Abstract: Hydraulic engine mount (HEM) is a highly effective vibration isolator, and is widely used in automotive powertrain. A lumped parameter model is a traditional model for modeling the dynamic characteristics of the HEM, and the system parameters in the model are usually obtained by experiments. A fluid structure interaction (FSI) finite element analysis (FEA) model is established for the dynamic analysis of an HEM with an inertia track and a free decoupler. The static and dynamic characteristics of the HEM are predicted with the FSI FEA model and the results are compared favorably with experimental data. Calculated results of the time histories of some variables in the model, such as the pressure in upper chamber and the displacement of free decoupler under different excitations, elucidate the working mechanism of the HEM. Only stress versus strain relations of the rubber materials, the fluid physical parameters and the HEM’s sizes are needed for the simulation of a HEM with the FSI FEA model, and no prototype mounts or parts need to be prefabricated in the design stages, thus greatly reducing mount design time.

Key words: Automotive powertrain, Dynamic simulation, Fluid structure interaction FEA, Hydraulic engine mount