National Seminar on Computational & Experimental Mechanics (CEM) 2005

© Computational & Experimental Mechanics Research Group

Editors: A. K. Ariffin, N. A. N. Mohamed, S. Abdullah and M. J. M. Nor

CYCLE EFFECT INVESTIGATION OF FREE PISTON

LINEAR ENGINE

S. Fonna, N. A. N. Mohamed and A. K. Ariffin

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Bangi, 43600 Selangor, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

The free piston linear engine is the machine with linear motion as the primary
motion. This engine is a mechanically unconstrained piston since crankshaft
mechanism has been eliminated. This paper presents the simulation of two-stroke
free piston linear engine motion consist of combustion and air-kickback
chambers in which to investigate whether previous engine cycle take effect to
subsequent engine cycle as conventional rotary engine. The two opposed piston,
where air-kickback piston is larger than combustion piston, is linked by a
connecting rod. Dynamic and thermodynamic model for slider-piston motion are
presented. The motion of slider-piston is simulated based on the models. By
comparing previous cycle motion to subsequent cycle motion, it prove that the
slider-piston motion in free piston linear engine is not prescribed and varies from
one operating regime to another.

Keywords: free piston linear engine; two-stroke engine; dynamics

INTRODUCTION

The free piston linear engine is the machine that the primary motion of engine
linear. The crankshaft that present on the conventional engine has been
eliminated. This has benefit in efficiency, weight reduction, variable compression
operation and multi-fuel possibilities (Arshad et al. 2002)
There are three common models have been developed on free piston linear
engine system (Figure 1) i.e. (a) both of chamber are combustion chamber
(Nandkumar 1999, Houdyschell 2000, Goldsborough and Blarigan 1999,
Atkinson et al. 1999), (b) one chamber is combustion chamber and other is using
spring (Annen et al. 2002), and (c). One chamber is combustion chamber and the
opposite one is air kickback chamber (Aichlmayr et al. 2002).
First type is the common model that has been developed. This model has
advantage that the piston velocity profile is equal between compression stroke
and expansion stroke, but because this use two combustion chamber, much of

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fuel will be used. And others model are developed to reduce the consumption of
fuel without decreasing on machine output. And our research focus on free piston
linear engine type three, replace one combustion chamber with air kickback
chamber.
This paper analyzes dynamic of free piston linear engine and to investigate
whether previous engine cycle take effect to subsequent engine cycle as
conventional rotary engine. Mathematical model for linear piston motion has
generated. And by using this model, the simulation of linear piston motion has
developed.

a.. Dual combustion b. Combustion and air-kickback

c. Combustion and spring

FIGURE 1 Free piston linear engine common models

ENGINE MODEL

The description of the engine model in this study is showed in Figure 2. The
model is two-stroke spark ignition engine. The free piston linear engine model
consists of five main parts, i.e. combustion chamber, scavenging chamber, air-
kickback chamber, and slider-piston. The term of slider-piston is used to
describes combustion piston, air-kickback piston, connecting rod, and permanent
magnet. The rod connects the two oppositely placed pistons and also acts as a
prime mover for linear engine. The permanent magnet is placed at certain
position of the rod. The two opposed pistons have different diameter. Kickback
piston diameter is larger than combustion piston diameter to ensure the generated
pressure in kickback chamber satisfy to pushback slider-piston.

Combustion Scavenging chamber Kickback chamber

Transfer duct

Exhaust port
Generator housing Slider

FIGURE 2 Free piston linear engine model

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MATHEMATICAL MODEL

In order to simulate slider piston motion for the free piston linear engine, a
simplified modeling of the combustion chamber and air-kickback chamber
processes have been carried out. The force that drives the slider-piston is the
combustion force (Fc) of the combustion chamber (active chamber). The forces
that oppose this motion are; the kickback force (Fk) of the air-kickback chamber
(inactive chamber), the friction force (Ff), and the counteracting electromagnetic
force (Fl). The free-body diagram for slider piston is showed in Figure 3. The
acceleration of the moving unit (of mass m) is thus given by:

d 2 x Fc − Fk − F f − Fl
a = &x& = = (1)
dt 2 m

Pc ( x) Ac − Pk (x) Ak − Ff − Fl = m&x& (2)

where Pc is instantaneous combustion chamber pressure, Pk is instantaneous air-

kickback chamber pressure, Ac is combustion piston area, Ak is air-kickback
piston area, m is mass of slider-piston and x is slider-piston position.
Ac
m
Ps
Pc Pk

x As
Ak

FIGURE 3 Slider-piston free-body diagram

Free piston linear engine model that is developed in this paper use different
diameter between combustion piston and air-kickback piston. Air-kickback
piston is bigger than combustion piston so pressure in air-kickback chamber can
reach optimum value to stop slider-piston motion and push it back.
Several assumptions have been taken in order to develop mathematical model
for slider-piston motion. The compression and expansion of each cylinder will be
modeled adiabatically and internally reversible. The process in combustion
chamber is represented by Otto cycle while in air-kickback and scavenging
chamber by ideal gas adiabatic process (Figure 4).
For the initial analysis, the slider is considered to move from the left
(combustion chamber dead point) to the right in positive x direction i.e.
expansion process. Then, combustion chamber is chosen as reference. At these
conditions, the pressure in combustion chamber is Pc3 as the result of
instantaneous heat addition in combustion process, while the pressure in kickback
chamber and scavenging chamber are free-air pressure (Pk1 and Ps1 respectively).
When the slider is moving to the right, the combustion pressure will follows 3-4
curve in PcVc diagram and at point 4 the exhaust port starts to open, thus the

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S. Fonna, N. A. N. Mohamed and A. K. Ariffin

pressure suddenly drop to Pc1 cause of instantaneous heat rejection. The

scavenging pressure will increase along 1-2 curve in PsVs diagram and the
pressure drop to Ps1 from point 2 cause of the intake port start to open. While the
kickback pressure is remain at Pk1 along L4 cause of the port is still open and start
from point 1 in PkVk diagram, the pressure will increase follow 1-2 curve
L5
L4

b3
b1 b2

a L1 L3
L4 L2 c
L L L
x x
3
Pc Ps Pk
2

2
4
1 1
1
Vc Vs Vk
FIGURE 4 The dimension of engine and pressure volume diagrams for
each chambers

Considering the slider move from right to left after expansion stroke i.e.
compression stroke, the combustion pressure is Pc1 along L3 and the pressure
increase as 1-2 curve in PcVc diagram starting from point 1. The kickback
pressure will take the same path as expansion stroke; while the scavenging
pressure is remain at Ps1 along compression stroke.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The equations describe the pressures of each chambers are derived from the
relationship between the pressure (P) and the volume (V) for polytropic process
and/or the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature (T) for ideal
gases. Equations (3) & (4) respectively represent the force balance equations for
after combustion condition or expansion process and for after air-kickback
condition or compression process in modeled engine.

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 Cycle Effect Investigation of Free Piston Linear Engine

⎧ ⎛L +a⎞ ⎫
⎪ Qin ⎜ 1 ⎟(n − 1) ⎪ n
+ ⎛ L2 + c ⎞ ⎛ ⎞
n n n
⎪ ⎛ 1
L a ⎞ ⎝ a ⎠ ⎪⎛ a ⎞ c
⎨Patm ⎜ ⎟ + ⎬⎜ ⎟ Ac − Patm ⎜ ⎟ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ Ak
⎪ ⎝ a ⎠ ( L1 + a) Ac ⎪⎝ a + x ⎠ ⎝ c ⎠ ⎝ L2 + L4 + c − x ⎠
⎩⎪ ⎭⎪
n
⎧ (b3 ) 2 L5 + (b1 ) 2 2L ⎫ d 2x
− Patm ⎨ ⎬ As − F f − Fe = m 2 (3)
⎩ (b3 ) L5 + (b1 ) (2L − x) ⎭
2 2
dt

n
⎛L +c⎞ ⎛ ⎞ ⎛L +a⎞ ⎛ a ⎞
n n n
c
Patm ⎜ 2 ⎟ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ Ak − Patm ⎜ 1 ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ Ac
⎝ c ⎠ ⎝ 2
L + L 4 + c − x ⎠ ⎝ a ⎠ ⎝a+ x⎠
d 2x
+ Patm As − F f − Fe = m 2 (4)
dt

where Patm is atmospheric pressure, Qin is heat addition to combustion chamber

during combustion process, and n is specific heat ratio.

TABLE 1 Simulated engine specifications

Parameter Value
L 0.07 m
Effective combustion stroke (L1) 0.04 m
Effective kickback stroke (L2) 0.055 m
Exhaust length (L3) 0.03
Intake length (L4) 0.015 m
Back-scavenging length (L5) 0.05 m
Specific heat ratio (n) 1.4
Mass of slider (m) 6.1 kg
Free air pressure (P1) 100 kPa
Combustion bore diameter (b1) 0.076 m
Kickback bore diameter (b2) 0.11 m
Back-scavenging diameter (b3) 0.114 m
Heat addition (Qin) 300 J

In order to generate free piston simulation, some engine specifications have

been chosen. These specifications are given in Table 1 and including the
geometry of modeled engine.

Combustion chamber
• Air-kickback chamber

Structure displacement y
measured point
z x Engine mounting

FIGURE 5 Engine model developed in MSC Adams software

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S. Fonna, N. A. N. Mohamed and A. K. Ariffin

Engine model with specification as in Table 1 has created in MCS Adams

software. The term of engine structure is used to describes combustion chamber,
air-kickback chamber, scavenging chamber, and linear alternator housing. Slider-
piston and engine structure is modeled as rigid body meanwhile engine mounting
as flexible body. This model is showed in Figure 5.
By using the force balance equation, the simulation of slider-piston motion is
derived. Figure 6 shows slider-piston position profile for 3 cycles. Slider-piston
stroke for each cycles are not the same. The stroke for first, second and third
cycle respectively are 69.3 mm, 69.1 mm and 68.5 mm. Figure 6 also reveal that
time needed to complete a cycle for each cycles are different i.e. first cycle need
0.0208 s, second cycle 0.0212 s and third cycle 0.0215 s.

80 1st cycle 2nd cycle 3rd cycle

70

60
displacement (mm)

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07
time (s)

FIGURE 6 Piston position versus stroke time

1st cycle 2nd cycle 3rd cycle

10000

8000

6000

4000
velocity (mm/s)

2000

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07
-2000

-4000

-6000

-8000

-10000
time (s)

FIGURE 7 Piston velocity versus stroke time

The differences among each cycle in stroke and one cycle time can be
understood by analyze Figure 7 that plots slider-piston velocity versus time for 3
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 Cycle Effect Investigation of Free Piston Linear Engine

cycles. It reveals that the maximum velocity for each cycle is also different i.e.
first cycle maximum velocity is 9 m/s, second cycle for 8.8 m/s and third cycle
for 8.6 m/s. Thus, it is clear that why first cycle has stroke and one cycle time
longer.
The relationship between the slider-piston velocity and the slider-piston
position during 3 cycles for modeled engines is illustrated in Figure 8. It shows
that on the certain slider-piston position has different velocity for each cycle
although the ignition process always start on 10 mm before TDC. The Figure 8
also shows a motion reversal point at 10 mm before TDC when ignition occurs.

10000

8000

6000

4000
velocity (mm/s)

2000
10 mm
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
-2000

-4000

-6000

-8000

-10000
Ignition
displacement (mm)

FIGURE 8 Piston velocity versus piston position

0.03

0.02

0.01
structure displacement (mm)

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07
-0.01

-0.02

-0.03

-0.04

-0.05

-0.06
1st cycle 2nd cycle 3rd cycle
-0.07
time (s)

FIGURE 9 Engine structure displacement versus time

Figure 9 shows that the structure displacement for first cycle, second cycle
and third cycle respectively are 0.0176 mm for air-kickback and -0.0573 mm for
combustion, 0.0167 mm for air-kickback and -0.0505 mm for combustion
meanwhile 0.0151 mm for air-kickback and -0.0475 mm for combustion. The

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engine structure displacement during combustion process is higher than air-

kickback process since the air-kickback generated pressure lower than the
combustion generated pressure. By analyzing structure displacement for each
cycle, also give an understanding that the generated pressure for each chamber is
varies from one cycle to another cycle.

CONCLUSIONS

In this paper, dynamic and thermodynamic model of free piston spark ignition
linear engine have been presented. The velocity and displacement profiles of
slider-piston motion with respect to time and velocity profile with respect to
displacement are investigated for 3 engine cycles. By comparing previous cycle
motion to subsequent cycle motion, it prove that the slider-piston motion in free
piston linear engine is not prescribed and varies from one operating regime to
another.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The project was sponsored by Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology, and

Innovation under IRPA project 03-02-02-0056 PR0025/04-03.

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 Cycle Effect Investigation of Free Piston Linear Engine

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