Numerical study of influences of hard particles in lubricant on tribological performances of the piston ring

Influences of hard particles lying in the lubrication region between piston ring face and cylinder wall, including the effects of a non-contact particle and contact particle, on tribological performances of the piston ring were numerically analysed. A modified Reynolds equation incorporating a non-contact particle effect was presented. The total friction force, deformation, and contact stress of the ring, with a non-contact particle and contact particle consideration, were solved separately by using finite-element program code of the authors and software ANSYS 5.7. The numerical results show that obvious changes in the total friction force and deformation of the ring can occur, if the diameter and height across the film thickness of a non-contact particle and axial velocity difference between the non-contact particle and ring are considered. The maximum contact stress of the ring is obviously affected by the contact particle's interfering time and velocity, and hardness value of the plastically deformed particle.