A piston expander and transfer valve for the controlled metering of a pressurised working fluid into an expansion chamber as part of an energy conversion device, and in particular as part of a heat to power conversion device employing a rankine thermodynamic cycle. The piston expander comprising a cylinder having an inlet manifold connected to an aperture in the cylinder's inlet aperture, a piston movable within the cylinder, and a transfer valve assembly movable under the action of changing gas pressure in the main chamber of the piston expander.

A central valve for a camshaft adjuster, and to an internal combustion engine, which includes a camshaft, a camshaft-adjusting device, and a central valve. The central valve includes a shaped part as a valve housing (3), including a control piston (4) guided coaxially within the valve housing (3) in such a way that the control piston can move axially and including a stop, which limits the mobility of the control piston in an axial direction (piston stop). The piston stop is a piston stop washer (5), wherein the piston stop washer and the valve housing (3) are joined.

A central valve for a camshaft adjuster, and to an internal combustion engine, which includes a camshaft, a camshaft-adjusting device, and a central valve. The central valve includes a shaped part as a valve housing (3), including a control piston (4) guided coaxially within the valve housing (3) in such a way that the control piston can move axially and including a stop, which limits the mobility of the control piston in an axial direction (piston stop). The piston stop is a piston stop washer (5), wherein the piston stop washer and the valve housing (3) are joined.

A method for introducing combustion air into a cylinder (25) of an internal combustion engine, a high-pressure inlet valve (1) provided therefor and an internal combustion engine that operates using the method and the high-pressure inlet valve are described. All the combustion air for the respective cylinders (25) is introduced into the cylinder (25) of the internal combustion engine, by means of a high-pressure inlet valve (1) arranged in the relevant cylinder head (26) and on the basis of a controlled mass flow, such that mixture formation and charge exchange are intensified. In addition, the temperature and/or pressure of the combustion air is measured and the quantity of combustion air is introduced into the cylinder (25), in a controlled manner and on the basis of the measurement results, by means of the high-pressure inlet valve (1) by opening or closing a sliding piston (3) of the high-pressure inlet valve (1) by displacement. As a result of an axial displacement of the sliding piston (3) between guide sections (5) in the housing (2) of the high-pressure inlet valve (1), passage areas (6) for combustion air are blocked in a closed position (7) and opened in an open position (8). In the passage area (6), the sliding piston (3) has two pressurization areas (10, 11) facing each other, the surfaces of which are of equal size or differ from each other when projected in one plane. The first pressurization area (10) can be designed as a poppet valve (12) and the second pressurization area (11) can be designed as an annular surface (13). The internal combustion engine has a high-pressure line (27) for the combustion air, which line is connected to the high-pressure inlet valve (1). With respect to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder (25), the high-pressure inlet valve (1) is arranged in the cylinder head (26) in an upright or horizontal position.

A thermal barrier coating film includes a bond coat layer that is a metallic bond layer formed on a base material; a topcoat layer that is a ceramic-containing layer formed on the bond coat layer; and at least one of a protective layer and a protective substance. The protective layer is formed on the topcoat layer and mainly contains SrSO.sub.4. The protective substance is provided in a plurality of void spaces included in the topcoat layer and mainly contains SrSO.sub.4.

A thermal barrier coating film includes a bond coat layer that is a metallic bond layer formed on a base material; a topcoat layer that is a ceramic-containing layer formed on the bond coat layer; and at least one of a protective layer and a protective substance. The protective layer is formed on the topcoat layer and mainly contains SrSO.sub.4. The protective substance is provided in a plurality of void spaces included in the topcoat layer and mainly contains SrSO.sub.4.

A thermal barrier coating film includes a bond coat layer that is a metallic bond layer formed on a base material; a topcoat layer that is a ceramic-containing layer formed on the bond coat layer; and at least one of a protective layer and a protective substance. The protective layer is formed on the topcoat layer and mainly containing SrSO.sub.4. The protective substance is provided in the interior of a plurality of void spaces included in the topcoat layer and mainly contains SrSO.sub.4.

A central valve for a camshaft adjuster, and to an internal combustion engine, which includes a camshaft, a camshaft-adjusting device, and a central valve. The central valve includes a shaped part as a valve housing (3), including a control piston (4) guided coaxially within the valve housing (3) in such a way that the control piston can move axially and including a stop, which limits the mobility of the control piston in an axial direction (piston stop). The piston stop is a piston stop washer (5), wherein the piston stop washer and the valve housing (3) are joined.

A central valve for a camshaft adjuster, and to an internal combustion engine, which includes a camshaft, a camshaft-adjusting device, and a central valve. The central valve includes a shaped part as a valve housing (3), including a control piston (4) guided coaxially within the valve housing (3) in such a way that the control piston can move axially and including a stop, which limits the mobility of the control piston in an axial direction (piston stop). The piston stop is a piston stop washer (5), wherein the piston stop washer and the valve housing (3) are joined.