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Chinese Traditional Medical Journal 

 

Comparison between the piston of IC engine made with Cast 

Carbon Steel and Carbon Graphite using finite element analysis 

(FEA) 

Niu Tianfu, Li Zhijun, Yuan Ruyu, 

  Cardiovascular Department, Shanxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Institute, Taiyuan  
 Cardiovascular Department, the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese 

Medicine 

Cardiovascular Department, the Second Teaching Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION: 

I. A piston is a cylinder-inside 

cylindrical component that exerts pressure 

on the combustion gases. Various materials 

are used to construct it. A piston rod and/or 

connecting rod are used in an engine to 

transmit the force generated by the 

expanding gas in the cylinder to the 

crankshaft. The piston rings seal the cylinder 

and enclose the moving component. The 

connecting rod's obliquity causes it to 

generate side thrust. Combustion gases also 

Abstract— Cast carbon steel and carbon graphite pistons were subjected to thermal loads 

in this study, which was carried out via the use of finite element analysis (FEA). The 

working gas temperature and the material qualities of the pistons are employed in the 

simulation. These pistons were studied using a four-stroke 100cc hero bike engine's specs. 

A four-stroke 100cc hero bike engine's specs are used to demonstrate an analytical design 

process for cast carbon steel and carbon graphite pistons. With an applied temperature of 

600 Kelvin (K), the FEA findings predict the GRADN: Temperature gradient and critical 

region on both pistons. It is crucial to identify the key region and the benefits and 

drawbacks of the two materials. As part of the design process, SolidWorks is used to 

create the 3D models of pistons (the Feature module), which are then meshes and 

thermally analysed. 

 



 

CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                      Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2022 | Vol5 |Issue3  

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create a lot of heat, which is dissipated via 

the cylinder wall. The piston may also serve 

as a valve in certain engines, closing and 

opening apertures in the cylinder wall. 

II. FEM METHOD: 

The fundamentals of the FEM are 

straightforward. Assume that a field 

variable, such as displacement or stress, has 

to be distributed across a body or component 

of the engineering design in question. An 

example of this would be a component that 

is under stress, or a temperature that is being 

affected by a heat source. An 'element 

assembly' is used to represent a one-, two-, 

or three-dimensional solid's body as a 

collection of tiny bits known as 'finite 

elements.' As the number of degrees of 

freedom required to simulate each element is 

finite, the term "finite" is used. Only at the 

nodes, which are the connecting joints, are 

the components presumed to be connected. 

Because the components aren't independent 

things like bricks, they don't have any gaps 

or surfaces in between them. Discrete 

materials and structures may be modelled 

using systems that already exist.) 

 

However, this course does not include 

aspects like as real-masonry bricks, particle 

mixtures, sand grains, or any of the like.) 

III. METHODOLOGY OF 

PROPOSED WORK: 

This project's approach is based on the data 

that was gathered and analysed throughout 

the investigation phase. Designing pistons 

requires the following methods: 

IC engine piston development data 

collection. 

Taking apart a system to find out what went 

wrong. This piston and its predicted 

dimensions were measured and replicated as 

a 3-D model in Solidworks software, and 

then examined in Solidworks Simulation.. 

Using the software's library to choose 

material. 

 

Pistons mated together. 

 

Boundary conditions may be applied. 

 

Calculation of the outcome. 

 

Thermal load analysis is performed by 

comparing the resulting temperature 

gradients. 

 



 

CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                      Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2022 | Vol5 |Issue3

  

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IV. ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS: 

Type Air cooled, 4 - stroke single cylinder 

OHC 

Displacement 97.2 cc 

Max. Power 6.15kW (8.36 Ps) @8000 rpm 

Max. Torque 0.82kg - m (8.05 N-m) @5000 rpm 

Max. Speed 87 Kmph 

Bore x Stroke 50.0 mm x 49.5 mm 

Carburetor Side Draft , Variable Venturi Type with 

TCIS 

Compression 

Ratio 

9.9 : 1 

Starting Kick / Self Start 

Ignition DC - Digital CDI 

Oil Grade SAE 10 W 30 SJ Grade , JASO MA 

Grade 

Air Filtration Dry , Pleated Paper Filter 

Fuel System Carburetor 

Fuel Metering Carburetion 

 

 

I. REVERSE ENGINEERING THE PISTON: 

  

The dimensions of the model piston were measured using vernier callipers and other 

measurement devices. In order to create a 3D model of this piston, SolidWorks 3D modelling 

software was used: 

 

 

 

 



 

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VI. BOUNDARY CONDITIONS AND LOADS: 

 

Temperature was applied to the top of the piston at 600 Kelvin, and the piston pin holes were 

fixed. 

Both tests will use the same units, boundary conditions, and loads 

. VII. ANALYSIS ON CAST CARBON STEEL PISTON: 

 

Model Information  

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

Model 

name: Part1 

Current 

Configuration: 

Default 

Solid Bodies 

Document 

Name and 

Reference 

Treated 

As 

Volumetric Properties 
Document 

Path/Date 

Modified 



 

CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                      Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2022 | Vol5 |Issue3

  

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<piston for study>- 

 

 

 

Solid 

Body 

Mass:0.199708 kg 

Volume:2.56036e-

005 m^3 

Density:7800 kg/m^3 

Weight:1.95714 N 

 

 

 

Study Properties 

Study name Study 1 

Analysis type Thermal(Transient) 

Mesh type Solid Mesh 

Solver type FFEPlus 

Solution type Transient 

Total time 1 Seconds 

Time increment 0.1 Seconds 

Contact resistance 

defined? 

No 

Result folder SolidWorks 

document 

(c:\users\dell\appda

ta\local\temp) 

 

Units 

Unit system: SI (MKS) 

Length/Displaceme

nt 

mm 

Temperature Kelvin 

Angular velocity Rad/sec 

Pressure/Stress N/m^2 

 

 

Material Properties 

 



 

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Model Reference Propertie

s 

Compon

ents 

 

 

Name: Cast Carbon Steel 

Model type: Linear Elastic Isotropic 

Default failure criterion:   Max von Mises 

Stress 

Thermal conductivity: 30 

W/(m.K) Specific heat: 

500 J/(kg.K) Mass 

density: 7800 kg/m^3 

Default 

Curve Data:N/A 

 

Thermal Loads 

 

 

Load 

name 

Load Image Load 

Details 

 

 

 

Temperature-

1 

 

 

Entities: 1 face(s) 

Temperature: 600 Kelvin 

 

 

 

Mesh Information 

 

 

Mesh type Solid Mesh 

Mesher Used: Standard mesh 

Automatic Transition: Off 

Include Mesh Auto 
Loops: 

Off 

Jacobian points 4 Points 



 

CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                      Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2022 | Vol5 |Issue3

  

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Element Size 2.94848 mm 

Tolerance 0.147424 mm 

Mesh Quality High 

 

Mesh Information - Details 

 

Total Nodes 26259 

Total Elements 14251 

Maximum Aspect Ratio 90.34 

% of elements with Aspect 

Ratio < 3 

83.9 

% of elements with Aspect 

Ratio > 10 

0.428 

% of distorted 

elements(Jacobian) 

0 

Time to complete 

mesh(hh;mm;ss): 

00:00:0
8 

Computer name: DELL-

PC 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

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Figure- I 

There is a 600 Kelvin maximum temperature on the piston head, while the lowest is 0 Kelvin 

at the piston bottom, which suggests that heat moves to the 1st groove of the piston ring. 

 VIII. ANALYSIS ON CARBON GRAPHITE PISTON: 

 

 

Volumetric Properties: 

 

  

 

 

LPattern2 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solid 

Body 

 

Mass:0.0609817 kg 

Volume:2.7224e-005 

m^3 Density:2240 

kg/m^3 Weight:0.59762 

N 

 

 

 

 

DEFAUL

T 

 

 

 

 Material Properties 



 

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Model Reference Prop

erties 

Compo

nents 

 

 

Name: C (Graphite) 

Model type:Linear Elastic 

Isotropic 

Default failure Max von 

Mises 

criterion: Stress 

Thermal 168 W/(m.K) 

conductivity: 

Specific heat: 44 

J/(kg.K) 

Mass density: 2240 

kg/m^3 

DE

FA

UL

T 

 

 

 

 

 
  

 

Figure – II 

FIGURE II: According to the results 

shown in the figure, which show a 

maximum temperature of 600 Kelvin at the 

top of the piston head and a minimum 

temperature of 291.770 Kelvin at the 

bottom, the flow of heat is sufficient. 

 

 Conclusion- 

Conclusion: Based on thermal (transient 

state) analysis results on Cast Carbon Steel 



 

CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                      Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2022 | Vol5 |Issue3

  

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piston (Result I) and c graphite (Result II), 

we found that the maximum heat flow 

occurred in c graphite instead of Cast 

Carbon Steel which is evidence that the 

thermal conductivity of Carbon Graphite 

Piston is much better than cast carbon steel 

piston which is best for the long life of the 

Piston. 

It is also lighter than Cast Carbon Steel, 

which is better suited for an internal 

combustion engine. In contrast, carbon 

graphite has a lower thermal coefficient 

than Cast Carbon steel, which permits 

engine design to utilise smaller cold 

clearances without risking piston seize 

under heavy loads. 

Carbon graphite pistons also have the 

benefit of having great thermal shock 

resistance and self-lubricant qualities, both 

of which contribute to the engine's 

operating durability and efficiency by 

reducing lubricant use. 

 

When a result, C-Graphite is a corrosion 

resistant against acids and solvents, which 

helps to preserve 

mechanical properties, and C-Graphite 

grows stronger as the temperature is 

increased. 

Finally, based on the results of this 

research, Carbon Graphite pistons are 

superior than cast carbon steel pistons for 

IC engines. 

REFERENCES 

"Thermal StressAnalysis of Engine Piston" 

by B.R. Ramesh and Kishan Naik, 

InternationalConference on Challenges 

and Opportunities in Mechanical 

Engineering, IndustrialEngineering and 

ManagementStudies (ICCOMIM-2012), 

11-13 July, 2012 

Design, Analysis, and Optimization of 

Three Aluminum Piston Alloys using 

FEA: Ajay Raj Singh, DrPushpendra 

Kumar Sharma, International Journal of 

Engineering Research and Applications 

ISSN: 2248-9622, Vol. 4, Issue 1(Version 

3, January 2014, pages 94-102 

 

In this study, Dallwoo Kim, Akemi Ito, 

Yasuhiro Ishikawa, KatsuyukiOsawa, and 

Yoshiyuki Iwasaki-Friction Characteristics 

of Steel Pistons for Diesel Engines. 

 

There are three authors listed in the 

bibliography for "Thermal Analysis and 

Optimization of Microfluidic Devices: A 

Review of the Literature": 

 

Finite Element Analysis of an I.C. Engine 

Piston 

 

Friction losses between the piston ring and 

liner assembly of an internal combustion 

engine have been studied in the 

International Journal of Scientific and 

Research Publications,  

Research on IC Engine Parts With 

Coating: A Review by Ravi S Modi, 

Maulik Modi, and Tushar M Patel ISSN: 

2395-0056, Volume: 4, Issue: 2, January 

2017, International Research Journal of 

Engineering and Technology (IRJET).  

A structural and thermal analysis of a 

piston has been done by K.S.Mahajan and 

S.H.Deshmukh [7]. Current Engineering 

and Technology Journal, E-ISSN 2277-

4106, P-ISSN 2347-5161, International 

The 2016 INPRESSCO.KANCHARLA 

RAJA SEKHAR is 

 

Thermal Analysis of a Piston by G. Vijay 

Prakash, Volume 5, Issue 4, OCT 2016. 



 

CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com                                      Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2022 | Vol5 |Issue3

  

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A study of the thermal temperature fields 

and thermal stress in a steady temperature 

field of diesel engine pistons by Yaohui 

Lu, Peng Lin, Xing Zhang, and Dawei 

Dong was published in 2016 by Southwest 

Jiaotong University in Chengdu, Sichuan 

610031. 

 

"Mechanical and thermal study of the 

internal combustion engine piston using 

Ansys" was presented at the International 

Conference on Applied Sciences in 

Bucharest, Romania 

(ICAS2016). 

Experiment and simulation research 

breakthroughs in the piston assembly of an 

internal combustion engine" by 11.C. 

Kirner, J. Halbhuber, B. Uhlig, A. Oliva, 

S. Graf, and G. Wachtmeister Tribology 

International accepted the preprint on 

March 17, 2016. 


