Strength and corrosion analysis in alloy steel and E-glass composite wear ring in automotive engine cooling water pump

Abstract

Abstract An automobile produces enormous heat when the process of combustion of fuel takes place in the engine cylinder. The heat liberated is very high and needs to be controlled. An engine cooling water pumps controls the very high heat liberated by the automotive vehicle. The present investigation focuses on the wear ring in an engine cooling pump. Generally these wear rings are composed of alloy AISI 4304 stainless steel. The wear ring is subjected to very critical conditions such as high heat, high working pressures, electrochemical reactions etc. during its service life due to which it wear out progressively and needs to be replaced. The prime motive of the present investigation is to increase the working life of the wear ring for this GFRP composite wear ring is simulated in ANSYS 14 and is subjected to same working conditions. A comparative strength analysis of steel and GFRP wear ring has been carried out. The results shows that mechanical strength of GFRP wear ring is far superior to steel wear rings. The rate of general corrosion has also been investigated and compared for both GFRP and steel. The results obtained shows that the rate of general corrosion for steel is 32.88% whereas the rate of general corrosion for GFRP is 2.03%. The GFRP wear ring also behaves as inert to various electrolysis processes and therefore there is no galvanic corrosion in the GFRP wear rings.