Design of a variable valve hydraulic lift system for diesel engine

A continuous variable valve lift (VVL) mechanism for a diesel engine is proposed in this research. The hydraulic mechanism, which consists of a driving plunger, a driven plunger, a hydraulic cylinder, and a hydraulic oil tank, is the key part of the VVL mechanism. Simulation is conducted to study the relationship between maximum valve lift and rotation angle of driving plunger. Calculation results indicate that the maximum valve lift decreases with increasing rotation angle. A prototype was manufactured and successfully tested in a single-cylinder diesel engine. The experiments, which were conducted at different rotation angles of the driving plunger, validate the accuracy of the calculation results. The difference between experimental valve lift curve and cam lift curve is considered the result of oil leakage. Rotating the driving plunger is an effective method to regulate valve lift. Working stability of the VVL mechanism is validated through a multi-cycle operation. Experimental results indicate that the VVL mechanism is effective and reliable for realizing continuous VVL in engines.