Abstract
Investigating the heat transfer inside internal combustion engines is key in the search for higher efficiency, higher power output and lower emissions. Therefore, it has been the subject of many research programs and a contemporary literature review is needed as a basis for new heat transfer research in modern engines with advanced combustion processes and alternative fuels. This paper presents a review of the heat transfer measurements in spark ignition engines to select which engine factors are influential and should be represented in heat transfer models. The paper shows that, although the effect of some factors like engine speed and ignition timing is well understood, the effect of several factors and especially the interaction between factors is not clear, because the experiments were approached too randomly. Consequently, for the research on heat transfer in modern engines, there is a need for a new approach where methods of Design of Experiments are applied. This will improve the selection of the factors and the interactions that have to be present in the heat transfer models.
KEYWORDS: heat transfer, SI engine, measurement, convection, review