BBC/PISTON/GE

PISTON


PISTON MATERIAL

LIGHT & STRONG, CONDUCT HEAT WELL, EXPAND ONLY
SLIGHTLY, RESIST WEAR & LOW IN COST.

EARLIER MADE OF CAST IRON, TODAY ALLOY CAST IRON
WHICH OFFERS GREATER HEAT RESISTANCE & BETTER
WEARING QUALITIES.

ALUMINIUM ALLOY ARE LIGHT WEIGHT, USED IN HIGH
SPEED ENGINES TO REDUCE INERTIA FORCE.

THEY EXPAND CONSIDERABLY WHEN HEATED.

COMPOSITE PISTONS : FORGED STEEL CROWNS & CAST
IRON SKIRTS USED IN LARGE ENGINES.FOR STRENGTH &
HEAT RESISTANCE IN UPPER SECTION, GOOD WEARING
PROPERTIES OF CAST IRON IN THE LOWER SECTION.

CONSTRUCTION

THE PISTONWITH ITS RINGS , SEALS THE CYLINDER &
TRANSMITS THE GAS PRESSURE TO THE CONNECTING
ROD.

IT ABSORBS HEAT FROM GAS, WHICH SHOULD BE
CARRIED AWAY.

IN LARGE TWO-STROKE ENGINES , PISTONS ARE COOLED
BY OIL OR WATER.






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THE CROWN IS MADE WITH SLIGHT TAPER TO TAKE CARE
OF EXPANSION, & CARRIES COMPRESSION RINGS.

SKIRT TAKES SIDE THRUST OF CONNECTING ROD &
PREVENTS ROCKING OF PISTON , & CARRIES LOWER SET
OF OIL CONTROL RINGS. THEY REMOVE EXCESS OIL
FROM THE LINER.

PISTON SKIRT BECOMES THINNER ON THE LOWER SIDE.
INTERIOR RIBS ARE USED TO STIFFEN THE SKIRT OF CAST
PISTONS.

THE RUNNING CLEARANCE BETWEEN SKIRT & LINER
MUST BE SMALL.
PISTON COOLING FOR TRUNK PISTON

MEDIUM IS LUB OIL.

LUB OIL IS FORCED THROUGH THE HOLLOW
CONNECTING RODTO THE UPPER END OF THE ROD.

PART OF THE OIL LUBRICATES THE GUDGEON PIN
BEARING, & REMAINDER PASSES THROUGH THE NOZZLE
IN THE END OF THE ROD & SPRAYS AGAINST THE
UNDERSIDE OF THE PISTON CROWN.
AFTER ABSORBING HEAT FROM THE METAL, THE OIL DRIPS
DOWN THE PISTON & FALLS BACK TO THE CRANKCASE.
THE OIL CIRCULATES THROUGH AN ENCLOSED SPACE
UNDER THE CROWN.
OIL IS CONDUCTED FROM THE CONNECTING ROD BOTTOM-
END UP A PSSAGE INTO THE ROD & SO INTO THE PISTON PIN
THROUGH PASSAGES IN THE PISTON PIN AND TO THE
COOLING COIL IN PISTON.
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IT CIRCULATES THROUGH THE PISTON BOSS THEN
PISTON PIN & RETURNS DOWN THE ROD BY A SIMILAR
PASSAGE AS THAT OF SUPPLY.
PISTON FOR LARGE CROSSHEAD- TYPE MAIN ENGINE

PISTON IS CAST OF HEAT RESISTING ALLOY STEEL
CONTAINING CHROMIUM & MOLYBDENUM TO MAINTAIN
STRENGTH AT HIGH TEMP & RESIST CORROSION.

THE PISTON CROWN IS THIN TO ENSURE ADEQUATE
COOLING & STRONG ENOUGH TO RESIST THE HIGH
PRESSURE GAS LOAD.

IT IS SHAPED TO ASSIST FLOW DIRECTION OF GASES
DURING SCAVENGING, & IS SUPPORTED & FURTHER
COOLED BY INTERNAL RIBS.

THE CYLINDRICAL WALL OF THE PISTON IS SHAPED
INTERNALLY TO ENSURE COOLING BUT IS THICKENED TO
ACCOMMODATE THE PISTON GROOVES .

THE EXTERNAL SHAPE IS TAPERED SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE
TOP RING GROOVE TO ALLOW SOME DISTORTION DURING
COMBUSTION CONDITIONS.

THERE ARE FIVE PISTON RING GROOVES EACH OF WHICH
HAS ITS LOWER WEAR SURFACE CHROMIUM PLATED TO
RESIST WEAR.

THE PISTON IS WATER COOLED INTERNALLY WITH
FRESH WATER WHICH ENTERS & LEAVES THROUGH
RECIPROCATING PIPES & GLANDS.

THE WATER OUTLET IN THE PISTON IS SET NEAR THE
CROWN TO ENSURE THAT THE PISTON REMAINS FULL OF
WATER AT ALL TIMES.
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DRAINAGE CONNECTIONS ARE MADE FROM THE WATER
GLANDS TO PREVENT ANY WATER LEAKAGE FROM
ENTERING THE CYLINDER OR CRANKCASE.

THE PISTON COOLING SPACE IS CLOSED BY A BOLTED
COVER FITTED WITH RUBBER SEAL RINGS TO PREVENT
LEAKAGE.

RUBBER SEAL RINGS ARE ALSO FITTED AT THE
ATTACHMENTS OF RECIPROCATING COOLING PIPES &
BETWEEN PISTON & THE PISTON ROD FLANGE.

A SHORT CAST IRON PISTON SKIRT IS SECURED BETWEEN
THE PISTON ROD FLANGE & THE UNDERSIDE OF THE
PISTON A SPIGOT & RUBBER RING SEALING THIS
JUNCTION.

THE SKIRT IS UNCOOLED & ACTS AS A GUIDE WITHIN THE
LINER.

IT HAS TWO LEADED BRONZE WEARING RINGS CAULKED
INTO GROOVES TO PREVENT POSSIBLE DAMAGE
BETWEEN SKIRT & LINER.

THE LOWER EDGE OF THE SKIRT ALSO REDUCES LOSS OF
SCAVENGE AIR TO EXHAUST PORTS.

FRESH WATER COOLING HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF
GREATER THERMAL CAPACITY THAN OIL. IT MAY ALSO
SUSTAIN HIGHER OUTLET TEMP.

INHIBITORS ARE NECESSARY TO PREVENT CORROSION IN
THE SYSTEM & ADEQUATE VENTING MUST BE
MAINTAINED.

LEAKAGE FROM SEALS IS A PROBLEM.

BBC/PISTON/GE
PISTON
Manufacturing and materials

Materials
Piston crowns attain a running temperature of about
450oC and in this zone there is a need for high
strength and minimum distortion in order to
maintain resistance to gas loads and maintain the
attitude to the rings in relation to the liner.
The heat flow path from the crown must be uniform
otherwise thermal distortion will cause a non-
circular piston resulting in reduced running
clearance or even possible contact with the liner
wall.
In addition to this thermal stress they are also
subject to compressive stress from combustion and
compression loads, as well as inertial loads.
Materials such as pearlitic, flake and spheroidal cast
iron, alloy cast irons containing Nickel and
chromium, and aluminium alloys may be used.
The determining factor is the design criteria for the
engine.
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PISTON
For a modern slow speed engine steel forging
or castings of nickel-chrome steel or
molybdenum steel are common. The weight of
the material is not normally a governing factor
in this type of engine although resistance to
thermal stress and distortion is. Efficient
cooling is a required to ensure the piston
retains sufficient strength to prevent distortion.
For medium and high speed engines the weight
of the material becomes important to reduce
the stresses on the rotating parts. The high
thermal conductivity of aluminium alloys
allied to its low weight makes this an ideal
material. To keep thermal stresses to a
reasonable level cooling pipes may be cast into
the crown, although this may be omitted on
smaller engines. Where cooling is omitted, the
crown is made thicker both for strength and to
aid in the heat removal from the outer surface.
Hard landings are inserted into the ring groves
to keep wear rated down. Composite pistons
may be used consisting of an cast alloy steel
crown with an aluminium-alloy or cast iron
body.
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PISTON
Annealing
After casting or forging the
component is formed of
different material thicknesses.
The thinner parts will cool more
quickly thereby setting up
internal stresses. Annealing
removes or reduces these stress
as well as refining the grain
structure.
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PISTON
Water Cooled
High specific heat capacity therefore
removes more heat per unit volume
Requires chemical conditioning
treatment to prevent scaling
Larger capacity cooling water pump
or separate piston cooling pump and
coolers although less so than with oil
Special piping required to get
coolant to and from piston without
leak
Coolant drains tank required to
collect water if engine has to be
drained.
Pistons often of more complicated
design
Cooling pumps may be stopped
more quickly after engine stopped
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PISTON
Oil Cooled
Low specific heat capacity
Does not require chemical treatment
but requires increased separate and
purification plant
Larger capacity Lube oil pump,
sump quantity and coolers
No special means required and
leakage not a problem with less risk
of hammering and bubble
impingement.
Increased capacity sump tank
required Thermal stresses in piston
generally less in oil cooled pistons
Large volumes of oil required to
keep oxidation down and extended
cooling period required after engine
stopped to prevent coking of oil
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PISTON
Wear rings
Wear rings are found on some slow
speed engines employing loop or
cross flow scavenging although they
may be found in most designs.
They are made of a low coefficient
of friction material and serves two
main purposes. To provide a rubbing
surface and to prevent contact
between the hot upper surfaces of
the piston and the liner wall.
In trunk piston engines wear rings to
negate the distortion effect caused by
the interference fit of the gudgeon
pin .
The ring may be inserted in two
pieces into the groove then lightly
caulked in with good clearance
between the ends.
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PISTON
B&W LMC oil cooled piston


The piston has a concave top. This is near self
supporting and reduces the need for internal
ribbing. It prevents the cyclic distortion of the top
when under firing load. This distortion can lead to
fatigue and cracking
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PISTON
Pistons may be cooled by oil or water.
Oil has the advantage that it may be
supplied simply from the lubrication
system up the piston rod.
Its disadvantage are that maximum
temperatures is relatively low in order to
avoid oxidised deposits which build up on
the surfaces.
In addition the heat capacity of oil is much
lower than that of water thus a greater flow
is required and so pumps and pipework
must be larger.
Also, if the bearing supply oil is used as is
mainly the case a greater capacity sump is
required with more oil in use.
Water does not have these problems, but
leakage into the crankcase can cause
problems with the oil (such as Micro Biol-
Degradation).
The concave or dished piston profile is
used for most pistons because it is stronger
than the flat top for the same section
thickness
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PISTON
Sulzer watercooled piston (RND)
Increasing section thickness would result in higher
thermal stress.
Sulzer piston require a flat top because of the
scavenging and exhaust flow arrangement (loop
scavenging of RND etc). in order to avoid thicker
sections internal support ribs are used.
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PISTON
However these ribs cause problems
in that coolant flow is restricted.
The flow of water with an RD
piston is directed to and from the
piston by telescopic pipes.
The outlet is positioned higher than
the inlet within the cooling cavity
and on the opposite side of the
support rib in order to ensure
positive circulation.
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PISTON
With highly rated engines overheating
occurred in stagnant flow areas between
the ribs and so a different form of
cooling was required.
The cocktail shaker effect has air as well
as water in the cooling cavity as the
piston reciprocates water washes over
the entire inner surface of the piston just
as in a cocktail shaker.
Unfortunately air bubbles become
trapped in the water and flow to outlet
reducing the air content and removing
the cocktail shaker effect.
To avoid this problem air must be
supplied to the piston some engine
builders use air pumps feeding air to the
inlet flow.
The sulzer engine allows air to be drawn
into the flow at a specially designed
telescopic transfer system.
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PISTON
The telescopic arrangement is designed
to prevent leakage and allows air to be
drawn into the coolant flow to maintain
the cocktail shaker effect.
Consider the inlet telescopic, a double
nozzle unit is fitted to the top of the
standpipe.
Small holes allow connection from the
main seal to the space between the
nozzles.
Water flowing through the lower nozzle
is subject to pressure reduction and a
velocity increase.
The space between the nozzles is
therefore at a lower pressure than other
parts of the system.
Any water which leaks past the main seal
is drawn through the radial holes into the
low pressure region and hence back into
the coolant flow.
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PISTON
The pumping action of the telescopic
draws air past the lower seal and this
is also drawn through the radial
holes into the coolant flow.
This maintains the air quantity in
the piston and so maintains the
cocktail shaker effect.
The sulzer water cooled piston
differs from that of the Oil cooled
variety by the method it uses for
distributing the cooling medium.
In this case the piston is not
continually flooded but instead
contains a level governed by the
outlet weir.
Cooling of the crown occurs during
change of direction at the top of the
stroke by so called 'Cocktail shaker'
action.
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PISTON
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PISTON
Composite pistons
With medium speed and higher speed engines considerable
inertia forces are placed on the conn rod and bearings as
the piston changes direction at the ends of the stroke. The
amount of force is a factor of the speed and rotating mass.
To reduce this force whilst maintaining the same engine
speed it is necessary to reduce this rotating mass.
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PISTON
Aluminium, with its lower density
than steel is used when alloyed with
silicon for extra strength.
Even alloyed the aluminium has less
mechanical strength than the steel,
therefore damage is possible due to
gas pressure acting on crown and
piston rings.
The piston could deform sufficiently
to prevent proper operation of the
rings in their grooves.
Some engine manufacturers fit cast
iron inserts into the grooves but
more generally the piston is made in
two parts with a cast steel crown
containing two grooves.
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PISTON
Aluminium has a better coefficient
of heat transfer than steel thus
overheating is not a problem.
Its lower coefficient of friction
avoids the problems of fitting bushes
for the gudgeon pin, thus a floating
gudgeon pin may be used.
The higher coefficient of expansion
could lead to the need for greater
piston/liner clearance.
However, as the main body is not
subject to the high temperatures of
combustion this expansion is not a
problem.
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PISTON
Sulzer rotating piston
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PISTON
This piston rotates as it reciprocates.
The rotation being brought about by
the swing of the con rod.
This causes two spring loaded palls
located in the spherical top end to
oscillate.
These palls engage with a toothed
rim which is connected to the piston
by means of a compensating spring.
As the conrod swings the palls act
on the toothed rim causing it, and
hence the piston, to rotate.
The amount of rotation is limited to
one tooth pitch every engine rev and
the action is similar to that of a
ratchet mechanism.
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PISTON
The advantage of this is that local
overheating of the piston or the liner
due to blow past is prevented.
Running in characteristics are
improved and liner wear are
improved.
There is a better spread of oil
brought about by the piston rotation.
A spherical top end is required but
this provides better support for the
piston which does not distort as
much as one fitted with a gudgeon
pin.
Piston to liner clearance may
therefore be reduced.

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PISTON
Transfer of gas loads from crown
to piston rod
Is usually transmitted from the
reinforced crown to the piston rod by
internal mechanism avoiding possible
distortion of the ring belt.
The tops of pistons are made dome
shaped or have strong internal
ribbing.
Thermal distortion of Piston
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PISTON
Anti-Polishing rings
High topland ( the 1st piston ring is positioned
well below the upper surface of the piston) with
associated reduced ring heat load has given
better ring pack performance by improving
working conditions for the cylinder lube oil.
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PISTON
The disadvantage of this system is
that a coke build up can occur above
the piston which leads to 'bore
polishing'. This polishing reduces the
ability of the cylinder lube oil to
'key' into the liner therefore
increased cylinder lube oil
consumption/increased liner wear
can result.
To combat this piston cleaning
rings are incorporated into the liner.
These slightly reduce the bore
removing the deposits.
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PISTON
Modern Design
The top piston ring is moved further down the
piston. This allows the crown to enter deeper into
the crown reducing temperature and pressure on
the liner. The top piston ring is a 'Controlled
Pressure relief' (CPR) ring.
This design has several oblique shallow grooves
in the piston ring face allowing some gas presure
to pass through to the 2nd ring thereby reducing
load on the top ring. To reduce blowpast an 'S'
type joint is formed n the ring ends
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