Automation and data visualization improvements of an internal combustion engine test bench

This master's thesis describes the improvement and automation of a test bench for an internal combustion engine at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Installed in the late 70s and initially used for engine testing, the test bench was recently adapted for educational purposes. However, outdated instrumentation presented issues regarding mostly the lack of automatization and poor data visualization that hindered the students' learning experience during laboratory experiments. The objective of the thesis was to modernize and automate the test bench while making it more suitable for teaching purposes. The improvements made to the test bench can be broken down into three categories, the first one being hardware improvements, which include the installation of a new atmospheric pressure sensor, reorganization of thermocouples’ wirings and recalibration of sensors. Second, changes regarding data visualization and computer interface were applied, adding the visualization of thermodynamic properties in different engine’s points over time, of engine key parameters (KPIs) and of the energy balance. Lastly, upgrades were made to the software, which both receives input data from the combustion engine sensors, processes and presents them on the screen to the user and sends output signals to control the engine and the brake. An algorithm was implemented to control the engine operating point based on the engine load rather than only on the throttle valve opening percentage and a function was developed to program the engine's operating cycles. In particular, a World Harmonized Stationary Cycle (WHSC) test, a standardized test cycle used to evaluate pollutant emissions for internal combustion engines, was carried out due to the fact that it has strict preparation requirements and test validations. By being able to meet all of these requirements and validations, a direct verification of the effectiveness of some of the above-mentioned improvements was given. As a result of this thesis project, the test bench was notably innovated both globally and in the details. A new dimension in data visualization was given, enabling the display of a great amount of data while ensuring clarity, thus maximizing students' learning during laboratory experiences. A severe step forward in automation was made, giving the possibility to carrying out standardized tests as the WHSC test and reducing the need for human intervention on the test bench for further experimentation stages.