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Title: Evaluation of Sialon internal combustion engine components and fabrication of several ceramic components for automotive applications

Abstract

Fabrication development work was carried out on a push-rod tip having a stepped OD design and a 90{degree} shoulder in the transition area. Spray-dried Sialon premix was used in dry press tooling, and components were densified to about 98% of theoretical density using pressureless sintering conditions. Upon evaluation of the sintered components, it was found that afl components showed defects in the transition area. Modifications of the pressing parameters, incorporation of a 45{degree} angle in the shoulder area, and the use of tailored premix did not lead to the fabrication of defect-free parts. From these observations, it was concluded that the original part design could not easily be adapted to high-volume ceramic manufacturing methods. Subsequently, a modification to the desip was implemented. An SiC material with improved toughness (Hexoloy SX) was used for fabricating several test components with a closely machined, straight OD design. Pressureless-sintered and post-hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) Hexoloy SX components were supplied to The American Ceramic Engine Company (ACE) for assembly and testing. Fuel pump push-rod assemblies with Hemoloy SX tips were prepared by ACE, but no testing has been carried out to date.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10104381
Report Number(s):
ORNL/M-2253
ON: DE93003640
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Oct 1992
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; CERAMICS; HOT PRESSING; INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; MATERIALS; FABRICATION; AUTOMOBILES; SINTERING; SILICON NITRIDES; ALUMINIUM OXIDES; MANUFACTURING; SILICON CARBIDES; 330100; 360201; PREPARATION AND FABRICATION

Citation Formats

McMurtry, C.H., and Ten Eyck, M.O. Evaluation of Sialon internal combustion engine components and fabrication of several ceramic components for automotive applications. United States: N. p., 1992. Web. doi:10.2172/10104381.
McMurtry, C.H., & Ten Eyck, M.O. Evaluation of Sialon internal combustion engine components and fabrication of several ceramic components for automotive applications. United States. doi:10.2172/10104381.
McMurtry, C.H., and Ten Eyck, M.O. Thu . "Evaluation of Sialon internal combustion engine components and fabrication of several ceramic components for automotive applications". United States. doi:10.2172/10104381. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10104381.
@article{osti_10104381,
title = {Evaluation of Sialon internal combustion engine components and fabrication of several ceramic components for automotive applications},
author = {McMurtry, C.H. and Ten Eyck, M.O.},
abstractNote = {Fabrication development work was carried out on a push-rod tip having a stepped OD design and a 90{degree} shoulder in the transition area. Spray-dried Sialon premix was used in dry press tooling, and components were densified to about 98% of theoretical density using pressureless sintering conditions. Upon evaluation of the sintered components, it was found that afl components showed defects in the transition area. Modifications of the pressing parameters, incorporation of a 45{degree} angle in the shoulder area, and the use of tailored premix did not lead to the fabrication of defect-free parts. From these observations, it was concluded that the original part design could not easily be adapted to high-volume ceramic manufacturing methods. Subsequently, a modification to the desip was implemented. An SiC material with improved toughness (Hexoloy SX) was used for fabricating several test components with a closely machined, straight OD design. Pressureless-sintered and post-hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) Hexoloy SX components were supplied to The American Ceramic Engine Company (ACE) for assembly and testing. Fuel pump push-rod assemblies with Hemoloy SX tips were prepared by ACE, but no testing has been carried out to date.},
doi = {10.2172/10104381},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992},
month = {Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992}
}

Technical Report:

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  • Fabrication development work was carried out on a push-rod tip having a stepped OD design and a 90[degree] shoulder in the transition area. Spray-dried Sialon premix was used in dry press tooling, and components were densified to about 98% of theoretical density using pressureless sintering conditions. Upon evaluation of the sintered components, it was found that afl components showed defects in the transition area. Modifications of the pressing parameters, incorporation of a 45[degree] angle in the shoulder area, and the use of tailored premix did not lead to the fabrication of defect-free parts. From these observations, it was concluded thatmore » the original part design could not easily be adapted to high-volume ceramic manufacturing methods. Subsequently, a modification to the desip was implemented. An SiC material with improved toughness (Hexoloy SX) was used for fabricating several test components with a closely machined, straight OD design. Pressureless-sintered and post-hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) Hexoloy SX components were supplied to The American Ceramic Engine Company (ACE) for assembly and testing. Fuel pump push-rod assemblies with Hemoloy SX tips were prepared by ACE, but no testing has been carried out to date.« less
  • The feasibility of silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) use in internal combustion engines was studied by testing three different components for wear resistance and lower reciprocating mass. The information obtained from these preliminary spin rig and engine tests indicates several design changes are necessary to survive high-stress engine applications. The three silicon nitride components tested were valve spring retainers, tappet rollers, and fuel pump push rod ends. Garrett Ceramic Components` gas-pressure sinterable Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} (GS-44) was used to fabricate the above components. Components were final machined from densified blanks that had been green formed by isostatic pressing of GS-44more » granules. Spin rig testing of the valve spring retainers indicated that these Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} components could survive at high RPM levels (9,500) when teamed with silicon nitride valves and lower spring tension than standard titanium components. Silicon nitride tappet rollers showed no wear on roller O.D. or I.D. surfaces, steel axles and lifters; however, due to the uncrowned design of these particular rollers the cam lobes indicated wear after spin rig testing. Fuel pump push rod ends were successful at reducing wear on the cam lobe and rod end when tested on spin rigs and in real-world race applications.« less
  • Tubes of ten different structural ceramic materials were exposed to the hot combustion gases from a coal-oil-mixture (COM) fuel in the Ceramic Recuperator Analysis Facility (CRAF) at an outer tube wall temperature of about 1240/sup 0/C for about 240 h. Air flow through each tube simulated the conditions in a tubular heat exchanger element. As-received and exposed materials and solidified coal slag were examined. Several important properties of the ceramics, including room-temperature helium permeability, room-temperature C-ring fracture strength, and thermal expansion from room temperature to 1100/sup 0/C were measured for both as-received and exposed specimens. The ten structural ceramics includedmore » six types of silicon carbide, a high-purity alumina, and three types of newly available sialons. Highly fluid basic coal slag deposited on the outer surfaces of the structural ceramic tubes during the coal combustion and all of the tubes lost significant fractions of their wall thickness. Exposure to the hot coal slag increased permeability of all the surviving tubes by about one order of magnitude. The room-temperature C-ring fracture strength for the five types of SiC and one type of Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ ceramic decreased by about 3 to 60%. Siliconized types of SiC had strength reductions of 38 to 61%. Sintered ..cap alpha..-SiC showed the smallest strength reduction of 3%. The high purity Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ had a strength loss of about 28%. The thermal expansion of these materials did not change significantly. 46 figures, 12 tables.« less
  • Tubes of five ceramic materials were exposed to the hot combustion gases from a coal-oil-mixture (COM) fuel in the Ceramic Recuperator Analysis Facility (CRAF) at about 1200/sup 0/C for about 500 h. Siliconized SiC, sintered ..cap alpha..-SiC, and chemically vapor deposited (CVD) SiC survived the long-term exposure with no major visible degradation. The alumina and sialon tubes were cracked extensively. Acidic coal slag deposited extensively on the upstream surface of all tubes. During cooldown, the slag did not strongly bond to any of the silicon carbide tubes, but a strong bond was developed with the alumina and sialon tubes. Themore » silicon carbides corroded by a micropitting oxidation at the carbide-slag interface. The SiC and Si phases of siliconized SiC corroded at essentially the same rate. Exposure to hot coal slag increased the room-temperature helium permeability of all the SiC-based tubes. For KT and CVD SiC, both upstream and downstream sides exhibited expansion increases up to about 17% at 1000/sup 0/C. Sintered ..cap alpha..-SiC had much smaller increases. Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ had an expansion increase of about 14% on the upstream side at 1000/sup 0/C but the downstream side was unchanged. 65 figures, 22 tables.« less
  • The organic Rankine bottoming cycle can be considered for various automobile and truck applications. The most attractive use, however, is in large, heavy-duty diesel trucks for long distance hauling. Here, the engine load and speed requirements are nearly constant over a large portion of the operating hours, and high mileages are accumulated. Thus, the potential fuel savings are sufficient to justify the added cost of a bottoming cycle system. A conceptual design study of compounding the diesel truck engine with an ORCS was made and the results of the study are presented. Based on the results of the conceptual designmore » study which showed a 15 percent fuel economy improvement potential over the duty cycle, an early feasibility demonstration test of the system was initiated. The demonstration system uses a Mack ENDT 676 diesel engine with existing but nonoptimum ORCS hardware made available from an earlier automotive Rankine-cycle program. The results of these feasibility demonstration tests, both steady-state and transient, over the operating range of the diesel engine, are presented.« less