Estudo da otimização topológica de uma válvula de admissão

Abstract

The automotive industry is constantly seeking solutions to increase the energy efficiency of internal combustion engines, with weight reduction of components being a crucial factor. This work aims to perform the topological optimization (TO) of an intake valve using the Finite Element Method (FEM) to reduce its mass without compromising structural integrity. The modeling and numerical simulations were developed in Ansys software, using the properties of 4Cr10Si2Mo steel. The optimization process analyzed different levels of mass retention, ranging from 80% to 20% of the original volume. The results demonstrated that the model with 25% mass retention was the most efficient, keeping stresses below the allowable stress of 22 MPa and providing a total mass reduction of 65.2% in the valve, resulting in a final part weighing 5,971 g. Additionally, modal analysis indicated natural frequencies between 0.174 Hz and 6,501 Hz, eliminating the risk of resonance with the motor’s operating frequency (50 Hz). Finally, economic analysis showed that the mass reduction provides a direct and proportional financial saving in the acquisition of raw materials, demonstrating an industrial potential to be explored with the optimized model.