Cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine

• US 10,677,188 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Koszewnik, John J., Wagner, Bryant A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jin, George C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holbrook, Teuta B
• Application Number:
  US15/806,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20180058368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/28 Engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder or within essentially coaxial cylinders arranged oppositely relative to main shaft F02B75/24
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/282 the pistons having equal strokes
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 1/004 Cylinder liners F02F1/08, F02F1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 1/186 for use in engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02F 2001/006 having a ring at the inside of a liner or cylinder for preventing the deposit of carbon oil particles, e.g. oil scrapers

Abstract

A cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, and corresponding methods of extending engine durability and thermal management therewith, has opposite ends and a bore with a longitudinal axis for supporting reciprocating movement of a pair of opposed pistons. An intermediate portion of the liner extends between the opposite ends and includes an annular liner portion within which the pistons reach respective TC locations. A liner ring is seated in a portion of the bore in the annular liner portion, between the TC locations, for scraping carbon from top lands of the pistons and/or increasing the thermal resistance of the annular liner portion.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, comprising:

providing a cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, in which the cylinder liner includes intake and exhaust ports near respective ends thereof;

honing a bore of the cylinder liner having a first diameter D1 in the liner;

forming an annular groove in the bore at an annular liner portion containing piston top center (TC) locations;

providing an annular ring having an interior diameter D2, wherein D1>

D2;

heating the cylinder liner to increase the diameter D1;

placing the annular ring in the bore over the annular groove;

swaging the annular ring into the annular groove; and

,

cooling the cylinder liner and the annular ring.

2. The method of claim 1, further including completing the swaging by driving punches with a shape of a piston top land, from the ends of the cylinder liner to the annular ring, after cooling the cylinder liner and the annular ring.

3. The method of claim 2, further including forming one or more fuel injector ports through the annular liner portion and the annular ring.

4. The method of claim 3, further including honing the bore after forming the annular groove.

5. The method of claim 4, in which swaging the annular ring into the annular groove includes driving tapered mandrels through the center of the annular ring so as to expand the liner ring into the annular groove.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the annular ring.

7. The method of claim 1, in which the annular ring comprises one or more grooves on its outer annular surface which forms one or more annular air-filled chambers with the bore.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular ring is formed of a ceramic material.