Evaluation of Wear Resistant Ceramic Valve Seats in Gas-Fueled Power GenerationEngines. Topical Report, December 1991-April 1994

摘要

This project is directed at the reduction of valve recession in natural gas-fueled engines. Ceramic valve seat inserts have been procured, installed in a Caterpillar G3516 natural gas generator set, and tested for 1000 hours. Two different silicon nitride materials are being utilized for the valve seats in addition to stock Eatonite metallic inserts. Three valve face materials are being tested. These include stock Caterpillar stellite 1 faced, stellite 6 faced, and unfaced valves. A test matrix was used to allow comparison of all three valve face materials in combination with all three insert materials. The testing is scheduled to continue for an additional 7000 hours. No problems have been encountered with the test materials. In general, it has been shown that two types of silicon nitride materials have at least short term durability in engine operation. Neither material has exhibited any deficiencies thus far. An economic analysis spreadsheet has been created to calculate potential cost savings potential using ceramic valve seat inserts. Valve recession data for the first 1000 hours shows expected trends. Exhaust valve positions are wearing more than intake valve positions. If the intake positions and all positions with unfaced valve are ignored, then ceramic inserts paired with Stellite 1 valves show the most wear.