Alkali Metal-Cooled Piston with Single-Point Channel Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing piston designs for internal combustion engines with alkali metal cooling systems require complex and costly closure mechanisms for individual cooling channels, involving multiple drilling and sealing processes, which are time-consuming and prone to leakage.
Innovation Solution
Introducing cavities from a central point on the piston, allowing simultaneous filling and single-point closure with a common closure element, eliminating the need for individual closure processes and reducing assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual cooling channels are sealed with separate closure elements, then gas-tight sealing is achieved, but device complexity and assembly effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate closure elements are merged into a single common closure element that seals all cooling channels simultaneously. This is achieved by providing a common opening in the piston crown that provides access to all cooling channels, allowing one closure element to perform the sealing function for multiple channels instead of requiring individual closure elements for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The common closure element serves multiple functions: it seals all cooling channels simultaneously, provides a single access point for filling, and maintains gas-tight sealing across the entire cooling system. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple specialized closure elements, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Temperature
If multiple deep holes are drilled from the skirt side for cooling channels, then cooling coverage is improved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of drilling cooling channels from the traditional skirt side, the invention inverts the approach by providing access to all cooling channels through a common opening in the piston crown. This inversion simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing all channels to be sealed and filled from a single location rather than requiring multiple complex drilling operations from the skirt side.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple channels that all converge to a common opening in the piston crown. This segmentation allows each channel to be independently configured for optimal cooling coverage while maintaining a unified access point for manufacturing and maintenance operations.
3Reliability
If individual closure processes are performed for each cooling channel, then sealing reliability is ensured, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual closure operations are merged into a single closure operation. The common closure element is installed once to seal all cooling channels simultaneously, eliminating the need to perform separate closure processes for each channel. This reduces production time while maintaining sealing reliability through the unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The common closure element is designed to perform all sealing actions in advance during a single installation step. This preliminary action ensures that all cooling channels are sealed simultaneously before the filling operation, preventing leakage risks that would require multiple separate sealing operations.
4Quantity of substance
If cooling channels are filled individually from different points, then proper filling is achieved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple filling operations from different points are merged into a single filling operation through the common opening in the piston crown. The common closure element creates a unified access point that allows all cooling channels to be filled simultaneously with one filling process, eliminating the complexity of coordinating multiple separate filling operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the manufacturing process, ensures gas-tight sealing, and reduces the risk of leakage, while allowing precise positioning and efficient heat dissipation through intersecting cooling channels.
Implementation Method 1
combustion heat can be dissipated from a central region of the piston crown via the cooling medium in the at least one cavity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a piston (1) of an internal combustion engine, wherein in the piston (1) at least one cavity (2) is created which is filled with a cooling medium, in particular an alkali metal, and is subsequently closed. The at least one cavity (2) for receiving the cooling medium is designed as a longitudinally extending cavity (2) and, starting from a central hole (10) is introduced in the direction of the piston circumference into the piston body of the piston (1). The invention further relates to a piston (1) produced according to this method.