Abstract

A piston arrangement (12) for an internal combustion engine (10) comprises one or more pistons (14) which are at least partly constructed from a technical ceramic material. An axially disposed bore (20) for receiving a heat transfer member (22) is provided in at least one of the pistons (14). The heat transfer member (22) is reconfigurable from a first, solid, state to a second state in which at least part of the heat transfer member (22) is in a liquid state so as to transfer heat away from and thus cool the piston rod (16) as the piston reciprocates. A cylinder arrangement (46) for the internal combustion engine (10) comprises one or more cylinders (48) which are at least partly constructed from a technical ceramic material. One or more grooves (54) are formed in the cylinder (48), to decrease the thermal gradient between the inside and outside of the cylinder (48). A piston (14) for the internal combustion engine (10) comprises a piston rod (16) and a piston crown (18) which is at least partly constructed from a technical ceramic material. An insulation arrangement (40) between the piston rod (16) and the piston crown (18) comprises segments (42) configured such that when disposed on the piston rod (16) axial slots or spaces are defined between the segments (42).

IPC Classes  ?

• F02B 75/28 - Engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder or within essentially coaxial cylinders
• F02F 3/00 - Pistons
• F02F 3/18 - Pistons having cooling means the means being a liquid or solid coolant, e.g. sodium, in a closed chamber in piston
• F02F 1/18 - Other cylinders