Analysis of Effect of Thermal Barrier Coating Materials on Efficiency of IC Engines Using 3D Finite Element Method

Abstract

The paper proposes the use of Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) materials in IC Engines to improve their thermal efficiency. Firstly, thermal analyses are investigated on two conventional (uncoated) single cylinder Petrol Engine models, made of Grey Cast Iron (GRADE ASTM 40) and aluminum silicon alloy. Secondly, thermal analyses are performed on two different specially designed petrol engine models, each of its combustion chambers being coated with two different Thermal Barrier Coating materials namely Perovskite Type Strontium Zirconate and Ruddlesden-Popper structured Barium Lanthanum Titanate BaLn2Ti3O10(BLT); by means of using a commercial code called ANSYS. Finally, the results obtained from all four thermal simulations are compared with each other. The effects of coatings on the efficiency of engines are investigated. Further investigations on these results reveal that there is a considerable reduction in heat loss through combustion chamber when TBCs are used. According to Otto cycle, for an ideal petrol engine the expansion process ought to take place under isentropic conditions (No heat transfer). Engines coated with TBCs restrict heat losses to a maximum extent thereby allowing expansion process to occur in near isentropic conditions. This in turn increases the net available energy. Therefore a raise in thermal efficiency of the engine can be achieved. 3(Associate Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Panimalar Engineering College, India)