A Technique for the Analysis of Cylinder Liner Vibrations and Cavitation

The application of a modeling technique for the study of diesel engine cylinder liner vibrations is presented. The procedure is an analytically based tool for addressing the cavitation erosion problem that occurs on the outer surface of cylinder liners. The modeling approach includes the cylinder liner and the surrounding coolant using a fluid-structure interface between the two. The coolant on the outside of the liner has a large effect on the motion of the liner; therefore, the structural problem and fluid problem cannot be decoupled.

An application of the model demonstrates how pressures at the liner-coolant surface are generated from the velocity of the liner and the propagation of pressure waves through the cooling medium. A series of parametric studies demonstrate design alternatives for reducing the minimum pressures that cause cavitation. The parametric studies include variations of liner thickness, water jacket clearance and impact magnitude.