Crankshaft Cooling Grooves for Piston Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Internal combustion engines using higher strength materials for pistons face challenges with heat removal due to lower heat conductivity, making conventional cooling systems less effective.

Innovation Solution

A crankshaft with radially outwardly exposed surfaces featuring grooves that act as cooling elements, capturing and directing oil onto pistons to enhance heat dissipation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If higher strength materials such as steel are used to form pistons to withstand higher engine loading requirements, then piston strength and durability are improved, but heat conductivity decreases making heat removal more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepiston strengthVSAvoidpiston temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The crankshaft acts as an intermediary heat transfer medium between the piston and the cooling oil. Cooling features (grooves, channels, or cavities) are formed in the crankshaft to create pathways that direct cooling oil onto the piston, enabling efficient heat removal from high-strength pistons that have lower inherent heat conductivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes hydraulic cooling by circulating cooling oil through the crankshaft's internal cooling features and onto the piston. This fluid-based cooling system effectively transfers heat from the piston to the oil, solving the heat removal challenge associated with using high-strength, low-conductivity materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Device complexity

If conventional cooling systems are used with higher strength piston materials, then system simplicity is maintained, but heat removal effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling system complexityVSAvoidpiston temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling function is merged into the crankshaft structure itself through integrated cooling features (grooves, channels, or cavities). This eliminates the need for separate, complex cooling systems while effectively directing cooling oil onto the piston to remove heat

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The crankshaft serves a dual function: it transmits mechanical power and simultaneously acts as a heat transfer device. The cooling features in the crankshaft enable it to self-direct cooling oil onto the piston, making the system simpler while improving heat removal effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

The cooling features on the crankshaft effectively reduce piston temperatures, increasing component life and reducing maintenance needs by improving heat removal from pistons with lower heat conductivity materials.

Implementation Method 1

capturing and directing oil onto pistons to enhance heat dissipation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

The cooling features on the crankshaft effectively reduce piston temperatures, increasing component life

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer:

Data Source

PatentUS10690185B2Piston cooling crankshaft

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

A crankshaft including a plurality of journals, a plurality of crank pins; and a plurality of crank webs connecting select ones of the plurality of journals with select ones of the plurality of crank pins. One or more of the plurality of crank webs includes at least one radially outwardly exposed surface a plurality of cooling features formed thereon.