Piston assembly for a reciprocating engine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRichard John Donahue, Daniel David Zimmerman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine includes a steel piston configured to move within a cylinder of the reciprocating engine. The system also includes a groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston and configured to support a ring having an inner circumferential face. One or more channels are formed in the top land and are configured to facilitate transfer of combustion gases to a space between a portion of the groove and the inner circumferential face of the ring.
Claims16
A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine, comprising:
- a steel piston comprising a diameter greater than ten centimeters and configured to move within a cylinder of the reciprocating engine configured to operate at a maximum revolutions per minute (RPM) of approximately 1800 RPM;
- a groove extending circumferentially about the steel piston beneath a top land of the steel piston and configured to support a ring having an inner circumferential face;
- and
- one or more channels formed in the top land and configured to facilitate transfer of combustion gases to a space between a portion of the groove and the inner circumferential face of the ring,
- wherein at least one of the one or more channels comprises a curved cross-sectional shape.
A system, comprising:
- a power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine, comprising:
- a piston comprising a diameter greater than ten centimeters and configured to move within a cylinder of the reciprocating engine with a maximum mean piston speed of less than approximately eighteen meters per second;
- a groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston;
- a ring disposed within the groove;
- and
- one or more channels formed in an axially upper surface of the groove or an upper face of the ring, wherein the one or more channels are configured to facilitate transfer of combustion gases to a space between a portion of the groove and an inner circumferential face of the ring,
- wherein at least one of the one or more channels comprises a curved cross-sectional shape.
A method of operating a reciprocating engine, comprising:
- operating the reciprocating engine with a maximum mean piston speed of less than approximately eighteen meters per second, wherein the reciprocating engine comprises a piston comprising a diameter greater than ten centimeters and configured to move within a cylinder of the reciprocating engine;
- and
- transferring combustion gases through one or more channels to a space between a portion of a groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston and an inner circumferential face of a ring disposed within the groove, wherein the one or more channels are formed in an axially upper surface of the groove or an upper face of the ring,
- wherein at least one of the one or more channels comprises a curved cross-sectional shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.