Selective engine block channeling for enhanced cavitation protection

An engine block assembly utilized within a liquid-cooled engine, the engine block assembly comprising:

• an anti-cavitation engine block comprising:
• a first cylinder having a first cylinder centerline;
• a second cylinder having a second cylinder centerline;
• a first inter-cylinder wall section located between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, as taken along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first cylinder centerline and to the second cylinder centerline;
• and
• a first plurality of anti-cavitation channels formed in the first inter-cylinder wall section;
• a cylinder liner inserted into the first cylinder and having an outer circumferential surface toward which the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels opens;
• and
• a water jacket extending at least partially around the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder liner, the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels increasing local radial thicknesses of the water jacket to deter cavitation within the water jacket and adjacent the cylinder liner during operation of the liquid-cooled engine;
• wherein the first cylinder has a cylinder radius, as taken in a section plane orthogonal to the first cylinder centerline;
• and
• wherein the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels each have a radius of curvature less than the cylinder radius, as taken in the section plane.

An engine block assembly utilized within a liquid-cooled engine, the engine block assembly comprising:

• an anti-cavitation engine block comprising:
• a first cylinder having a first cylinder centerline;
• a second cylinder having a second cylinder centerline;
• a third cylinder;
• a first inter-cylinder wall section located between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, as taken along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first cylinder centerline and to the second cylinder centerline;
• a second inter-cylinder wall section located between the first cylinder and the third cylinder, as taken along the longitudinal axis;
• a first plurality of anti-cavitation channels formed in the first inter-cylinder wall section;
• and
• a second plurality of anti-cavitation channels formed in the second inter-cylinder wall section;
• a cylinder liner inserted into the first cylinder and having an outer circumferential surface toward which the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels opens;
• and
• a water jacket extending at least partially around the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder liner, the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels increasing local radial thicknesses of the water jacket to deter cavitation within the water jacket and adjacent the cylinder liner during operation of the liquid-cooled engine;
• wherein the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels comprises first and second anti-cavitation channels;
• and
• wherein the second plurality of anti-cavitation channels comprise third and fourth anti-cavitation channels substantially aligned with the first and second anti-cavitation channels, respectively, along axes parallel to the longitudinal axis.

An engine block assembly utilized within a liquid-cooled engine, the engine block assembly comprising:

• an anti-cavitation engine block having an engine block body comprising:
• a plurality of cylinders having cylinder centerlines and spaced along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the cylinder centerlines;
• and
• inner block walls of the engine block body bounding outer peripheries of the plurality of cylinders;
• cylinder liners inserted into the plurality of cylinders and having targeted surface regions susceptible to cavitation damage during operation of the engine block assembly;
• and
• anti-cavitation channels configured as axially-elongated trenches cut into the inner block walls at locations adjacent the targeted surface regions of the cylinder liners.

An anti-cavitation engine block utilized within a liquid-cooled engine, the anti-cavitation engine block comprising:

• a first cylinder having a first cylinder centerline;
• a second cylinder having a second cylinder centerline;
• a first inter-cylinder wall section located between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, as taken along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first cylinder centerline and to the second cylinder centerline;
• and
• a first plurality of anti-cavitation channels formed in the first inter-cylinder wall section, the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels increasing local thicknesses of a water jacket to deter cavitation within the water jacket during operation of the liquid-cooled engine, the water jacket defined by inner peripheral surfaces of the first cylinder and an outer circumferential surface of a cylinder liner when inserted into the first cylinder;
• wherein the first plurality of anti-cavitation channels comprises:
• a first anti-cavitation channel formed in the first inter-cylinder wall section and located on a first side of a connecting line extending from the first cylinder centerline to the second cylinder centerline, as taken in a section plane orthogonal to the first cylinder centerline;
• and
• a second anti-cavitation channel formed in the first inter-cylinder wall section and located on a second, opposing side of the connecting line.