• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.93-99
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• 2006

Flexible couplers are widely used for exhaust transmitted vibration reduction in vehicles. This paper describes an investigation into the acoustical characteristics of exhaust flexible coupler by the simulation and testing. Computational acoustic simulation is carrying out to investigate resonance frequency and transmission loss of decoupler using the boundary element method and transfer matrix approach. To confirm the acoustical simulation results of exhaust decoupler, we compare with measured experimental results by the test of transmission loss measurement system. In the comparison with simulation results and tests results, there is correctly fit the resonance frequency and the trend of transmission loss. Also, we show that the acoustical structure of decoupler is analogous to the expended tube or side branch resonator. The characteristics of exhaust decoupler have a marked increase in the acoustic attenuation at the specified frequency bend. Therefore the decoupler is applied to develop the exhaust system not only for the vibration isolator but also for the noise attenuator.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 2014

This paper proposes a decoupler design method to reduce interaction between exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) systems in passenger car diesel engines. The EGR valve and VGT vane are respectively used to control air-to-fuel ratio (AFR) of exhaust gas and intake pressure. A plant model for EGR and VGT systems is defined by a first order transfer function plus time-delay model, and the loop interaction between these systems is analyzed using a relative normalized gain array (RNGA) method. In order to deal with the loop interaction, a design method for simplified decoupler is applied to this study. Feedback control algorithms for AFR and intake pressure are composed of a compensator using PID control method and a prefilter. The proposed decoupler is evaluated through engine experiment, and the results successfully showed that the loop interaction between EGR and VGT systems can be reduced by using the proposed decoupler. Furthermore, it presents stable performance even off from the designed operating point.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2006

This paper described the process of improving durability performance of the exhaust decoupler by the plasma nitriding. The properties of plasma nitriding treatment of AIS1304 stainless steel were tested using specimens before applying plasma nitriding to a mesh ring. In order to analyses the effect of plasma nitriding treatment on the mechanical properties, SEM(Scanning Electron Microscopes), roughness and hardness tester were used. Based on specimen plasma nitriding, we could find appropriate condition for application to the mesh ring of decoupler. To confirm the improved durability performance, we compared the number of cycles, which reaches to fracture, of the nitrided decoupler and that of the unnitrided decoupler by the bending cyclic test. In this test, the durability and wear resistance of the mesh ring are significantly improved by plasma nitriding treatment.