D laser-induced fluorescence (2DLIF) technique is used to visualize the lubrication oil transport within the piston ring pack. A special dye, which can be excited when hit with a laser beam through an optical window embedded into the engine liner, is mixed with lubrication oil. The oil movement is then captured with a high-speed camera system to visualize the major oil transport process in the piston ring pack. 2DLIF experiments provide immense insights into the major oil transport mechanisms and are used to guide modeling efforts.

The Electricity Price Forecasting Model provides a powerful tool for predicting day-ahead electricity prices and analyzing market dynamics in Germany. Using machine learning techniques like LightGBM and Deep Neural Networks, it captures complex patterns from renewable generation, weather, and historical data. Explainable AI enhances interpretability, helping identify key price drivers. This approach supports efficient market analysis and resource optimization.

The Floating Liner Engine (FLE) is a specially modified engine where the liner is suspended and connected to force sensors such that friction force during engine operation can be measured. Recently, the FLE has been converted to be powered by hydrogen. This allows convenient measurement of lubrication oil consumption value as the only source of hydrocarbon emission is oil consumption. The hydrogen engine is a useful tool to study the oil consumption characteristics with different liner and/or ring pack configurations.

To properly address the pin seizure problem, the proper lubrication of the piston pin needs to be addressed. The piston pin lubrication model is developed to study the dynamics, structural deformation and lubrication behavior of the piston pin, and can be used to develop better strategies, such as design changes to relevant components, to ensure proper lubrication.