“TRANSILVANIA” UNIVERSITY of BRASOV

Faculty of Mechanics
Department of Strength of Materials and Vibrations

Structural behavior evaluation of the piston compressor con-rod

based on dynamic stress simulation

Assist. Eng. Calin ITU

Assist. Eng. Sorin Popa

TEHNONAV 2006 - Constanta

 Objective

In this paper, we attempt to evaluate the structural behavior of the piston compressor
con-rod (stress and displacement magnitude values) based on dynamic stress simulation, for
two situations:
1. The con-rod length is constant, the compressor speed is increased from idle speed to
nominal speed;
2. For a constant compressor speed (nominal speed), the con-rod length has the different
values.
The analyses were made using specific module of the MSC software – MSC Visual
Nastran Desktop 4D.
 
Keywords: finite elements, stress, strain, optimization, rigidity, virtual prototyping
 Introduction
The actual tendency of the engineers and researchers people from worldwide are focused both
on the research-developed-optimization activities for some components or parts of system
assemblies or sub-assemblies and on the increasingly quality, reliability and durability of products
in order to remain competitive and profitable or to obtain the marketplace.
The manufacturers are pressed to refresh their product models much faster than before.
Shortening time to market and reducing costs are simply not good enough anymore. They have to
penetrate new markets with innovative new products that support and cultivate strong brand
values. This calls for a high performance development process – with high throughput and high
precision. A process that delivers the right products – designed right first time. Engineering
departments now more than ever are challenged to tune the functional performance characteristics
of their new designs.
Today, the industry evolution towards more virtual prototyping results in fewer prototypes
that must be tested in greater detail. Virtual prototyping method won it an important role in the
different high industry domains, such as: automotive, aircraft, biomechanical industry. The truth
virtual prototyping is created by means of MBS.
An interest domain of the MBS systems for the researchers is the analysis of the flexible bodies
in motion from an assembly or subassembly.
Flexible bodies provide a very efficient way to represent structural flexibility for even the most
complicated geometry. The method uses an advanced numerical algorithm based on FEA (Finite
Element Analysis).
This functionality allows visualizing the stress field of a part undergoing dynamic motion.
 Problem description
The processes and phenomena that develop in mechanical system are quite complex and
difficult to represent faithful in virtual models, which represent in fact an approximation of the real
systems.
Theoretical interpretation of the phenomena and processes from mechanical systems gets
useful in order to make a final decision with regard to adoption some optimal functional
parameters.
The analyzed model was made for a piston compressor, and block diagram of the debate study
is presented in the figure 1.
The input values known are mass, material & geometrical properties for all components of the
assembly, joint positions of the mechanism assembly, generating motion (piston compressor speed)
and force pressure, which acts on the piston head per a complete cycle.
Based on input kinematics parameter adopted and the restraints imposed by joints applied, it
can be obtained the motion equations of the mechanical system, resulting the kinematics behavior of
the model. The motion equations obtained form kinematics behavior of the mechanical system along
with external and internal loading applied on the study model leads on to obtained the dynamic
model and implicit to the dynamic behavior of the system.
Finally, based on summing kinematics and dynamic behavior effects of the mechanical system,
it obtained the dynamic stress and strain state of the marked component.

See next
 Problem description

Figure 1 – Bloc schema for analysis

See previous
 Geometry model

The con-rod is a known component from a

crank mechanism that delivers the gas force
pressure of the piston head to crankshaft in order
to generate torque motor. Also, the con-rod
converts alternative translation piston motion in a
turning motion of the crankshaft.
In the figure 2, it shows the CAD model of
system analyzed that contains: piston, con-rod and
crankshaft.
The mechanism has one degree of freedom:
rotating crankshaft. The input kinematics
parameter of the mechanism known is the piston
compressor crankshaft speed; based on crankshaft
speed it will result the angular velocity of the
crankshaft:
Figure 2 – Virtual model   n  rad 
of piston compressor 
30  s 
 Material properties

The geometry and material properties of the con-rod studied:

•Con-rod length: 150 [mm];

•Con-rod mass: 0.417 [kg].
•Con-rod material: steel
•Modulus of elasticity: 210000 MPa,
•Poisson ratio: 0.29,
•Mass density: 7.86 g/cm3);
•Yield stress: 330 [MPa];
•Ultimate tensile stress: 448 [MPa].
 Loads and boundary condition

The intake pressure is 2 [bar]  0.2 [MPa]

and exhaust pressure from the system is 11 [bar] 
1.1 [MPa]. These pressures were applied on piston
head such as force pressure.
The intake process developed when the piston
goes down and crankshaft made an angular
displacement from 0 to 180 degrees. Also, the
exhaust process developed when the piston goes up
and the crankshaft swept from 180 to 360 degrees.

The boundary conditions are imposed by

joints applied on the mechanism.
Point O is a fixed hinge and allows a single
degree of freedom in rotation.
Point A is a revolute joint between 1 & 2
components. This joint allows a single
degree of freedom in rotation.
Point B, also, is a revolute joint between
con-rod (2) and piston (3) and can slide up-
down.
Figure 3 – Bloc schema for force pressure
 Results for compressor speed increased from idle
speed (600 min-1) to nominal speed (3000 min-1)

Figure 4 - Von Mises stress of con-rod for Figure 5 - Von Mises stress of con-rod in
different speeds in terms of angle crankshaft terms of compressor speed

Based on analyses made for different compressor speeds, in figure 4, it can be observed that
critical position from von Mises criteria viewpoint was obtained at 36-degree angle crankshaft values
for the five compressor speed values. At this position, the sum of axial loading, inertia loading and net
weight of the con-rod has a maximum value.
Also, based on figure 5, it can be observed that von Mises stress values varying after a parabolic
curve in terms of compressor speed that is according to strength of material relations: Stress = f(n 2).
 Results. Displacement magnitude plot

In this slide, it can be shown maximum

displacement magnitude obtained in con-rod
for the most disadvantageous position of
mechanism (36-degrees angle crankshaft value)
at 3000 [min-1] crankshaft speed.

Figure 6 - Maximum displacement magnitude

for critical position of con-rod in mechanism
 Results. Von mises stress plot

Figure 7 - Von Mises stress

plot for critical position of
mechanism at 3000 [min-1]

It can be shown the dangerous area for critical position. So, maximum von Mises stress value was
obtained on the area between body of the con-rod and connecting rod small end because the radius
has a small value. The stress obtained for nominal crankshaft speed (3000 min -1) has a lower value
than the yield stress of the con-rod material (331 MPa) and endurance limit (110 MPa).
 Results for different length values of the con-rod length

Figure 8 - Von Mises stress of con- Figure 9 - Von Mises stress of con-
rod for different con-rod lengths in rod in terms of con-rod length
terms of angle crankshaft

Beside compressor speed parameter, the con-rod length is another parameter that has an
important influence on structural stiffness of the con-rod and stress.
A con-rod length increasingly leads on both to a reduction of the con-rod stiffness and to a stress
growing. Based on figure 9, the maximum von Mises stress value was obtained at 36-degrees
crankshaft position and the same area, too.
Von Mises stress. Animation
Von Mises stress. Animation
 Conclusions

The dynamical stress evaluation method based on virtual simulation offers a quickly and
better information about stress of state for a part in a dynamic motion comparison by evaluation
method based on static analysis because the inertial loading is determined by means of motion
equation established by the soft.
Also, the dynamical stress evaluation method of the state stress is very advantageous for
research-developed-optimization activities of the product and is applicable for any complex
mechanical system.
Based on dynamic FEA analysis, it can make appreciation with regards to factor of safety for
a component desired on a complete duty cycle, known material properties of the part studied.
 Bibliography

E-mail address: calinitu@unitbv.ro, calinitu@yahoo.com

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