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A new type of drive system has been designed, analyzed, patented, prototyped, and tested. The drive’s unique capabilities include the ability to vary the bottom dead center position to reduce the stroke, and simultaneously vary the top dead center position to achieve the desired compression ratio with one simple, low friction mechanism. The purpose of the concept is to reduce losses associated with operation at partial load as most engines spend a preponderance of their operating life at partial load. Cummins sponsored engine simulation of the CVD configured as a 9-cylinder gasoline engine cycle and a baseline engine which was a conventional V8 engine of the same displacement and compression ratio. The study showed a ~30% improvement in fuel economy on a 10-mode weighted cycle that was designed by Cummins to simulate the FTP cycle.

Predictions of the volume flow rate through an inlet port were produced by four different commercially available CFD programs suitable for use in a steady flow simulation. These predictions were compared with experimental measurements of an inlet port's discharge coefficients. The experiment performed was a typical steady state flow bench test for an inlet port. Volume flow rates were measured at five different valve lifts. The largest valve lift tested (12.24mm) was the maximum value of lift under actual operation. The smallest valve lift was typical of early valve opening. The tests were performed at two different pressure differences across the inlet port and valve at each of the five different valve lifts. All predictions were made using an RNG k-ε turbulence model. Standard wall functions were used to predict wall friction effects and the energy equation was included to account for compressibility effects.