Customizing DYNO-MAX's Consoles.

Although much planning went into the layout of DYNO-MAX’s default console designs, individual operators will have some unique requirements that “one size fits all” can’t address. Even without using the “Pro” versions Console Design Editor, it is easy to tune many of the console set up parameters to better match the type of engine and tests you plan to do. Unless you are still in the early stages of learning DYNO-MAX, you’ll want to optimize most of the settings mentioned below for your specific application.

Each console gauge offers user configurable parameters for channel and formula assignment (up to three individual needles per single gauge), the minimum and maximum scaling ranges, tick mark spacing, display units, and title text labels. Gauge alarm set points include control over each alarm’s attention grabbing color changes, control actions, and/or voice alerts.

The Console’s Trace Chart can be set up to real-time graph the specific combination of lines you want to view. Scaling of the chart's Y-axis, grid lines, displayed time range, and X-axis label also take only seconds to change. Even the number of lines on the bar gauge can be altered to logically match the engine you are running. It’s even possible to capture and display synchronized video camera data right on the standard consoles.

Many of the Console Buttons’ initial positions can be defined and their default text labels overwritten. The recording/playback rates are adjustable. Plus, Smart Record and several preference settings provide an almost programming language type control over automated recording start/stop points and file handling behavior.

“Pro” version users may also select from several different console layouts, targeted to specific types of testing. Or, fire up the Console Design editor -using the “Tools – Options – Console Design Editor…” menu choice.

A full screen layout editor opens (shown above). Notice that DYNO-MAX “Pro” Console Design Editor adds its own special tool bar. Use it for adding new objects -gauges, buttons, charts, and more. The objects allow drag ’n drop placement and resizing via controls along their outline borders. You double-click on any object to open a context sensitive control panel for that object type.

For example: The Analog Gauge’s settings control precision object positioning and sizing, border style (rectangle, rounded corner, circular, thin/fat, color selection, etc.), meter position, scale arc, tick length, text label positioning with font color/style attributes, and the background color. Even needle control right down to shape and individual multi-needle color are user selectable.

There are too many tweaking features available to cover here, but online instructions are available from anywhere within the editor. Just press the F1 key to open a context sensitive help window. As you start building custom consoles, do keep these tips in mind:

Question of the Month...?

“How can I monitor the exhaust during high power dyno tests without melting down all my the sensors?”

There are several types of exhaust measurements commonly taken during engine and chassis dynamometer tests. So, let's look at solutions for a few of them:

Lambda and wide band O2 AFR sensors are inherently designed to handle the kinds of temperatures present during most gasoline powered dynamometer tests. Consequently its usually just a matter of routing the sensor's wiring away from the heat. Although screwing the sensor into the bottom of the pipe keeps the leads the coolest, this is not the preferred location for protecting the sensor element from damaging water vapor. So, the best compromise is usually to come off the upper section of the pipe at about 2 or 10 o'clock. This helps get the delicate pigtail and connections away from the hottest areas.

For exhaust pressure readings, you need to do more than just screw in a pressure transducer. Most of these devices will quickly fail when closely coupled to 1,000+ degree Fahrenheit exhaust gasses. Some form of pre-cooling is a must if you want long term reliability.

A cooling coil, like the one shown in the picture at right, is a great way of providing both temperature and vibration isolation for exhaust back pressure or turbo charger turbine pressure readings. The coil has lots of exposed surface area that quickly drops the inside gas and mechanical coupling temperature to levels most sensors can handle.

It is easy to fabricate such a coil yourself from stainless steel fittings and tubing. Or, you can purchase the ready made -12 to +22 psig Exhaust Pressure Transducer kit (shown in above photo) – DYNOmite part #436-022.

If you plan to use a portable 5-gas exhaust analyzer you should have less to worry about. Most include a probe and vacuum pump to draw the hot exhaust gas sample out of the vehicle's tailpipe or the dynamometer's exhaust system. That sample is naturally cooled as it passes though the long length of hose and filtering system, so that nothing extra needs to be assembled. Periodically cleaning these filters and following the analyzers routine maintenance guidelines is all that's required to keep the analyzer operational. Even with a 5-gas analyzer you should also use a separate AFR module. While both may provide Lambda data, an 02 Sensor mounted close to the engine's head pipe is much quicker responding under transient testing scenarios. That's because it avoids the extra time lag introduced by the tailpipe, sniffer hose, and filter volumes.

Staying cool!

Keeping the cell temperatures under control is a challenge during any type of dynamometer testing. Chassis dyno installations though present extra hurdles when you are trying to keep things cool. On most vehicles, the stock exhaust system will be more restrictive than what is typically used in a dyno cell. The extra back pressure increases the internal air density inside the muffler and exhaust plumbing, helping the thermal transfer process, and undesirably heating the test cell and the underside of the stationary vehicle both bad. The better designed engine dynamometer cells also locate the mufflers and most of the discharge piping in a separate room or at least in an insulated enclosure. This reduces the amount of heat radiating surface area that the engine cell's fans must battle.

The vehicle's radiator during a chassis dynamometer pull dumps all of its substantial heat right into the test bay. Even the engine fan that moves the air generates heat into the room -while stealing the power to do so from the energy delivered into the dyno. In contrast, an engine test cell is usually equipped with a cooling tower heat exchanger that uses a water pipe to carry the waste heat quickly away with minimal transfer into the room.

Other heat producing sources such as automatic torque converters, transmissions, u-joints, rear axles, and the tire to roll interface do not even enter into the equation for most plain engine testing dynamometers. No matter how you do the math, there is a lot of heat to contend with when you power test a vehicle without highway speed air velocities helping us out.

So, we need fans -probably several fans. While one huge diameter wind tunnel like fan blowing air from the front of the bay would be cool, pun intended, its not too practical. Simulating true road speed wind velocities across the entire frontal area of a passenger car or truck is extremely expensive. Figure on moving over 500,000 CFM and requiring 100+ Hp. Selectively cooling just the local hot spots and then more gently moving all of the hot air away from the engine bay is much more cost effective.

To do that, plan on a big (42+") diameter axial fan (or the equivalent 13,000+ CFM free air movement) at the back end of the bay. This will be the low velocity mass air mover to keep ambient temperatures in check and to purge fumes from any tiny exhaust leaks. The actual tailpipe exhaust needs to be routed though high temperature flexible ducting completely out of the area.

At the engine end of the bay, a higher velocity turbo axial fan of about 10,000 CFM should be used to blow air into the vehicle's radiator grill work. For turbocharged applications one or more higher velocity "leaf blower" style units should be directed at the intercooler(s). Down under, a series of adjustable discharge radial blowers work well to cool mufflers, cats, and turbo housings.

All of this assumes that the bay doors are wide open at each end. If you restrict the air flow by substituting louvers for open doors, the required fan horsepower soars, as you must overcome the static pressure drop across those far more restrictive louvers. Also, when you cut the fan requirements close like this, even a gentle breeze back towards the building can stall the outward flow of air!

Customer Spotlight

Excelleration, LLC

...called upon Land & Sea, late in 2005 to assist in bringing their new inertia dynamometers to the high performance engine building market. The role that Land and Sea was asked to play in the development of the Revolution Inertia Dynamometer was to provide the most up-to-date user-friendly data acquisition system available to the engine builder. The “well thought out” design of the software allowed Excelleration to adapt the system to fit their needs, proving that the Land and Sea data acquisition system is the best choice for collecting any engine data.

Excelleration was created by several business partners involved in the racing industry. The goal was to provide the engine development industry with a measurement tool that was different than any other available on the market. Developing a machine that could accurately simulate the load that an engine actually experiences during on track activity was an advantage Excelleration felt necessary for engine performance gains.

An engine on the Revolution Inertia Dyno accelerates against a rotating mass. Measuring the elapsed time to accelerate the engine from a starting rpm to an ending rpm is the basic principle behind the Revolution. By reducing this elapsed time, the performance of the engine improved. Varying the amount of mass engaged to the engine or changing the “quick change” gears through the patented Revolution Inertia Dynamometer concept allows the user to broaden the testing parameters that the engine can be tested within. These two design characteristics greatly enhance the usability of the Revolution Inertia Dynamometer.

With the assistance of Land & Sea, Excelleration, LLC has manufactured an engine performance testing tool that is significantly different than any other. The user friendly software and simplicity of the harness system allowed Excelleration to adapt the data acquisition to the Revolution Inertia Dynamometer.

PO Box 96 North Salem, NH 03073

Contact Us…

Land & Sea, Inc.
PO Box 96
North Salem, NH 03073
(603) 329-5645

www.land-and-sea.com

sales@land-and-sea.com

or visit your

DYNOmite Users' Forum

www.land-and-sea.com/forums

Making Money… this time for your customers!

Land & Sea is offering contingency prize money as a proud sponsor of the National Speed Association's exciting heads-up, Pro Stock Asphalt snowmobile drag racing circuit. Sleds in the NSA range from 1,000cc to 1,500cc and have highly modified engines which make anywhere from 225 to over 330 horsepower! These lightweight bullets shoot down the quarter mile in 8 seconds at speeds of over 150mph and they are awesome to watch!

The National Speed Association brings together riders from all over the United States and Canada to give them a venue in which to showcase their talents on their high performance rides. NSA is a self-governing organization with its own set of technical and safety rules developed from the International Hot Rod Association asphalt snowmobile division.

With several veteran snowmobile drag racers behind the NSA program, the goal in 2006 is to promote and maintain as many races as possible. This series will be in its 2nd season in 2006 and will continue into subsequent years given the numerous growth possibilities that asphalt racing offers to both racers and their fans alike.

For more information on qualifying for the contingency prize money, or to read additional details about this up and coming sport check out the association's web-site at:

www.nationalspeedassociation.com