Pistons make up the mechanism of an engine.
A piston is a part that is part of the operating mechanism of an engine . Also known as a plunger , it is an element that reciprocates within a cylinder to interact with a fluid.
Made of aluminum, the pistons are installed in the cylinder through rings with flexibility, which allow them to perform their movements. Thanks to the pistons, the fluid in the cylinder must change its volume and pressure , and these changes can be converted into movement .
Different types of pistons
In the case of engines that operate on internal combustion, the pistons are subjected to high pressure and a very high temperature . Therefore, it must be able to withstand different stresses generated by expansion and acceleration. Typically, aluminum is combined in different alloys with magnesium, silicon or other metals.
An ancient tool that was used to produce fire thanks to the compression of air inside a cylinder with a piston is known as a fire piston . These pistons had been Rudolf Diesel 's inspiration to achieve the ignition of the engines he devised.
The part that moves alternately inside a cylinder to interact with a fluid is called a piston.
hydraulic cylinder
The hydraulic cylinder is a mechanical element widely used in the industry given its versatility. It has the ability to exert force on other elements in a linear motion and obtains its energy from a pressurized hydraulic fluid (usually some type of oil). It is made up of two basic pieces: a mobile piston, which is attached to a bar (stem); a barrel cylinder, which has a hole in one of the ends for the stem to be located.
The piston of the hydraulic cylinder divides its interior into a lower chamber and that of the rod. Linear motion occurs when hydraulic pressure is exerted on the piston; Its maximum force depends on its active surface and the maximum pressure it supports and is constant from the beginning to the end of the journey. The speed, for its part, is linked to the flow rate of the liquid.
Other applications of the combination of piston and hydraulics
The combination of the piston and hydraulics (part of mechanics that is dedicated to the study of the balance and movement of liquids) gives rise to a large number of applications, one of them being the hydraulic cylinder; some of the others are the following:
* tipper articulation and suspension in mechanisms designed to transport loads;
* devices for the articulation of certain large and heavy doors. It is important to highlight that hydraulic energy is very useful to assist humans in manipulating structures that are too heavy for their strength;
* automatic movement of solar panels;
* Garbage container elevators located on public roads.
More uses of the term
In the popular video game Minecraft there is a type of block called a piston, which is used to push the blocks in front of it, as long as the total does not exceed 12. When placed on the stage, the pistons look practically like a common block , as they only begin to move when they are activated using a substance known as Red Stone . It is worth mentioning that this type of block can also move a player or an entity, if they are in its path.
Los Pistones , on the other hand, was a rock and pop band from Spain that had its heyday in the 1980s . Before its dissolution, the group released five albums.
We can name, finally, the Detroit Pistons (or Detroit Pistons in its original language), a basketball team that won three NBA championships.