Computer-Aided Simulation of Piston and Piston Ring Dynamics

A numerical computer simulation program was developed, aiding in finding optimum design parameters in the multibody-system piston, piston-rings, and cylinder with respect to optimum sealing, minimal friction, and minimum noise stimulation (impact impulse). In the simulation of piston secondary movement and piston ring motion, forces arising from the combustion process, subsonic/supersonic gas flow between the combustion chamber and the crank case, inertial forces and forces resulting from the hydrodynamic lubrication between cylinder liner and piston shaft and piston rings and between piston ring flanks and piston grooves are considered. In addition it is possible to account for effects of global, three-dimensional ring deformation as well as local piston deformation, roughness effects in lubricated contacts, and variable viscosity and variable oil supply. The governing differential equations for the pressure as well as the deformation are solved via finite element techniques, while initial value problems are solved by efficient implicit time integration schemes. The application of the developed computer code is presented in examples.