Thermo-Mechanical Performance of a Rib-Reinforced Polymer Oil Pan for Diesel Engine Applications

Condori T.; Huacasi J.; Adriazola P.; Beltran W.; Diaz C. · International Journal of Heat and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18280/ijht.440205

Resumen

This study investigates the thermo-mechanical performance of an engine oil pan manufactured from recycled polyamide 66 reinforced with 35% glass fiber (rPA66-GF35). The transition from metallic to polymer-based components is often hindered by the reduction in elastic modulus at high operating temperatures. Using coupled thermo-mechanical finite element analysis (FEA), the baseline polymer geometry was evaluated at 140 °C, revealing a critical factor of safety (FoS) of 0.47 due to bending-dominated deformation. A geometry-driven stiffness recovery strategy was implemented by integrating an external rib network designed to act as primary load paths. Results demonstrate that the reinforced configuration successfully redistributes von Mises stresses, reducing typical shell stresses from 86 MPa to 29.6 MPa. This optimization achieved a FoS of 1.35 and an 11.5% reduction in critical deformations with a marginal mass increase of only 4.12%. It is concluded that topology-based reinforcement effectively compensates for thermal softening, restoring structural integrity. Furthermore, comparative benchmarking against a reference cast aluminum design demonstrates that the optimized polymer configuration achieves a 40% mass reduction while maintaining acceptable sealing-line deformation, validating its mass-normalized stiffness. The optimized polymer design demonstrates structural viability, making it a viable alternative to conventional metal casings in lightweight engines.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa