Sources for optimally sizing a sump

[xlch58]

Anybody here know of a good reference on sump design? Specifically determining the optimal size of a sump? Effect of baffling? I have scanned most of the sources I have ready to hand and can't find any coverage. I know there is some minimal cooling effect, but since the surface area rises as a square and the volume a cube, it would seem to favor a smaller sump though you would obviously want some level of thermal inertia. Cavitation issues would also merit some attention, and I would expect that depending on the oil used, sump design would effect how particulates settled out (depending on the total design that might or might not be a desired effect). Any body here seen any good sources?

 

[ivymike]

what application have you got in mind? a car?

you probably don't want to plan to collect sludge in your pan - better to put it in the filter.

you do want to have few enough "turns" of the sump volume to allow deaeration of the oil.

another key driver is the oil change interval you'd like to advertise. On many industrial & transportation diesels, that factor drives the sump size upward more than any other contributor (packaging & cost push down).

 

[xlch58]

Small air cooled aircraft engine specifically. I am sure that I could arrive at an answer empirically just by looking at what else has worked, but am now interested in the topic more generally.

Charles

 

[ivymike]

dry sump, I assume?

 

[xlch58]

I am currently working several projects, but one in particular, the engine currently is a wet sump, but for various reasons I am flipping it over so will likely go to a dry sump. In that case, I would ensure that I had at least the same volume as before, but it exposes an area of ignorance for me, so now I have an itch to read up on it. I have a feeling that it is one of those many areas where the answer is contained in small nuggets distributed across multiple sources. Its just not sexy like valve geometry, rod design I guess.

Charles

 

[evelrod]

Oh good grief!

For reliability, fit the LARGEST oil tank possible/practical within the aircraft's framework.

For production cost, fit the SMALLEST tank that will still get the job done within FAA safety limitations.

That seems simple enough for dry sump.

Wet sump aircraft, e.g., a replica F2 with a 350 SBC are about and, look, sound great...just make sure don't do any positive g pushovers or any (-: !!!

Rod