Frictional modes of barrel shaped piston rings under flooded lubrication

A friction force measurement system using the floating liner method was developed to study the frictional behavior of piston rings. The measurement system was designed to control the effect of the secondary piston motion and to control temperatures of the cylinder wall and oil. The friction force between the barrel shaped piston ring and the cylinder liner was measured under flooded oil supply conditions. The measured friction forces were classified into five frictional modes with regard to the combination of predominant lubrication regimes (boundary, mixed and hydrodynamic lubrication) and stroke regions (mid-stroke and dead centers). The modes were identified on a Stribeck diagram, where the friction coefficients were evaluated both at mid-stroke and at the dead centers.