IFP resources in engine and fuels

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IFP resources

IFP mobilizes more than 200 world-class engineers, technicians and scientists to support its customers and partners.

With more than 50 years of experience in engine design and fuels for cars, commercial vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles, IFP is an expert in the fields of combustion, modeling, new engine and fuel technologies and engine pollution reduction.

IFP offers a scientific approach to problems: understanding the basic phenomena, development of exploratory tools, capitalization on knowledge thanks to training and to high scientific and technical level maintain of the experts and digital modeling (with experimental validation).

IFP benefits from advanced facilities, divided between two locations: Solaize (69) (IFP-Lyon) and Rueil-Malmaison (92).
With a range of services extending from standard tests to tests on specific benches, IFP offers its customers innovative solutions and high-quality diagnostics.

Efficient project management
Computation solutions
Software for the design department
Engine test benches
Specialized laboratories
Specialized equipment

Efficient project management

All work is organized into projects that draw on IFP's interdisciplinary synergies. The customer is kept regularly informed of progress and the results obtained.
Each project is steered by a project manager responsible for meeting the technical, budget, time, quality, and confidentiality targets set for the project. Progress project meetings are regularly organized by the project manager and the management.

Computation solutions

Codes used

The computation solutions used by IFP are equipped with the following codes:

LMS Imagine.Lab simulation platform with the tool libraries dedicated to the engine environment developed by IFP:
- IFP-C3D (3D combustion),
- IFP-Engine (1D engine),
- IFP-Drive (vehicle),
- IFP-Exhaust (after-treatment),
AVBP large eddy simulation code, in partnership and joint ownership with the Cerfacs (European Center for Research and Advanced Training in Scientific Computation),
Internal functions:
- combustion analysis,
- driving cycle simulators,
Hexa mesher from the software publisher ICEM CFD,
EnSight post-processing from the software publisher CEI.

Computation resources

IFP has extremely powerful computation resources at its disposal for its research projects:

IBM SMP and PC/Linux Cluster supercomputers,
latest-generation Linux workstations.
114 AMD Barcelona 4-processor, 4-core servers, offering a peak computation power of 17 TFlops.

Engine and vehicle modelling and simulation

engine and vehicle simulation,
Engine CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics),
Engine LES (Large Eddy Simulation).

Software for the design department

Software to work on the strength of materials

Abacus, Nastran

structural calculations,
strength of materials.

CAO Euclid, Catia

These software programs are coupled to the codes of the IT department.

Engine test benches

IFP has a comprehensive set of heavy-duty equipment dedicated to engine R&D:

29 engine test benches
1 transient bench for the performance of high-dynamic tests
3 chassis dynamometers
3 chassis dynamometers equipped to measure vehicle emissions of regulated and unregulated pollutants over complete driving cycles (standardized or specific)
1 high power test bench for traction batteries and supercapacities.

test bench for traction batteries and supercapacities at IFP

This new high power test bench for traction batteries and supercapacities Digatron EVT 500A/500V (+/-120kW) which includes an electric bench, a large thermal chamber and a supervisor allows IFP to cover a large range of research activities in the field of electrochemical storage systems, from experimental battery diagnosis to full scale testing and from battery modelling to Battery Management System development.

Main bench applications:
- Power and thermal characterisation of full-scale battery/supercapacitor pack in simulated operating conditions
- Long-term cycling under predefined profile to simulate ageing
- Data base collection to define and validate models of energy storage systems
- Characterisation of Battery Management System
- Validation of new control strategies.

Specialized laboratories

IFP has laboratories specialized in:

electronics and the development of engine control systems,
physico-chemical analyses and characterization of unregulated pollutants
formulation and analysis of after-treatment catalysts,
analysis and development of materials.
thermodynamics
optical diagnostics (transparent engine benches, pressurized chambers).

Specialized equipment

IFP's equipment includes, in particular:

an X-ray scanner that covers all steps from the engine part to the computation - scan, digitizing, CAD reconstruction, meshing, and computation,
an injector test bench,
a Hardware in the loop (HIL) platform.