Numerical analysis of gas flow through the labyrinth seal of piston rings of an automotive IC engine

Abstract

In the paper a model of transient gas flows through the labyrinth seal: piston-rings-cylinder (PRC) has been presented. The results of calculations for a ring pack of three piston rings operating on a cylinder liner of a spark ignition internal combustion engine have been shown. The analysis of the gas dynamics and a parametric study considering this phenomenon has been carried out. It allowed evaluating the influence of the most important parameters of this sealing on the gas pressure acting on the rings and blow-by to the crankcase. The simulation results show the necessity of taking into account the following parameters: uneven wear of cylinder liner and its thermal and mechanical deformation, thermal deformation of piston rings, heat transfer between the flowing gas and the labyrinth walls, dynamics of axial ring displacements in piston grooves.