Thermal analysis of functionally graded materials in cylinders and pistons based on super element method

In the present article, the thermal analysis of the cylinder and the piston in four-cylinder engines, made of functionally graded materials (FGMs), has been performed by using the super element method. The objective of using FGMs in the cylinder and the piston is to increase their performance. FGMs include a combination of ceramics and metals. Inside the cylinder, the ceramic is considered and outside the cylinder, there is the metal. On the top area of the piston, it is consumed that there is the ceramic and on the bottom, there is the metal. This combination causes a better wear property (according to proper wear characteristics of the ceramic) and also makes a thermal barrier system (according to low heat transfer properties of the ceramic). The wear benefit is inside the cylinder and the thermal barrier benefit is on the top area of the piston. Obtained results indicate that there is a good agreement between finite element and super elements methods. However, the number of super elements is so lower than the number of finite elements with the same accuracy in results. In addition, the power value, which is related to material properties of FGMs, has no significant effect on the temperature distribution and the temperature gradient.