Assessment of the Automated Dynamic Mesh Methodology for Internal Combustion Engine Simulation Using OpenFOAM-12

Abstract

This work introduces and evaluates a new feature included in version 12 of the official OpenFOAM.org distribution, enabling the automated generation of dynamic meshes for internal combustion engine simulations. An integrated workflow is developed, combining STL geometry processing, meshing with SnappyHexMesh, and the novel dynamic mesh strategy, to reproduce a full engine cycle. The methodology is applied to the simulation of an AVL experimental optical engine owned by the Instituto Aeronáutico de Brasil, under motored (non-combustive) operating conditions. The paper details the implementation steps within OpenFOAM and assesses the stability and accuracy of the proposed approach based on pressure evolution in cylinders and ports. Results demonstrate that the methodology effectively addresses the simulation of complex engine motion, maintaining high mesh quality throughout the cycle without incurring excessive computational costs.