Multi-Consumer Oil System Modeling
Model all oil consumers — jets, lash adjusters, cam-phasers, turbo leakage, and more — within one system-level simulation.
Solutions
Lubrication System Performance
Transform 3D CAD oil circuits into predictive 1D flow models with GT-SUITE. Optimize pressure distribution, priming dynamics, thermal warm-up, and bearing performance for maximum engine durability.
FROM 3D CAD FILE TO 1D FLOW MODEL
GT-SUITE enables engineers to build predictive 1D flow models directly from 3D CAD oil circuit geometry using the GEM3D pre-processor, which semi-automatically discretizes the CAD file into pipes and flowsplits, significantly reducing model build time and manual dimensioning errors.
Steady-state analysis predicts pressure, flow rate, and temperature distribution throughout the oil circuit, supporting pump sizing and ensuring adequate flow to all consumers. Transient analysis extends this capability to simulate system priming and filling, resonance and wave dynamics, energy loss over a driving or duty cycle, thermal warm-up, and integration with cooling system models. Unlike competing tools that rely on an electrical analogy approach, GT-SUITE solves for flow and pressure using momentum equations, providing greater accuracy under transient and unsteady flow conditions. Mass and species are tracked throughout the system, giving GT-SUITE a further advantage in modeling air transport and aeration. Individual oil system components can be studied in detail, including automated model building for vane and gerotor style pumps, bearings modeled using the fast-running Mobility method or detailed finite element approaches, cam phasers, and hydraulic lash adjusters
Lubrication System Simulation
- Steady state pressure, flow and temperature distribution in oil system
- Transient analysis for cold start priming, driving cycle simulation and thermal warm-up
- Easy integration with cranktrains and valvetrains for bearing load predictions
- Automated system and pump model building from 3D CAD file to 1D flow model
- Multiple bearing modeling options: Mobility method, FE HD and EHD methods
- Accurate wave dynamics based on Navier-Stokes equations
- Conservation of Mass, Momentum, Energy and Species
Advanced Modeling Features
Simulate complex lubrication system behavior, from multi-consumer oil circuits to cavitation and transient aeration, with GT-SUITE’s advanced modeling tools.
Cavitation Prediction
Automatically detect cavitation when local pressure drops below vapor pressure.
Transient Aeration Modeling
Simulate free and dissolved gas entrainment to predict aeration effects over time.
Vapor & Gas Transport
Track and transport vapor and gas phases throughout the oil circuit.
Lubrication System Performance Modeling FAQ
Answers to the most common technical questions from engineers evaluating GT-SUITE for Lubrication System Performance Modeling applications
What types of lubrication systems can GT-SUITE model?
GT-SUITE covers the full range of engine lubrication system components and scenarios. Whether you are working on a steady-state flow analysis or a complex transient simulation, the platform handles it all.
How does GT-SUITE's approach differ from other lubrication modeling tools?
Most tools use a simplified electrical analogy to approximate oil flow. GT-SUITE solves the full Navier-Stokes equations using momentum based 1D CFD, meaning it captures real pressure wave dynamics, transient behavior, and air/vapor transport through the system. The result is more accurate predictions, especially during cold starts and under unsteady operating conditions.
What outputs and predictions can I get from lubrication system modeling?
GT-SUITE delivers a wide range of results, including pressure and flow rate at every point in the circuit, bearing film thickness, journal orbit, and hydrodynamic pressure, oil temperature distribution and thermal warm-up response, as well as cavitation and aeration levels throughout the system. All results are reviewed in GT-POST, where you can compare cases and plot performance across operating conditions.
Can I import CAD files to build my lubrication model?
Yes. Using the GEM3D pre-processor inside GT-ISE, you can import your existing CAD geometry and convert it into a ready-to-run 1D flow network. Supported formats include ACIS (.sab), STL (.stl), and IGES (.igs). This significantly reduces model build time, especially when working from an existing engine design.
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