Thermal Analysis of a Novel Oil Cooled Piston Using a Fluid-Solid Interaction Method

Thermal load has a vital influence on the normal operation and service life of diesel engines. In this study, the thermal load and oil-cooling effect on diesel engine pistons were investigated by means of computational fluid dynamics. In particular, the flow and heat transfer characteristics of the cooling gallery were determined during the oscillation of the piston. Moreover, the temperature field distribution of the piston with and without the cooling gallery were compared. The results revealed that the cooling gallery has a prominent effect on reducing the thermal load on the piston crown and piston lands. To fully understand the oscillating heat transfer effect related to the cooling gallery and verify the accuracy of the calculation, the numerical results were also compared with temperature values experimentally measured at key positions of the piston. The measurements were found to be consistent with the calculation results within an acceptable error range, which proves the rationality and accuracy of the mathematical and numerical models used.