A Simplified Methodology for the Analysis of the Cylinder Liner Bore Distortion: Finite Element Analyses and Experimental Validations

Advances in modern engines are becoming more and more challenging. The intense increase of thermal and mechanical loads, as a consequence of a higher power density, requires the improvement of the main couplings encountered between moving engine components. In this scenario, the cylinder liner/piston coupling plays a crucial role in terms of engine performance and durability, especially with regards to pollution emission and friction reduction. In this paper a numerical methodology is proposed, which aims at simplifying the Finite Element evaluation of the cylinder liner bore distortion in an eight-cylinder V-type four stroke turbocharged engine. Finite Element simulations are performed to obtain a virtual approval of the component geometry, in advance with respect to the component manufacturing. In particular, preliminary Finite Element analyses are developed which accurately follow the experimental procedure, where a single engine bank is coupled with a simplified test engine head. The Finite Element model is properly tuned in order to obtain the same cylinder liner distortion registered by experimental measurements. Further Finite Element analyses, both thermal and thermo-mechanical, are then performed to evaluate the cylinder liner distortion considering the actual engine head. In order to speed up the analyses, the engine head, the gasket, and the bolt tightening are subsequently substituted by pressure distributions mimicking the actual contact interactions. The methodology reveals itself to be well correlated with the experimental evidences and with the complete Finite Element model of the engine bank thus consisting in a useful tool for reducing the time necessary for the component approval.