Modeling and CFD analysis of an oil filter for automotive application

Nowadays, the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to predict internal or external flows behaviour of different components has sharply risen. Since it moves from analytical and empirical models to computer based simulations, CFD techniques span a wide range of industrial and non-industrial application areas. The field of filtration process is part of CFD's investigations, because it is important to understand and solve pressure loss issues inside the filter element and increase the efficiency of filter medium. This master thesis aims to study the design and pressure drop prediction of an oil filter for automotive field, designed and created by CLEAN FILTERS DELGROSSO S.R.L. by simulation of flow pattern using CFD tool. Considering that a simulation of the entire component results very challenging for computer's hardware capabilities, the fluid dynamic analysis has been divided into three steps for the sake of simplicity. For each step, the goal of simulation was the pressure losses. The first part of the component to be simulated is the filter head, after that the filter medium is characterized and analyzed, and finally the perforated metal support is connected to the filter medium and investigated. The characterization of filter medium properties has been carried out through a porometer 3G and permeability measuring device (personally designed for the research). Following the definition of fluid dynamic model using SolidEdge with FloEFD extension, a parametric study has been performed in order to explore different geometric solutions. Finally, the results have been compared to experimental data provided by DELGROSSO S.R.L. Future developments of this work could be the simulation of the whole filter and a microscopic particle study of contaminated oil through the filter medium fibers.