Ceramics for diesels
Page 17
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CERAMICS will make their appea duction diesel engines by 1988, planning manager at Cummins.
He told CM that the first such application was likely to be for non-load carrying components such as linings for the exhaust ports to cut down the heat to water.
As far as load bearing applications are concerned — ceramic piston crowns for example — Mr Hartshorne thought that these "are commercially a long way away".
On the subject of maximum rated engine speed Mr Hartshorne thought that 1800rpm is the lowest practical speed for the bigger engines and that the despeeding trend will slow down the smaller engines as well, as manufacturers strive to meet the noise regulations. rance in low stress areas for proclaims Stan Hartshorne, product It is getting more and more difficult to improve on fuel economy said Mr Hartshorne "as the law of diminishing returns will apply".
He predicted however, a thermal efficiency of over 45 per cent by the mid-Eighties rising to around 48 per cent for a turbocompound engine with nonstressed ceramic components.
This latter efficiency is equivalent to a minimum specific fuel consumption of below 182g/kWh (0.3 lb/bhp).
In spite of the improvement in thermal efficiency, such engines will be more complicated which "the operators won't like", he said.