Tribological behavior of co-textured cylinder liner-piston ring during running-in

The running-in of cylinder liner-piston rings(CLPRs)is the most important process that must be performed before a marine diesel engine can be operated.The quality of running-in directly affects the reliability of a CLPR.The surface texture of a CLPR has been proven to significantly affect its lubrication performance.In this study,the tribological behavior of a CLPR during running-in is investigated.Three types of surface textures are generated on the CLPR via laser processing:dimple texture on piston rings,groove texture on cylinder liners,and co-texture on both sides.Subsequently,a series of tests are performed on a slice tester.A load of 300 N(1.64 MPa) is applied,and two speeds(50 and 100 rpm)are adopted.The CLPR running-in quality is characterized based on three parameters,i.e.,the friction coefficient,contact resistance,and wear topography.Experimental results show that,compared with a non-textured surface,the three types of surface textures mentioned above improved the friction performance during running-in.The lubricant supply capacity of the dimple texture on the piston ring,as a mobile oil reservoir,is stronger than that of the groove texture on the cylinder liner serving as a static oil reservoir.By contrast,the wear resistance of the dimple texture,as a movable debris trap on the piston ring,is weaker than that of the groove texture on the cylinder liner,which serves as a static debris trap.It is demonstrated that the co-texture combines the advantages of dimples and groove textures.Compared with non-textured surfaces,the friction coefficient decreased the most at 100 rpm(44.5%),and the contact resistance improved the most at 50 rpm(352.9%).The coupling effect provides the surface with improved running-in quality by optimizing the tribological performance,particularly at the dead center.This study provides guidance for the tribological design and manufacturing of CLPR in marine diesel engines.