1. Introduction
With the spread of applications for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in aerial photography, agriculture, security, logistics, etc., they have shown good flexibility and cost-effectiveness. However, electric UAVs are generally constrained by the energy density and weight of batteries, therefore, they have technical bottlenecks such as short endurance and low payload capacity. Due to the above shortcomings, internal-combustion engine propulsion systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are still a focus of research. Among them, two-stroke engines have a small size, high power density and stable operation, and are thus more suitable for UAV platforms than four-stroke engines. Opposed-piston two-stroke engines are also relatively lightweight, low-vibration, and fuel-efficient; thus, they meet the high power-to-weight ratio requirements of the UAV’s power system.
The horizontally opposed piston two-stroke engine has a layout of two horizontally opposed cylinders, and each cylinder contains two opposing pistons connected to the crankshaft by long and short connecting rods. Thus, the size and structure of the engine are relatively small. It has a simpler operating cycle than that of a four-stroke engine; that is to say, the intake and exhaust strokes are not performed separately but rather compression and expansion occur alternately to complete the cycle. At the end of the compression stroke, the piston lowers to squeeze the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder to a very high-pressure, high-temperature state; at this point, diesel fuel will self-ignite. The high-pressure gas of combustion drives the piston to do work and then expels the exhaust gases near the bottom dead center. The two-stroke and four-stroke engines have the same thermodynamic theory but are not the same mechanically. The main strengths of the opposed-piston two-stroke engine are as follows: symmetry results in a high-balance, low-vibration and low-noise engine; it requires only two piston strokes per cycle, thus having a relatively simple structure; it can output a high amount of power per unit volume and mass, i.e., high power density; and it has a high rotational speed and a fast-response characteristic, making it suitable for applications requiring quick acceleration and strong power delivery. Combined with the above characteristics, these will provide a good foundation for drone propulsion systems and have attracted much attention from all corners of the academic community.
In terms of scavenging efficiency, Yang et al. [1] established a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of an opposed-piston two-stroke diesel engine to optimize the port height using the scavenging curve, and they found that the scavenging curve could evaluate the scavenging system optimization potential and scavenging development process. Ma et al. [2] analyzed the gas exchange performance under different intake and exhaust conditions, and pointed out that when the delivery ratio ranges from 0.5 to 1.4, an optimization of steady running and minimum pump loss was achieved. Brian et al. [3] conducted experiments on opposed-piston two-stroke engines to investigate the impact of parameters such as scavenging efficiency on engine performance. They demonstrated that while reduced scavenging efficiency decreases pumping losses, it simultaneously increases heat transfer losses and reduces brake efficiency. Regarding fuel characteristics, Tekin et al. [4] employed CFD simulation to study an opposed-piston two-stroke engine fueled by novel liquefied petroleum gas. Comparing its combustion and emission characteristics with those of petrol fuel, they concluded that the novel LPG fuel offers significant emission reductions and superior efficiency.
Regarding modelling and systems analysis, Serrano et al. [5] proposed a novel rodless opposed-piston engine architecture, constructing and validating its one-dimensional model and analyzing multiple upgrade schemes, to reduce fuel consumption while controlling costs. Furze et al. [6] employed three-dimensional CFD simulations to predict fuel demand in opposed-piston engines. Their fuel delivery tables demonstrated good predictive accuracy under most operating conditions, providing support for electronic control unit calibration. Animashaun et al. [7] developed a dimensionless coupled model for a linear opposed-piston engine by analyzing the impact of system parameters on performance, and found that increasing cylinder pressure or input heat enhances thermal-to-mechanical conversion efficiency, while a smaller top dead center clearance yields higher thermal efficiency.
As for scavenging system and intake structure optimization, Wang et al. [8] constructed a three-dimensional wall thickness model for the single-flow scavenging system of an opposed-piston engine. Their research revealed that exhaust gas recirculation and scavenging passages are significantly constrained by wall thickness dimensions. Peng et al. [9] studied intake optimization research for a direct-flow scavenging, direct-injection opposed-piston two-stroke engine. By constructing and validating a CFD three-dimensional model, they optimized dual-intake parameters, enhancing turbulent kinetic energy and improving the engine’s indicated efficiency across the entire speed range. Li et al. [10] carried out CFD simulations on intake duct parameters and flow characteristics, and by establishing a twin-cylinder three-dimensional model and proposing a hybrid intake duct layout, they successfully increased the engine’s indicated mean effective pressure.
For the combustion and injection strategy optimization study, Zhu et al. [11] designed a direct injection combustion system for a small unmanned aerial vehicle-mounted aviation kerosene-fueled, two-stroke, opposed-piston spark-ignition engine. They focused on investigating the effects of fuel injection and ignition strategies on combustion and knock intensity under various operating conditions. Ma et al. [12] experimentally investigated the combustion and cycle variation characteristics of an opposed-piston two-stroke direct-injection petrol engine. Zhang et al. [13] analyzed the effects of injection strategies on mixture formation, combustion, and emissions in an opposed-piston, opposed-cylinder two-stroke diesel engine, ultimately determining a staged injection scheme offering superior overall performance. Regarding mechanism adaptation and operating condition optimization: Yang et al. [14] addressed the challenge of adapting conventional valve-type variable valve timing technology to opposed-piston two-stroke diesel engines by designing a stratified air passage variable valve timing mechanism and validated this approach’s effectiveness in enhancing power output, fuel economy, and reducing soot emissions. Zhong et al. [15] addressed the insufficient simulation accuracy for high-altitude performance by incorporating three-dimensional scavenging and enabled multi-objective optimization of engine performance across multiple altitudes.
Although current research has accumulated substantial findings in intake and exhaust systems and overall engine modelling, visualization of the internal details of spray field evolution and combustion processes within opposed-piston two-stroke engines remains limited. Furthermore, studies examining the synergistic effects of varying rotational speeds and injection timing are scarce. Consequently, this paper focuses on the synergistic influence of injection timing and engine speed. A CFD simulation model of an opposed-piston two-stroke engine was established and validated, the combustion process and power performance were analyzed, and the preferred operational parameters for the engine under researcher conditions were provided to further enhance engine performance and optimize the design of typical working parameters.
2. Model Establishment and Validation
2.1. Geometric Models
The opposed-piston two-stroke engine for UAVs must be compact and structurally dense to meet the demands of its specific operational environment. Consequently, the established opposed-piston two-stroke engine model must satisfy certain performance metrics. Considering that engine displacement is the most direct factor influencing both engine performance and volume, and that displacement directly affects cylinder dimensions, the displacement must be determined based on the engine’s specific power output to ensure it meets the power requirements for UAV operations. General aviation piston engines, such as diesel and kerosene-fueled aircraft engines, exhibit specific power outputs ranging from 50 to 70 kW/L [16]. For a target power output of 100 kW, considering the characteristics of opposed-piston two-stroke engines, the engine model with a displacement of 1.8 L and a two-cylinder configuration was established to meet the output requirement. This design sufficiently fulfils the power requirements specified in the technical criteria. As cylinder bore diameter constitutes one of the engine’s critical parameters, it must be determined within a reasonable range. Taking into account the performance requirements for engines used in UAVs, the final cylinder bore diameter selected is 80 mm. This paper employs CFD means, CONVERGE software, to model an opposed-piston two-stroke engine featuring two horizontally arranged cylinders. Each cylinder possesses an 80 mm bore diameter, a single stroke length of 72.1 mm, a connecting rod length of 165.8 mm, a compression ratio of 15, and a displacement of 1.8 L. The primary specifications of the opposed-piston two-stroke engine are listed in Table 1.
Table 1.
Key parameters of the opposed-piston two-stroke engine.
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Type
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Numerical Value
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Cylinder/each
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2
|
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Cylinder bore/mm
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80
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|
Compression ratio
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15
|
|
Stroke/mm
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72.1
|
|
Connecting rod length/mm
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165.8
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2.2. Grid Model and Simulation Model Validation
A computational fluid dynamics domain for the opposed-piston two-stroke engine was established, as depicted in Figure 1a. CONVERGE software not only rapidly generates high-quality meshes during simulation but also provides multiple mesh control techniques, such as reference dimensioning, mesh scaling, adaptive refinement, and embedded mesh refinement. This enables highly accurate and efficient computations, with the resulting mesh model shown in Figure 1b.
Figure 1.
Three-dimensional model and mesh model of an opposed-piston two-stroke engine.
During simulation calculations, the temperature, pressure, fuel mass, and combustion products within the cylinder during combustion can be monitored and recorded. The key models employed in the simulation process are detailed in Table 2. Since we have previously validated the critical turbulence, spray, and combustion models [17], this paper concisely lists only the key model information employed. The Experimental data align well with simulation results, confirming the reliability of this simulation model (encompassing both key models and simplified mechanisms).
Table 2.
Selection of primary models and mechanisms for opposed-piston two-stroke engines.
|
Select Object
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Specific Model
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|
Turbulence model
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RNG K-ε
|
|
Spray model
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KH-RT
|
|
Combustion model
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SAGE
|
|
Chemical Reaction Mechanism
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32 components, 213-step reaction
|
|
Fuel
|
Diesel
|
5. Conclusions
This paper focuses on investigating the combustion characteristics and power performance of an opposed-piston two-stroke UAV engine. Key engine parameters were determined based on UAV power requirements, and an engine simulation model was constructed and validated through experimental data to ensure the reliability of simulation results. Five typical rotational speed conditions (1000 to 3000 r/min) and injection timing conditions (−15 to −35 °CA) were designed. The effects of rotational speed and injection timing on engine combustion characteristics and power performance were investigated. Finally, by comparing flow and combustion data, the variation patterns were summarized and optimal operating conditions determined, and the conclusions include:
(1) Overall, increasing engine speed enhances in-cylinder flow and combustion performance, while delaying injection timing also improves combustion efficiency. However, engine speed and injection timing must be appropriately designed to meet the requirements for smooth engine operation.
(2) Considering the combined effects of rotational speed and injection timing on combustion, power, and emission performance, the optimal operating condition for the opposed-piston two-stroke engine used in unmanned aerial vehicles is determined to be 2000 r/min rotational speed with injection timing set to −20 °CA.
(3) Under the optimal operating conditions, ignition delay phenomena are mitigated, cylinder pressure remains moderate and stable, total heat release, indicated work and indicated power achieve a reasonable optimal level, and NO and CO emissions are maintained within acceptable limits. An optimal balance between combustion stability, power performance and emissions is achieved, which can meet the UAV’s operational demands for lightweight, high-efficiency engines.