Exploring geometric and kinematic correspondences between gear-based crank mechanism and standard reciprocating crankshaft engines: An analytical study

This paper presents a significant contribution to aided design by conducting an analytical examination of geometric links with the aim of establishing criteria for assessing an analogy measure of the extrinsic geometric and kinematic characteristics of the Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) engine with a Geared Mechanism (GBCM) in comparison to the existing Fixed Compression Ratio (FCR) engine with a Standard-Reciprocating Crankshaft configuration. Employing a mechanical approach grounded in projective computational methods, a parametric study has been conducted to analyze the kinematic behavior and geometric transformations of the moving links. The findings indicate that in order to ensure equivalent extrinsic behavior and maintain consistent input-output performance between both engine types, precise adjustments of intrinsic geometric parameters are necessary. Specifically, for a VCR configuration compared to an FCR configuration, regardless of compression ratio and gearwheel radius, for the same crankshaft ratios and stroke lengths, it is imperative to halve lengths of connecting rods, and crank radius. These insights underscore the importance of meticulous parameter adjustment in achieving comparable performance across different engine configurations, offering valuable implications for design optimization.