Piston, Piston Rings and Piston Pins

Main Functions
- transmission of gas force
- kinematics guidance
- sealing (together with the piston rings) of the crankcase against
combustion gas, and the combustion chamber against oil
- support for sealing rings (piston rings)
- limit and design of the combustion chamber
The piston is subject to stress through:
-

gas and mass forces

heat flow of the combustion chamber
frictional forces at the shaft and in the ring grooves
movements perpendicular to the running direction ("tilt)

The good design and construction must guarantee:

- sufficient strength with as little mass as possible
- permissible temperatures through design (heat flow), material and
cooling
- correct running clearance for all load levels
- quiet operation with limited tilt

Setup and Dimensions

- Compression height CH influences the overall height of the engine. It is

determined
by the height and overall number of the piston rings.
- Piston pin length PL is dimensioned such that there is adequate space
for I-ing-type retainers.

Mechanical Stress of the Piston

- caused by gas and mass forces that affect directly atop the piston,
their reaction forces in the piston pin boss and skirt, and frictional
forces

- The piston pin support is often designed as a moulded hole with pockets
on the side to anticipate the tendency of the piston pin to become oval
under stress; this design will allow a 20 % higher load carrying capacity.

- During the course of a working cycle, the piston frequently changes

its contact side.
- The greatest lateral forces occur during the expansion cycle shortly
after TDC and lead to an intense contact change from the 'minor thrust
face' to the 'major thrust face'.
- Mechanical noises and increased wear of piston, rings, and bearing
surface are the consequences of this severe "slap".

- By offsetting the piston pin axis, an additional couple can be obtained

at the piston
providing an improved lateral force behaviour. An offset (0.5 to 2% of D)
to the "major
thrust side" causes the piston to contact the major thrust side prior to
TDC, and therefore the piston slap noise can be reduced

Thermal Stress of the Piston

- The piston is a component that is exposed to the high amounts of
thermal stress.
- the piston surface power is often used as a measurement of thermal
stress.
- The piston surface power output is defined as the effective power
output per cylinder, PeZ max relative to the piston surface AK.

Pme - brake mean effective pressure pme

Cm - mean piston velocity

np - Rated speed
i combustion

cycle per revolution

Ak Piston area

- The piston surface power output is therefore proportional to Cm and Pme, which
are the major influence on the average heat flux density.
- The temperatures in the piston are determined by the operating method and
combustion process, the type of engine cooling, the engine size, the engine load,
and the piston design itself can have influencing effects.
- The temperatures are higher for diesel engines than for comparable gasoline
engines.
-For light-alloy pistons, the temperature level is lower than that for grey cast iron
pistons.
-The highest temperatures occur in the centre of the piston head.

- To compensate for this thermal deformation, the piston is processed slightly

crowned or conical

Piston Materials

- Some of these requirements (2, 4, 5, 6) are well met by aluminum alloys

containing silicon
- Their disadvantage is a high coefficient of linear expansion

Piston Designs
Single-Metal Pistons (Full-Skirt Pistons)
- The simplest pistons are made of one piece and have no fittings made out of a
second material.
- Cooling is accomplished through the piston rings, piston skirt, cylinder liner,
and splash-oil from the crankcase.
- mainly used for simple small gasoline and diesel engines, and medium-sized low
power diesel engines.
Compensating Pistons
- Compensating pistons are made of light-alloy, and have cast-in inserts to
influence the thermal expansion behaviour.
- Since the steel inserts and the light alloy are tightly connected, they influence
each other during thermal expansion.

Cooled Pistons
- The higher the thermal stress (heat flux density, piston surface power output) and
the larger the piston diameter (heat conduction path), the higher the temperatures
and the larger the temperature variations become.

- A simple method consists of cooling the piston head with an oil spray of a fixed
nozzle or one located in the connecting-rod eye
- forced cooling, during which the oil is supplied to the cooling channels via channels
in the connecting rod, piston pin, or through telescopic tubes

Medium and Large Engines:

- The cooling coil piston offers the possibility of force cooling in medium-sized engines.
Cooling oil is supplied into the steel coil and cast into the light-alloy piston via the
connecting rod and the piston pin.

- For engines that are subject to maximum thermal stress, assembled pistons are
used, which consist of two parts that bolted together
- For large engines, assembled pistons that include water cooling are used