Have ceramics come of age for use in ic engines?

In summary, the author thinks that ceramics have potential for use in ic engines, but that there are some engineering and fabrication problems that are preventing them from being more widely adopted. He also mentions that there are some interesting applications for ceramics that go beyond simply holding more heat in an engine.
  • #1
wolram
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Have ceramics come of age for use in ic engines? from what i can make out they do not improve performance by much, but do make the engine more reliable, coating the piston crown and cylinder head seem to be the favorite use, or components that require little or no lubrication..
 
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  • #2
One thing that ceramics can do (especially if you used a Wankle design instead of reciprocating cylinders) is make the engine WAY more efficient. IC engines are made of metal, and metal is thermally conductive, so a lot of the energy of the combustion process is lost to the environment as waste heat. If you could fashion your combustion chamber and rotor from ceramic materials, you could operate at much higher temperatures and get cleaner burns with less waste heat. Certainly there are lots of smart people who have already thought of this, so I imagine that there are some severe engineering and/or fabrication problems preventing such an advance. Years ago at a regional drag racing track, I saw a Harley that was a pretty impressive performer. I was in the pits with a friend and went to look at it between runs. There were no cooling fins on the jugs, and the exhaust pipes were wrapped in insulating tape. I asked the owner about these features and he said that keeping the combustion chambers hot increased horsepower, and keeping the exhaust flow as hot as possible increased scavanging, with an additional power increase.
 
  • #3
turbo-1 said:
There were no cooling fins on the jugs,
Really now, to a pervert like me, if I didn't know that you were talking about a bike...

Seriously, though (:rolleyes: ); you obviously can't disconnect the radiator on a street vehicle, but would insulating the exhaust increase performance? I've always just stuck to headers with a cross-over pipe for increased scavenging, but I'll grab an extra couple of horsepower whenever I can find them.
 
  • #4
wolram said:
Have ceramics come of age for use in ic engines? from what i can make out they do not improve performance by much, but do make the engine more reliable, coating the piston crown and cylinder head seem to be the favorite use, or components that require little or no lubrication..

Don't know if I'm off with this, but on the basis of different applications have seen etc. have thought the durability & reliability aspects are 'easier' to utilize with coatings and so forth using basic properties of ceramics, but going after performance is more difficult since ceramics don't give you that "leeway" traditional materials do (with respect to failure - but well, coatings for one do provide possibilities for performance gain immediately). Would think some interesting composite & smart materials applications might reach (or have?) ic engines as well.
 
  • #5
Exhaust insulation will increase horsepower, but with potential reduced durability due to extra thermal loading on in-cylinder components.
 
  • #6
Thanks, Brewski. That gives me an idea, but I don't know how worth-while it would be. I could insulate the entire exhaust system, but tap into the engine coolant flow and run lines inside the insulation to keep things cool. Come race time, hit a cut-off valve to halt circulation. I suspect that it might result in a decrease in horsepower and fuel economy during regular driving due to the increased load on the water pump.
 
  • #7
I think you'd overheat in a hurry. Considering what a tiny leak in the head gasket does to your coolant, trying to cool the whole exhaust system 24/7 would be a disaster.

If you want to increase chamber temperature, why not drain your radiator on race day? If you're at the drags, you can probably make it down the 1/4 mile without cracking the block.
 
  • #8
Not practical; I'm a street racer. Quarter-mile only, none of this insanity of blasting all over town in rice-rockets, and with full safety measures in place.
 
  • #9
PerennialII said:
Don't know if I'm off with this, but on the basis of different applications have seen etc. have thought the durability & reliability aspects are 'easier' to utilize with coatings and so forth using basic properties of ceramics, but going after performance is more difficult since ceramics don't give you that "leeway" traditional materials do (with respect to failure - but well, coatings for one do provide possibilities for performance gain immediately). Would think some interesting composite & smart materials applications might reach (or have?) ic engines as well.

I have been keeping an eye on ceramics for ic engines, this site seems to be one of the leading coating companies,

http://www.swaintech.com/store.asp?pid=10539&catid=19694

But as Turbo said ,that major breakthrough to hold a" lot" more heat in still
seems to be beyond production methods to date.
 
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  • #10
I did read of a guy who built an eight stroke engine, the thing only fired every two cycles, he injected water into the non firing cylinder, the resulting
steam pressure took the place of combustion, the engine ran quite well AFAIK, and was cool to the touch, maybe just a novelty but who knows.
 
  • #11
I would be impressed if the engine had any kind of longevity. Thermal cycling causes stresses, cracks, scaling, and mechanical failures. Efficiency and longevity are enhanced when you can keep an engine performing consistently. An engine that is started up from cold, run until warm or hot and shut down is not going to be good for as many miles as one that is started up, warmed, and run at a stable and consistent temperature for many miles. I would rather buy a used vehicle with 75K miles that was used by a salesperson with a large, sparse, sales region (lots of miles on every trip) than buy a used vehicle with 75K miles from someone who had a daily commute of just a few miles.
 
  • #12
Danger said:
Not practical; I'm a street racer. Quarter-mile only, none of this insanity of blasting all over town in rice-rockets, and with full safety measures in place.
Can you translate for me, Danger? Best I can figure from this is you're a street racer who races 1/4 miles (is that on streets?) but not all over town, and not in an imported car (how's that for being PC?) that is safe?
 
  • #13
Using jacket water to cool your exhaust would be asking for trouble unless you uprated the whole cooling system to cope with the heat rejection.
 
  • #14
Has anyone information on the DAR rotary engine? it is supposedly all ceramic, i will google some more, no luck to date.
 
  • #15
Silly me

http://www.darengines.co.il/technology.asp

here it is.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

1. What are ceramics?

Ceramics are non-metallic materials that are typically made from inorganic compounds such as clay, oxides, nitrides, or carbides. They are known for their high strength, hardness, and ability to withstand high temperatures.

2. What makes ceramics suitable for use in IC engines?

Ceramics have a number of properties that make them ideal for use in IC engines. They have high strength and hardness, which allows them to withstand the high pressures and temperatures inside the engine. They also have low thermal conductivity, which means they can withstand sudden changes in temperature without cracking. Additionally, ceramics are resistant to corrosion and wear, making them durable and long-lasting in harsh engine environments.

3. What are the benefits of using ceramics in IC engines?

There are several benefits to using ceramics in IC engines. First, they are much lighter than traditional metal engine components, which can improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. They also have better thermal efficiency, meaning they can withstand higher temperatures without losing their strength. Additionally, ceramics have a longer lifespan than metal components, reducing the need for frequent replacements.

4. What are the challenges of using ceramics in IC engines?

One of the main challenges of using ceramics in IC engines is their brittleness. They are more prone to cracking and breaking under stress, which can be a concern in high-stress engine components. Another challenge is the high cost of producing ceramic materials, which can make them less accessible for widespread use in IC engines.

5. Are ceramics currently being used in IC engines?

Yes, ceramics are currently being used in certain components of IC engines, such as spark plugs, valves, and engine bearings. However, they are not yet widely used in other critical engine components due to their high cost and challenges with brittleness. Ongoing research and advancements in ceramic materials may lead to more widespread use in the future.

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