Design of high duty diesel engine connecting rod based on finite element analysis

Abstract

Connecting rod of an internal combustion engine is subjected to complex loading conditions. These mainly include the forces created through combustion in the combustion chamber of cylinder causing compression and bending of the connecting rod. This paper reports the results of a project objected to design the connecting rod of a heavy duty marine diesel engine and to modify its structural details based on finite element analysis. For this purpose, the initial design of the connecting rod was conducted by CATIA software and imported as stp file in Abaqus software. Results of the FEM model were utilized to modify the CAD model based on critical stress spots and magnitude of deformations of different sections of analyzed connecting rod model. Also, these results were used to introduce appropriate materials to tolerate the magnitude of forces developed under maximum combustion pressure of 190 bar. Further FEM analyses were carried out to modify the design in order to reduce the weight of final model of connecting rod. Results of finite element analysis of the final model revealed that the levels of stresses of the designed connecting rod are reduced significantly below the yield stresses of suggested materials for production of the connecting rod.