Cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine

• US 9,845,764 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• 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): McMahon, Marguerite
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLBROOK, TEUTA BAJRAMOVIC
• Application Number:
  US14/675,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20160290277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 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 cylinder liner for an opposed-piston engine, comprising:

a cylindrical wall with an interior surface defining a bore centered on a longitudinal axis of the liner, the bore having a first diameter relative to the longitudinal axis;

intake and exhaust ports formed in the cylindrical wall near respective opposite ends of the liner;

an intermediate portion of the liner extending between the ends and including an annular liner portion containing piston top center (TC) locations;

the annular liner portion defined between first and second top ring reversal planes extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis, in which the first top ring reversal plane is at a first axial position where the topmost ring of a first piston is located when the piston is at its TC location, and the second top ring reversal plane is at a second axial position where the topmost ring of a second piston is located when the piston is at its TC location;

an annular groove in a portion of the bore in the annular liner portion; and

,

a liner ring seated in the annular groove, in which the liner ring has an interior annular surface with a second diameter relative to the longitudinal axis that is less than the first diameter;

wherein;

grooves on an outer annular surface of the liner ring that form one or more air resistors with the bore which act between the liner ring and the bore; and

,

the liner ring is formed from a material having a first thermal resistance and the cylinder liner is formed from a material having a second thermal resistance less than the first thermal resistance.

2. An opposed-piston engine including one or more cylinders, each cylinder comprising a cylinder tunnel in a cylinder block and a cylinder liner according to claim 1 seated in the cylinder tunnel.