INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 15

ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

LESSON 2

Engine Operating Principles

Definition of Technical Terms

Before discussing the principles of operating gasoline and diesel engines, it is imperative

to know and be familiar with the meaning of the technical terms that will often be

mentioned in the discussion. Some of the technical terms are:

1. Cycle. This is a series of events repeated in the same regular order. Events for

instance that are completed in a cycle are Intake, Compression, Power and Exhaust.

2. Stroke This refers to the distance travelled by the piston from top to bottom or bottom

to top.

3. Top Dead Center (TDC). This refers to the topmost part reached by the piston during

its upward motion. This is sometimes called upper dead center.

4. Bottom Dead Center. This refers to the lowermost part reached by the piston during

its downward motion, sometimes called lower dead center (LDC).

5. Combustion. This is a chemical reaction in which certain elements of the fuel

combine with oxygen, causing an increase in temperature of the gasses. These are

actually three factors to effect combustion or burning namely oxygen, fuel and

temperature.

6. Atmospheric pressure. This refers to the weight of air at sea level which is generally

equivalent to 14.7 per square inch (psi).

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 16
ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

7. Revolution. This refers to one complete rotation at an axis as in the crankshaft and

camshaft equivalent to 360 degrees

8. Compression ratio. This refers to the ratio of the volume of fuel charge(gas) or

compressed air (diesel) at the beginning of compression stroke to the volume at the end

of compression stroke ( piston is at TDC).

9. Vacuum. This is a space devoid of matter.

10. Suction. This is the drawing in of fuel-air mixture or air into engine cylinder due to

downward movement of the piston and the vacuum created in the combustion chamber.

11. Scavenging. This refers to the process of removing burned gasses inside the

cylinder by means of air that enters the engine during intake stroke.

12. Air-fuel ratio. The ratio of air and fuel by weight (usually in pounds) in a given

mixture.

13. Turbulence. The swirling motion of air/fuel charge in the combustion chamber to

affect perfect combustion.

14. Piston displacement. This is the volume the piston displaces as it moves from BDC

to TDC.

15. High fuel Efficiency. This refers to pushing large amount of air into cylinders without

increasing displacement thereby resulting in low compression ratio yet a high expansion

ratio.

16. OTTO cycle engines. These are engines where the four (4) piston strokes are

almost the same or equal duration. As a result, the compression ratio is equivalent to the

expansion ratio. .

Introduction: As mentioned in the previous modules, four stroke engines are engines

where the cycle is completed in four (4) strokes of the piston. At this point, let us discuss
 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 17
ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

the four piston strokes that makes up a cycle and concentrate, in the meantime with a

single cylinder gasoline engines.

Objectives: After going through this module you should be able to explain the

operating cycles of internal combustion engine

Procedure: Reading

The Four Stroke Cycle

1. Intake or Suction stroke. Theoretically speaking, this is

the first stroke of the piston. In here, the piston moves

downward from top dead center leaving a partial vacuum

above it in the combustion chamber and cylinder. This

downward movement of the piston and the vacuum present

resulted to the drawing of air-fuel mixture from the carburettor

due to suction pressure. As the piston reaches the bottom dead center (BDC) the intake

valves closes to end the intake stroke.

2. Compression stroke at this event, the piston reaches

BDC at the end of intake stroke and starts to move up with

both valves closed to compress the air fuel mixture in

preparation for the power stroke.

3. Power Stroke. To obtain effective combustion, ignition usually takes place a few

degrees before the piston reaches the top dead center of its

compression stroke. As a spark ignition engine, electricity is

needed for ignition. The giving off of electric spark by the spark

plug results to combustion and burning of fuel charge. This

leads to the expansion of gasses and forces the piston down

the cylinder. This motion is transmitted to the crankshaft

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 18
ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

through the connecting rod in a rotary manner. With both valves closed, the crankshaft

rotates another 180° in the duration of this stroke.

4. Exhaust. A few degrees even before the piston reaches

the bottom dead center during the power stroke, the

exhaust valves begin to open and allow the burned gasses

to come out because of the difference in pressure. Another

factor is the upward action of the piston which pushes out

the burned gasses. Approximately 50 t0 60 percent of

burned gasses by weight already escapes from the cylinder even before the pistons

goes up. Exhaust valve closes as soon as the piston reaches top dead center while the

intake valve remains closed. This has completed the cycle and 2 revolutions of the

crankshaft or a total of 720°. This cycle is repeated a long as the engine runs and

operates.

The Two Stroke Cycle

In a two stroke gasoline engine (spark

ignition engine) the cycle is completed in

two (2) strokes or one revolution of the

crankshaft as against two revolutions in a 4

stroke cycle engine. All factors being equal,

a two stroke engine will produce,

theoretically, twice the horsepower of a 4 stroke engine having the same piston

displacement.

The main difference between two-stroke and four-stroke engines lies in the

method of removing burned gases, and filling the cylinder with fresh and fuel mixture. In

a four stroke engine, these operations are performed by the engine piston during

exhaust and suctions strokes. In a two stroke engine, these operations are performed by

a slightly compressed stream of air or air fuel mixture supplied by a separate pump
 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 19
ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

called scavenges pump or compressor. A brief discussion of the vents performed in two

strokes of the piston follows. The illustrations start with the power, exhaust and at the

same time intake strokes as the scavenge port is uncovered and then compression

stroke.

Operation of Intake, Compression, Power and Exhaust Strokes

1. Intake stroke. During the downward movement of the piston as it uncovers the

scavenge ports, slightly compressed air-fuel mixture is admitted to the cylinder, expelling

the remaining burned gases inside the engine. There is partial exhaust in this port but

closes as very soon.

2. Compression Stroke. On the return stroke and as the piston covers the scavenge

ports during its upward movement, compression starts up to top dead center.

3. Power stroke. Before the piston reaches the top dead center, the air fuel charge is

ignited by a spark from the spark plug and expansion of gases occurs, driving the piston

down.

4. Exhaust Stroke. During the downward motion and toward the end of expansion

stroke, the exhaust ports are uncovered to allow the flowing out of gases for the exhaust

stroke. This is followed by another suction stroke and so on, following regularly the order

of events in a cycle.

Four Stroke Cycle in Diesel Engine

The first successful compression ignition engine was developed by Rudolf Diesel. That is

why it is called Diesel engine.

Look at the operation of four stroke in a typical diesel engine.

1. Intake Stroke. In this stroke, only air is admitted into the engine cylinder through

the intake manifold and intake valve. The timing of the valve action and movement of the

piston is the same as the four stroke gasoline engine.

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 20
ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

2. Compression Stroke. The air admitted during suction stroke is compressed to

high pressure (above 500 psi) and temperature about 1,000°F). From the bottom dead

center, the piston goes up to top dead center with both valves closed.

3. Power Stroke. Ignition of the injected fuel charge does not happen at an instant.

It is actually gradual ignition and combustion. Similarly, turbulence is necessary for

efficient combustion, this is followed by the expansion of air and gases that drives the

piston down with both valves closed.

4. Exhaust Stroke. The events taking place in a diesel engine during exhaust are

similar to those in gasolines. Piston goes up with the exhaust valve open

releasing burned gases and everything inside the cylinder and combustion chamber prior

to intake.

Two- Stroke Diesel Engine

In a two stroke diesel engine, the compression and

power strokes are identical with those of a four stroke

engine and the scavenging procedure does not occurs from

that of a spark-ignition engine. Almost all two –stroke cycle

engines operate similarly. Variations are mostly in two (2)

aspects, that is, the methods of producing the scavenge air

and the method of admitting it into the engine cylinder.

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 21
ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

Activity: Encircle the word puzzle that defines the evaluation items below.

W R E Y T O I N G F D I L B S C A V E N G I N G O

Q A E A U M H V C X N N E S G K P T X N K L D M S

E H A V E I F G T U C T U R B U L E N C E J G C K

S O N P O W E R A I D A X G J O K D C A O H A P O

T M M J K L D S B U C K A Q X V B N M J K O Q O P

R F W B T Y U X M C K E K A F J L P Y T E C N L F

O H I W R E V T P A H S P A R K P L U G S O P S O

K P O W T R Y R I C N T A Z L G F D C O P I R F

E A L T S U J A Z O X R N A V A C U U M D U S C O

S P I C E A C U H X N O W T U I P L G A C B N H D

C O M B U S T I O N X K Z I C O M P R E S S I O N

A G F C Y C L E Z V N E M E R T W Y O H L C D A H

Evaluation items

1. It refers to the distance travelled by the piston from top to bottom.

2. It is the first stroke of the piston.

3. It provides a spark which includes pair of electrodes.

4. Is the series of events repeated in the same regular order?

5. Is the increasing the pressure of gas by squeezing it into a smaller space.

6. Is one complete rotation at an axis as in the crankshaft equivalent to 360°.

7. Is the swirling motion of air/fuel charged in the combustion chamber?

8. Is the space devoid of matter?

9. Is the chemical reaction of elements in which the fuel combines with the oxygen?

10. Is the process of removing burned gases inside the cylinder?

 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 22
ENGINE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

Evaluation:

Discussion: Explain the following questions (5pts each)

1. Discuss the operation of a 4 stroke spark plug-ignition engine.

2. Discuss the operation of a 4 stroke compression-ignition engine.

3. How does the 4 stroke cycle differ from 2 stroke cycle?

4. Discuss the operation of 4 stroke Diesel engine.

5. If you choose either of this two what will you choose? Why?