
WAVE-RT

The industry's leading real-time engine simulation tool
WAVE-RT is the industry's leading real-time engine simulation tool providing faster-than-real-time plant models which don’t require any reduction in model complexity or fidelity.
How it works
WAVE-RT converts a donor WAVE model into a real-time engine model that accurately predicts crank-angle resolved engine behaviour throughout the air path and within individual cylinders. It does this through a combination of mathematical modelling based upon the quasi-propagatory model (QPM) and highly optimised code that results in a minimal reduction in model accuracy. It represents a suitable compromise between the accuracy of 1D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models (such as WAVE) and lumped parameter models. Therefore, it is a significant advancement over traditional map-based approaches.
What is it typically used for?
Developed to validate engine management systems, WAVE-RT can run on software-in-the-loop (SiL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) environments, rapid prototype control units (rCube2) and mini computers equipped with ARM processors. It facilitates the design of advanced performance, emission and carbon dioxide (CO2) control strategies, and on-board diagnostic (OBD) algorithms.
In addition, WAVE-RT can be used for virtual indicating, which provides access to states not easily measured, such as in-cylinder temperature and residual mass fraction augmenting experimental measurements.
Why use WAVE-RT?
- It is fast and accurate:
- Crank-angle resolved real-time predictions of an engine’s thermal-fluid physics:
- Modelling of individual cylinders capturing cylinder-to-cylinder variations
- Dynamic wave effects along air paths
- Global transient structure conduction
- 3-4 times faster than real-time
- Crank-angle resolved real-time predictions of an engine’s thermal-fluid physics:
- Models are just as detailed as the donor WAVE model
- No geometry simplification needed
- No limit on the number of elements or cylinders
- Works with all fuels – diesel, gasoline and gas fuels
- Standard turbomachinery
- Fixed geometry compressors
- Variable geometry turbines
- Twin scroll turbines
- Semi-predictive multi-Wiebe combustion model
- SI Predictive combustion model
- Predictive injection driven diesel combustion model
- Real-time spark ignition (SI) knocking model
- Integrates with other tools
- Export real-time engine models from a full WAVE ‘donor’ model directly from WaveBuild or R-Desk
- Exported C code is American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and Motor Industry Software Reliability Association (MISRA) compliant
- FMU export
- MATLAB®/Simulink® S-function
Our insights


Using simulation to improve calibration efficiency
White paper
Reaching net-zero with Ricardo Software
Conference
Vision of using WAVE and WAVE-RT in virtual development, calibration and validation
Conference
Modeling Transient Control of a Turbogenerator on a Drive Cycle
Technical paper