Main Engines

Engines In General General Description About Internal Combustion Engine Type Of Engines; Petrol engine & Diesel Engine Difference Between Four Stroke & Two Stroke Difference Between Inline & V Engines How Diesel Engine Work Engine Capacity Location Of Engine

Engines In General
The Internal Combustion Engine is a heat engine that converts chemical energy in a fuel into mechanical energy, usually made available on a rotary shaft. The main two type of internal combustion engine are the Compression Ignition Engine (CIE) and the Splash Ignition Engine (SIE). Both of these types are piston type engines. CIE is known as Diesel Engines and SIE is known as Petrol Engines. In CIE, air is compressed to a very high temperature. When fuel is injected into the hot air it will immediately ignite. While in SIE, a mixture of fuel and air is mixed through a carburetor and then ignited by a spark inside the cylinder.

Diesel Engine

Petrol Engine

Four Stroke & Two Stroke Diesel Engine

A stroke is the movement of the piston from the highest position in the cylinder (top dead center) to its lowest (bottom dead center), or from the lowest to the highest position.

Stroke Four Stroke Diesel Engine is a CIE engine designed to complete the combustion cycle using four strokes of the piston. The four stroke cycle consists of induction, compression, power and exhaust strokes. The four stroke cycle will be completed in two revolution of the crankshaft.

Four Stroke Engine Cycle

Two Stoke Diesel Engine is a CIE designed to complete the combustion cycle using two stroke of the piston. The two stroke cycle consist of compression and power stroke. The two stroke cycle will be completed in one revolution of the crankshaft.

Two Stroke Engine Cycle

Four Stroke of Engine

Induction Stroke The piston moves downwards from the top position, drawing air into the cylinder through inlet/intake valve. As the piston passes through bottom dead center the inlet valve is shut.

Intake Stroke

Compression Stroke The compression stroke will begin as the cylinder moves upward in the cylinder. The intake/inlet valve and exhaust/outlet valve are closed. Upward movement of the piston will compress the air into a very small area. Just before top dead center, the fuel is injected into the cylinder.

Compression Stroke Power Stroke In power stroke both inlet and outlet valve are closed. The fresh air charged has been compressed. The fuel has been injected and is starting to burn. After piston pass through TDC, heat is rapidly released by ignition of fuel, causing a rise in cylinder pressure. The raise in pressure forces the piston downward and increases the forces on the crankshaft.

Power Stroke

Exhaust Stroke In this stroke exhaust valve is opened, when piston reaches BDC and moves to upward. Piston pushes out the burnt gases to the atmosphere though exhaust valve.

Exhaust Stroke

Type of Four Stroke Diesel Engine

Direct Injection Engine In a direct injection (abbreviated DI) diesel engine, fuel is injected directly into the cylinder.

Direct Injection Engine

Indirect Injection Engine

In an indirect injection (abbreviated IDI) diesel engine, fuel is injected into a small pre-chamber, which is connected to the cylinder by a narrow opening.

Indirect Injection Engine

Position and Number of Cylinders of Reciprocating Engines

Reciprocating engine is an engine in which one or more pistons move backwards and forward inside a cylinder or cylinders. There are many cylinder arrangements as explained below. a. Single Cylinder: Engine has one cylinder and piston connected to the crankshaft. b. In- line engines: all cylinders are arranged linearly. They can consist of 2 to 11 cylinders or possibly more. In-line engines are sometimes called straight engines. c. "V" engines: Two banks of cylinders at an angle with each other along a single crankshaft. The angle between the banks of cylinders can be anywhere from 15 to 120, with 60-90 being common. V engines have even numbers of cylinders from 2 to 20 or more. d. Opposed Cylinder Engine: Two banks of cylinders opposite each other on a single crankshaft (a V engine with a 180V). These engines are often called flat engines. e. W Engine: Same as a V engine except with three banks of cylinders on the same crankshaft. f. Opposed Piston Engine: Two pistons in each cylinder with the combustion chamber in the center between the pistons. g. Radial Engine. Engine with pistons positioned in a circular plane around the central crankshaft. The connecting rods of the pistons are connected to a master rod which, in turn, is connected to the crankshaft. A bank of cylinders on a radial engine always has an odd number of cylinders.

Cylinders of Reciprocating Engines

Type Of Fuel Compression Ratio Fuel Supply Weight of the engines

CIE Diesel Higher than SIE Injection System Heavier than SIE

SIE Petrol or gasoline Lower than CIE Carburetor Lighter than CIE

References 1- Engineering Fundamentals of the Internal Combustion

Engine, Willard W. Pulkrabek, University of WisconsinPlatteville.

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