DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF CERAMIC

COATED ALUMINIUM ALLOY PISTON

Final review
Date:23.06.2017

Guided by, submitted by,

Mr. A. Velladurai, T.G. Thiyagarajan,
Asst. Professor, Reg. No: 310315402016
Manufacturing engg., ME CAD/CAM,
Cipet, Chennai-32. Cipet, Chennai-32.
 Abstract
In a conventional internal combustion engine the small portion of the total energy produced is
converted to useful work. More than half of this energy is expelled from the system through
frictional losses, cooling the engine components, exhaust etc. The sum of these losses is
termed as energy loss for the engine. The most effective way of increasing the percentage of
useful work is to reduce the energy loss. One way of reducing the energy loss or increasing the
efficiency of the engine is by using thermal barrier coatings on various parts of the
combustion chamber. Ceramic materials are most commonly used as thermal barrier coating
materials. Coating of these parts by a ceramic with low thermal conductivity keeps the heat in
the combustion chamber and hence increases the temperature. The higher the temperature in
the chamber increases efficiency of the engine, but requires higher temperature components.
Ceramics materials have high temperature resistance and offer an excellent coating surface to
reduce the amount of degradation and extend the life. The temperature distribution in piston is
crucial parameter influence the thermal stresses and deformations. In the present work the
temperature distribution on the piston top surface is investigated by using finite element
analysis. Thermal analyses of Mullite, Yttria-stabilized Zirconia and Magnesia-stabilized
zirconia coated piston and the results are compared with uncoated piston. The 3-D model of
the piston is generated in the software Catia and the analysis carried out in the software Ansys.
 Aim & Objective

To increase the surface temperature of the piston and to reduce the

substrate temperature of the piston by coating thermal barrier over the
top surface of the piston.

To improve in service performance internal combustion engine

components.
 COATING MATERIALS

Thermal barrier coatings are duplex systems, consisting of a ceramic topcoat and a
metallic intermediate bond coat. The topcoat consists of ceramic material whose
function is to reduce the temperature of the underlying, less heat resistant metal part.
The bond coat is designed to protect the metallic substrate from oxidation and corrosion
and promote the ceramic topcoat adherence[11].
 COATING MATERIALS

Thermal barrier coating defined as low thermal conductivity material coating which improves the
pistons performance by decreasing non inflamed hydro carbons and heat loses. Due to low
thermal conductivity of TBC, thermal barrier coating increase the temperature of the piston and
makes the piston to operate or withstand at higher temperature. TBC does not need cooling as
soon as metals due to their higher thermal durability. Thermal properties of substrate, bond coat
and top coat are tabulated.
Thermal Conductivity Thermal expansion [10-6
Material Specific Heat [J/kgoC]
[W/mK] K ]
-1

Piston
155 21 910
(Aluminium alloy)

Bond coat
16.1 12 764
(NiCrAl)

Mullite 3.3 5.3 1260

Y-PSZ 2.12 10.7 620

Mg-PSZ 0.8 8 650

 DESIGN OF PISTON
Design consideration for Piston
In designing a piston for I.C. Engine, the following points should be taken into
consideration:
It should have enormous strength to withstand the high gas pressure and inertia forces.
It should have minimum mass to minimise the inertia forces.
It should form an effective gas and oil sealing of the cylinder.
It should disperse the heat of combustion quickly to the cylinder walls.
It should have high speed reciprocation without noise.
It should be sufficient rigid construction to withstand thermal and mechanical
distortion.
It should have sufficient support for the piston pin
 Design Data
The Engine Specifications are given below.

Kirloskar DM10 Single Cylinder Water-cooled Four

Engine Classification
Stroke Direct Injection Engine

Bore (mm) 102

Stroke (mm) 116

Max power (KW) @ rpm 7.4 @ 1500

Compression Ration 17.5:1

 DESIGN OF PISTON
Internal combustion engine piston having following parts
Head or crown
Piston rings
Skirt
Piston Pin

Piston Head or Crown

The thickness of the piston head (tH ), according to Grashoffs formula given by

..(Takingt= 50 N/mm2p=5 N/mm2)

Where p = Maximum gas pressure or explosion pressure in N/mm2 ,

D = Cylinder bore of outside diameter of the piston in mm,
t = Permissible bending (tensile) stress in MPa.
 DESIGN OF PISTON
Piston ring
Let us assume that there are 4 (i.e nr = 4) rings, 3 compression rings and a oil ring.
We know that the radial thickness of the piston rings,

..(Taking pw=0.035 N/mm2 and 90MPa)

Where D = Cylinder bore in mm,

pw = Pressure of gas on the cylinder wall in N/mm2,
t = Allowable bending (tensile) stress in MPa.

And axial thickness of the piston rings,

t2 = 0.7 t1to t1 = 0.7 x 3.5 to 3.5 = 2.45 to 3.5 mm.

 DESIGN OF PISTON
The minimum axial thickness (t2 )

..(nR=4, D = 102mm)
Where nR= Number of rings.

Let us adopt t2 = 3 mm.

The distance from the top of piston to the first groove, i.e. the width of the top land,

b1 = tH to 1.2 tH = 14 to 1.2 x 14mm = 14 to 16.8 mm

and width of other ring lands,

b2= 0.75 t2 to t2 = 0.75 x 3 to 3 mm = 2.25 to 3 mm.

 DESIGN OF PISTON

Piston Barrel
Since the radial depth of the piston ring grooves (b) is about 0.4 mm more than the
radial of the piston rings (t1), therefore,

b = t1+ 0.4 = 3.5 + 0.4 = 3.9 mm

We know that the maximum thickness of barrel,

t3 = 0.03 D + b + 4.5 mm = 0.03 x 102 + 3.9 + 4.5 = 11.4 mm

Piston Skirt
Let l = Length of the skirt in mm.
We know that maximum side thrust on the cylinder due to gas pressure(p),

..(Taking = 0.1)
 DESIGN OF PISTON

Where p= Maximum gas pressure in N/mm2, and

D = Cylinder bore in mm,

We also know that the side thrust due to bearing pressure on the piston barrel (pb),

R = pb x D x l = 0.45 x 102 x l = 46l N

..(Taking pb = 0.45 N/mm2)

Where l = length of the piston skirt in mm.

From above, we find that

46l = 4084 or l = 4084/46 = 88.7 say 90 mm

Total length of the piston,

L = Length of the skirt + Length of the ring section + Top land

= l+ (4t2+3b2) +b1= 90 + (4 x 3 + 3 x 2.6) + 16= 126 mm.
 DESIGN OF PISTON
Piston Pin

Let do = outside diameter of the pin in mm,

l1 = Length of pin in the bush of the small end of the connecting rod in mm,
pb1 = Bearing pressure at the small end of the connecting rod bushing in N/mm2.
It value for bronze bushing is taken 25 N/mm2

We know that load on the pin due to bearing pressure

= Bearing pressure x Bearing area = pb1 x do x l1

= 25 x do x 0.45 x 102 = 1147.5do N
..(Taking l1=0.45 D)
We also know that maximum load on the piston due to gas pressure or maximum gas
load
 DESIGN OF PISTON

From above, we find that

1147.5do= 40835.7 or do= 40835.7/1147.5 = 35.5 say 36 mm

The inside diameter of the pin (di) is usally taken as 0.6 do

di = 0.6 x 36 = 22 mm
Geometry
Mesh Model
Element type: Tetrahedron
Nodes:40637
Elements:20531
 Boundary Conditions

For the analysis convection is selected as a major mechanism of heat transfer. The heat
transfer problem for internal combustion engine is very complicated because of
following reasons:
Inside the cylinder the temperature of gases changes continuously.
To determine the exact value of temperature and heat transfer coefficient is not
much easy.
Piston is the main component responsible for combustion thus it subjected to high
temperature and heat transfer coefficient.

Based on Ravindra Gehlot (2016) some assumptions are to made before applying the
boundary conditions.
The effect of piston motion on the heat transfer is neglected.
The rings do not twist.
The rings and skirt are fully engulfed in oil and there are no cavitations.
The conductive heat transfer in oil film is neglected.
Thermal boundary conditions are tabulated.

Convective Heat transfer Coefficient

Region Temperature OC
(W/mm2K)

Combustion Chamber 650 800e-06

Region between piston crown and liner 300 230e-06

Rings 85 625e-06

Regions between rings 110 115e-06

Skirt Inside 110 191e-06

Piston crown underside 110 717e-06

Piston skirt outside 85 60e-06

Boundary Conditions
Thermal Analysis

Temperature Distribution
Uncoated Piston Mullite Coated Piston

Yttria stabilized Zirconia coated piston Magnesia stabilized Zirconia Coated Piston
 Temperature Distribution

Surface Temperature in OC
360

350

340

330

320 Maximum Temperature

310

300

290
Uncoated Mullite Y-PSZ Mg-PSZ
Thermal Analysis

Total Heat Flux

 Total Heat Flux

Total Heat Flux 10^6 W/mm2

1.4

1.2

0.8
Maximum Heat Flux

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
Uncoated Mullite Y-PSZ Mg-PSZ
 SEM ANALYSIS

Uncoated Sample Ceramic Coated Sample

 Hardness Test

Hardness
49

48

47

46

HV
45

44

43
Vickers Hardness Test Coated Uncoated
 Thermal Torch Test

Temperature in Celsius Temperature in Celsius

374.2
397.5

297
287.8

Uncoated Side
Back Side

135 145.5

226.4 393.2 466.1 365.3 446.9 530.3

Front Side Coated Side

Uncoated Sample Coated Sample

 Conclusion

Geometric modelling is done using CATIA with appropriate dimensions.

Thermal analyses is performed using Finite element tool ANSYS. From the above
analysis, it is clear that TBC help to increase the temperature of the piston. The
maximum temperature for top coating surface occurs throughout the piston crown
for Magnesia-stabilized zirconia. Coated piston has a significantly higher
temperature the uncoated piston. The corresponding top surface maximum
temperature for the uncoated, Mullite coated piston, Yttrium-stabilized zirconia
and Magnesia-stabilized zirconia are 311.42 OC, 324.65OC, 334.98OC and
349.95OC respectively. The maximum temperature on the top surface is observed
for Magnesia-stabilized zirconia which is about 349.5 OC. Magnesia-stabilized
zirconia coated sample has improved hardness compared to the uncoated sample.
From the flame torch test it is observed that magnesia-stabilized zirconia coated
sample has elevated temperature compared to uncoated one. Magnesia-stabilized
zirconia has similar properties of Yttrium-stabilized zirconia which is a better
candidate material for thermal barrier coating.
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