Thermal Structural Optimization of IC Engine Piston

Abstract

The primary purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of the piston crown and piston boss thicknesses on the stresses generated on the piston. A 150-cc piston, made from A4032 Aluminum, of type “Bajaj,” was considered in the present investigation. The piston head was subjected to a double-action of gas pressure and heat from the combustion process. Piston pin bore was considered to act as cylindrical support. ANSYS 15 was used to run the simulation process using the thermal structural couple technique. Different thicknesses of the piston crown and piston boss were selected and studied. The comparison and optimization processes depended on the Von-Mises stress, mass, and temperature distribution in the piston. Based on the stress values obtained for different piston sizes, the results clearly showed that the optimal piston design was 3 mm piston crown and 2 mm piston boss thicknesses. The optimal piston design reduced the total stress and mass, but it increased the temperature generated in the piston.