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Propulsion and Pollution Modelling (PPM)

Research Group Leader: Dr Fabrizio Bonatesta

Contact: enginemodellingteam@brookes.ac.uk

About us

The Propulsion and Pollution Modelling (PPM) research group was formed to support the automotive and other advanced industries in their transition from hardware testing to model-based design and development of propulsion systems and other fluid-dynamic applications.

PPM have developed considerable expertise in the use of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and other modelling software, and cooperate with software houses in the development of models and tailored modelling frameworks to both improve and simplify CAE activities within industry and academia.

Since 2019, the PPM has been involved in urban Air Quality (AQ) projects, applying advanced 3D CFD approaches to model traffic related air pollution.

Our modelling activities are supported by access to a range of testing equipment, including two fully-instrumented engine test cells.

ICE cylinder computational mesh

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Related courses

Research impact

Noxious gas dispersion modelling

PPM works in close collaboration with a range of industrial partners - e.g. Ford Motor Company, Siemens Software, Ricardo Software, Continental - as well as academic partners - Loughborough University, Bath University and Nottingham University.

We are currently part of APC6 DynAMO, a large £22m collaborative project led by Ford, which aims to deliver the next generation of modern GDI engines, simultaneously optimised for reduced fuel consumption and reduced PN emissions.

We also collaborate with the local authorities in Oxfordshire and with the wider AQ community, using very high resolution modelling to develop and evaluate systems and interventions to protect the public from exposure to harmful emissions.

Membership

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Projects

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Our expertise

PPM offer support and highly qualified services in the following areas:

  • CFD and 0D/1D modelling of internal combustion engines
  • Development of tailored software and methodologies to support the entire CFD modelling process (from meshing to automatised post-processing)
  • Robust methodologies for the calibration of semi-fundamental models
  • Spray modelling and spray pattern/targeting optimisation
  • Development of tailor-made surrogate fuel blend models
  • Combustion modelling including chemical kinetics and soot formation
  • Soot mechanisms and interactions in modern high injection pressure Gasoline Direct Injection engines
  • Advanced mesh morphing approaches for the simulation of gas and particle dispersion in large urban contexts
  • Conjugate heat transfer simulations
  • Engine testing, including emission analysis (gas analysers and FTIR) and engine-out Particulate Matter characterisation (DMS-500 by Cambustion)
  • Testing of fuels and impact on PM/PN emissions
  • Ammonia-hydrogen combustion

CFD simulation of direct fuel injection spray model

Engine test facilities

The Engine Lab offers a range of modern experimental facilities, including state-of-the-art internal combustion engines and development platforms, measurement equipment, control and data acquisition systems. To the benefit of our students, the same instrumentation is used to support both teaching activities and research or commercial projects.

EMT Test facilities
Engine dynamometer

Two fully equipped and customisable engine dynamometer test cells allow engine tests under controlled conditions. The currently installed down-sized turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines incorporate the latest technologies adopted in today’s powertrain units. ECU communication, dynamometer control and data acquisition are carried out using advanced systems such as ATI Vision, CP-CADET and AVL-Xion.

Emission analysis equipment include industry-standard Particulate Matter (PM) measurement unit Cambustion® DMS-500, capable of real-time measurement of PM size profile. Gaseous emissions such as CO, HC, NOx and CO2 can be measured with Signal® emission analyser. An FTIR spectrometer allows detection of small quantities of a vast range of chemicals in the exhaust.

Emission analysis equipment
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Facilities (e.g. storage, metering and safety systems) to research the next generation of carbon-free fuels such as e-ammonia and hydrogen for future combustion propulsion systems, serving application where propulsion electrification is particularly challenging (marine applications, long haul freight, etc).