Her research activity is mainly devoted to two fields:
1. mono-dimensional simulation of
pneumatic and hydraulic systems for automotive and industrial
applications;
2. mono-dimensional modeling
of SI engined for simulating start-cold strategies: comparisons
between gasoline and pure ethanol were performed.
3. three-dimensional
fluid-dynamic simulations of: a) combustion process for gasoline
high-performances engines, with a particular care to ignition
process; b) turbulence modelling; c) study of tumble motion
formation inside cylinder.
4. Water injection applied to modern GDI engines.
5. Analysis of KNOCK onset and development.
1. Mono-dimensional modelling: The first branch of
research concerns the development of models for simulating high
pressure and fast-actuation solenoid injection systems equipping
Common Rail Diesel engines. In particular she developed and
validated an experimental methodology of study based on the
integrated use of both mono-dimensional and three-dimensional
simulations for obtaining a completely predictive injection system
model in collaboration with Magneti Marelli Bologna. Since 2006 she
has contracts with industries like FAR, VM-Motori and PAIOLI for
mono-dimensional simulation of pneumatic and hydraulic circuits.
Last of all she collaborates with Bucher Hydraulics for modelling
hydraulic external gear pumps characterized by unitary transmission
ratio: in this branch it is of interest the study of the
pressure trend in the inter-teeth volumes related to the pump
geometry, the teeth number and the teeth shape for limiting their
noise. Finally a new research branch concerns the study of the
'cold start-up' for internal combustion engines fed by pure
ethanol.
2. Three-dimensional modelling: in this second research
field she studies the modelling of the combustion process in
high-performances gasoline engines using the KIVA-3 code
implemented at the University of Bologna. A particular care was
devoted to the study of critical issues related to the ignition
process and a model capable of reproducing it was developed. Now is
in progress the study of the formation of a coherent motion (tumble
vortex) inside the cylinder during the intake phase and the
consequent turbulent kinetic energy formation by means the
breakdown of the vortex at the end of the compression stroke. In
particular the study aims to investigate the influence of some
geometrical parameters on both vortex formation and breakdown. In the last year a new research field was added: water injection in intake manifold/ports (PWI) and in combustion chamber (DWI).
