Analysis of Lubricant Oil Film Behavior on the Piston Surface According with Piston Shapes by Means of LIF and PIV

The lubrication mechanism is discussed by measuring the oil film behavior. The oil film behavior is evaluated by the oil film thickness and oil film velocity map. The combination method of laser induced fluorescence method (LIF) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) is applied to measure the oil film behavior. The oil film thickness is measured by LIF and its velocity distributions are measured by PIV. The combination method can provide both of the film thickness and velocities simultaneously. The first trial is performed in the model engine for checking the dynamics measurement of the oil film thickness by the LIF. The results show a difference of the oil film thickness distribution with crank angle. The combination method is tested in the engine with 4-cycle and 2-cylinder optical access engine with motoring condition. One cylinder of the engine is sapphire cylinder for observing oil film behavior on the piston skirt. Two clearances of the piston skirt of 30 µm and 100 µm is tested. The characteristics of the oil film thickness distribution depend on the piston skirt clearance. Simultaneously, the oil film velocity vector maps are also obtained.