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Simulating a drive cycle can have many benefits. Several hot topics right now include improving fuel economy and emissions measures, but there's another way simulating a drive cycle can help you optimize a new vehicle design. A drive cycle simulation can help you predict transient thermal behavior and maximize the capabilities of powertrain and exhaust components. To do this, you need to simulate the thermal activity of these components over a drive cycle—which isn't easy to do....

A Brief Overview of Exhaust Simulation A proper model of your exhaust system provides a critical boundary condition for your underhood/underbody thermal management. Many different simulation methods are chosen today based on the level of fidelity that is required and the boundary conditions that are available. There are four widely recognized methods for simulating exhaust systems....

Packaging constrictions in new vehicles dominate the positioning and organization of components within the engine compartment. With less space and more temperature sensitive components, (plastics for lightweighting, infotainment, and electrical components) thermal management becomes an increasingly critical aspect of vehicle design. Component hot spots can lead to safety, durability, and warranty issues. Careful consideration of component placement and heat shields is mandatory to avoid costly late-stage fixes....

Understanding the thermal behavior of underbody components can help an engineer balance the priorities and tightening restrictions for vehicle design. The underbody of a vehicle experiences some of the most thermally dramatic scenarios for which there is no simple solution. By using a method that provides accurate thermal predictions, engineers can assess a variety of design options early in the product development cycle. These predictions will provide a better understanding of the thermal behavior the vehicle will undergo under both extreme and common scenarios....

Thermal modeling can be particularly challenging because setting up your thermal simulation can be different every time. Meanwhile, you seek to balance competing priorities within your design. "It should be lightweight! Durable! Affordable!" the list of hopeful attributes is extensive so some compromise will have to occur. You can better decide where those accommodations can be made with an accurate thermal model. ...