Friday, February 3, 2023 · 0 min read
Combustion Analysis and Car Performance Tuning of BMW M5 Hurricane
The automotive refiner Infinitas has held the world record for the fastest street-legal sedan for more than ten years. Now the record of the BMW M5 V10 bi-compressor is to be surpassed with the modification of a current M5 V8 bi-turbo, a project named Hurricane 2.
Measurement technology from Dewesoft helped tune the engine operating this highly-tuned sports sedan to reach over 1000 hp.
The family-run German company Infinitas has been perfecting and refining exclusive automobiles for 40 years. Sometimes it's about records on the racetrack, sometimes about optimizing the vehicle for long journeys, or again about setting the engine power to environmentally conscious efficiency. Whether luxury refinement of the extra class, individual technology gadgets, or performance levels beyond the norm – it is individualization without limits.
For the first time, the company from Gachenbach in Bavaria worked together with Dewesoft. The project was sensational - set a new world record with a tuned BMW sedan, which will be named Hurricane 2.
The Hurricane models have set unbeaten records. Driven by a V10 bi-compressor, the Hurricane RR based on a BMW M5 V10 is the fastest sedan driving public streets. In 2010 it set the world record with 372.1 km / h (231 mph) - roughly the same top speed as F1 racing cars.
The large superchargers - air compressors or blowers increasing the pressure of the air supplied to the engine - were used to achieve 25-percent more air volume. Furthermore, the car was fitted with a multipart widebody kit, high-performance carbon-ceramic brakes, a fully adjustable suspension kit, and not least oversized 20-inch wheels wrapped with Michelin rubber.
Hurricane RR reached a horsepower output of 800 (588 kW). The car's engine cranked out 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque, allowing it to jump to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.35 seconds, and 200 km/h (124 mph) in 9.5 seconds. The car eventually gets to 300 km/h (186 mph) in 25.8 seconds.
Driving BMW M5 Hurricane on German highways
Testing with Dewesoft data acquisition instrumentation
Dewesoft develops versatile and easy-to-use data acquisition systems for test and measurement engineers. For the M5 tuning project, the company supplied several systems for measuring the drive, adapted to the different conditions and needs, and networked with one another.
The ultra-robust KRYPTON DAQ systems with protection class IP67 were used for measurements directly in the engine compartment. KRYPTON is an EtherCAT DAQ module for distributed data acquisition with analog and digital inputs and outputs.
Additional SIRIUS high-speed DAQ modules were in the trunk during the measurements to process and store the test data. The combination of measurement technology with various interfaces and protocols such as CAN or XCP on Ethernet as well as the connection of any sensors made it possible to record all relevant data together with the combustion cycle.
For initial testing, Hurricane 2 was on an all-wheel-drive test bench. The individual partial successes were verified and proven again and again in many stages.
"Sometimes these tests are the confirmation of our considerations for adjustments to the setup of the engine,"
says Infinitas managing director Christian Stöber, explaining the development process, which can take weeks.
"With Dewesoft we now have measurement technology onboard that can relate many different measured values synchronously: combustion analysis, temperatures, air pressures, frequencies - that made work a lot easier."
Performance increase of over 1000 horse powers
Among other things, modern engine tuning includes:
the adaptation of mechanical components such as the crank drive with pistons and connecting rods,
the fuel supply (fuel injected),
the two exhaust-gas turbochargers,
the engine management system, or
the exhaust system.
With the additional adaptation of the data status of the two engine control units, Infinitas ultimately achieved more than 1000 hp.
One focus of the development was primarily on combustion engine analysis, for which Dewesoft not only has suitable DAQs but with DewesoftX software also corresponding analysis software.
The overall system is an efficient and highly precise overall solution for engine research and development and is also ideal for optimizing individual components and for testing ignition systems, exhaust systems, and valve controls.
Above all, angle and time-based measurements and highly developed algorithms were used at GP Infinitas. In addition to the crank angle, measurements included:
the cylinder pressure,
various pressures outside the engine such as boost pressure and exhaust backpressure,
various temperatures in the water, oil, air, and
the speeds of compressors or turbochargers.
"The more data is recorded and intelligently evaluated, the sooner problems and hidden performance potential can be identified," explains Christian Stöber. In concrete terms, this means using the Dewesoft data acquisition system and during the ongoing process on the roller chassis dynamometer to repeatedly test, introduce changes and validate them.
From the test bench to the road
The development goal of 1000 hp and more, for which Infinitas has a base of interested customers, represents a significant increase in the current performance of the M5 from BMW. And this performance grade needs to be made safe. Despite the high performance, the vehicle must have a long service life.
The tools from Dewesoft enable the measurement of a wide variety of parameters. On the one hand, they compare the simulation and the development goal, but on the other hand, also consider the component load and forecast the service life. A higher engine output means, for example, that the engine has to dissipate more heat, which is why the cooling must be adapted.
Gearboxes and differentials are also only designed for a certain torque. Too much could damage the components, which is why tuning with the accompanying measurement technology always involves a holistic view of the development, Stöber confirms.
The Dewesoft DAQ system is also ideally suited for tests under real conditions and also accompanies the extraordinary vehicle to the final tests on the road. The Infinitas team was particularly enthusiastic about the problem-free installation of the system and the competent support from Dewesoft.
The award-winning DewesoftX software, which offers a simple and very intuitive configuration process, plays a key role in this. "Setting up the measurement technology is usually a challenging task in such development work", objects Christian Stöber, "but here Dewesoft convinced us. We were pleasantly surprised at how uncomplicated, quick and intuitive the application is."
Conclusion
In the end, it is a matter of the finest adjustments before the M5 manages the seemingly impossible. The combustion engine analysis shows that the work of the engineers at Infinitas' Hurricane manufacturing has paid off. For months, large and small adjusting screws were changed by hand, mechanical changes were made, and the software was fine-tuned: It has now been proven that the tuned vehicle delivers what it promises. It is the fastest road-legal sedan in the world that can be driven outside of racetracks, deserts, and dry salt lakes.
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