Multi-layered piston crown for opposed-piston engines
AssigneeAchates Power, Inc.
InventorsBRYANT A. WAGNER, RYAN G. MACKENZIE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A piston crown for a piston of a pair of pistons in a two-stroke, opposed-piston, compression ignition combustion engine has a barrier layer and a conductive layer. The barrier layer at least partially surrounds a combustion chamber formed by the piston crown and an end surface of an opposing piston. The conductive layer connects the crown to the rest of the piston body. The barrier layer and the conductive layer are joined either through welding or through the fabrication process. Optionally, the piston crown includes an insulating layer between the barrier and conductive layers.
Claims19
An internal combustion engine including at least one cylinder with longitudinally-separated exhaust and intake ports and a pair of pistons disposed in opposition to one another in a bore of the cylinder, each piston including:
- a piston body with a crown at one end;
- and
- an end surface on the crown, in which an end surface of a first piston has a bowl that cooperates with the end surface of an opposing piston to define a combustion chamber,
- the crown comprising:
- a barrier layer located in the end surface such that the combustion chamber is enclosed at least in part by the barrier layer;
- the barrier layer having a thermal conductivity of 15 W/m·° C. or less;
- a conductive layer located adjacent to the barrier layer, the conductive layer connecting the crown to the rest of piston body;
- and,
- the conductive layer having a thermal conductivity of 25 W/m·° C. or more.
(canceled)
A piston for a two-stroke, oppose-piston, internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a piston body with a crown at one end, the crown including;
- an end surface formed on the crown;
- the end surface including an elongated bowl that cooperates with an opposing piston end surface to define a combustion chamber,
- in which the crown comprises:
- a barrier layer located in the end surface such that the combustion chamber is enclosed at least in part by the barrier layer;
- the barrier layer having a thermal conductivity of 15 W/m·° C. or less;
- a conductive layer located adjacent to the barrier layer, the conductive layer connecting the crown to the rest of piston body;
- and,
- the conductive layer having a thermal conductivity of 25 W/m·° C. or more.
(canceled)
A method of making a piston crown for a piston for a two-stroke, opposed-piston, internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
- forming a barrier layer having a thermal conductivity of 15 W/m·° C. or less and configured to at least partially enclose a combustion chamber formed by the piston crown and an end surface of an opposing piston;
- forming a conductive layer having a thermal conductivity of 25 W/m·° C. or more and configured to connect the piston crown to other components of the piston;
- and
- joining the barrier layer and the conductive layer.
13-14. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.