ENGINE TERMINOLOGIES

AND OPERATION
 ENGINE TERMINOLOGIES
 Top dead centre (T.D.C.)
The position of the piston in the cylinder
when there is maximum clearance
between the piston head and the
crankshaft axis
 Bottom dead centre (B.D.C.)
The position of the piston in the cylinder
when there is minimum clearance between
the piston head and the crankshaft axis.
 Bore
This is the diameter of the engine cylinder
Bore and Stroke of an engine
Engine Terminologies cont’d
 Stroke
Distance travelled by the piston in moving
from T.D.C. to the B.D.C.
 Clearance volume
The volume of cylinder (including the
combustion chamber) above the piston when
it is in the T.D.C. position
 Piston displacement
This is the volume swept by the piston in
moving from T.D.C. to B.D.C.
Piston displacement and Clearance
volume
Engine Terminologies cont’d
 Engine Capacity
This is a total piston displacement or the
swept volume of all the cylinders, also called
liter capacity
 Compression ratio
This indicates the extent to which the charge
in the engine is compressed. This is
calculated as the ratio of the volume above
the piston at B.D.C. to the volume above the
piston at T.D.C.
Example
 Givenan engine with a bore of 100 mm and
stroke 124 mm, calculate;
 The piston displacement [973400 mm3]
 The total cylinder volume[1135633 mm3]
 The compression ratio (given that
clearance volume is 0ne sixth of the piston
displacement) [7]
 ENGINE CLASSIFICATIONS
 By the method of ignition
 Compression Ignition Engine
This is an engine where air is first drawn into the
cylinder and subjected to compression followed by
injection of fuel in the dense air and further
compression with elevated pressure and temperature
resulting into self or spontaneous ignition of the
combustible mixture.
 Spark Ignition engine
This is an engine where air and fuel are prepared in a
special device called carburettor. Already mixed air and
fuel is drawn into the cylinder for further mixing and
compression. The combustible mixture is ignited by an
electric spark.
ENGINE CLASSIFICATIONS CONT’D
 Operating principle
Two stroke cycle engine
This is a cycle comprising the four processes;
induction, compression, power and exhaust
are accomplished within two piston strokes
or one revolution of the crankshaft.
Four stroke cycle engine
Here a cycle is accomplished in four piston
strokes which is equal to the two revolutions
of the crankshaft rotation.
 ENGINE CLASSIFICATIONS CONT’D
 The kind of fuel consumed
 Liquid fuel engines use petrol or diesel fuels
 Gas engines use gas.
 The number of cylinders
 Multi - cylinder engines – These have more than two cyliners
 Single cylinder engines – Only one cylinder
 The cylinder arrangement
 Inline arrangement, cylinders are arranged in a row
 V arrangement, where cylinders are arranged in two banks at a
certain angle to each other but operated by a common
crankshaft.
 The type of engine cooling
 Air cooled engine, employing air to dissipate heat.
 Liquid cooling engine, water is a common medium for engine
heat exchange.
Diesel engine operation – 4 stroke
 Induction
While the exhaust valve is closed, the inlet
valve is open. A piston descends from T.D.C
to B.D.C liberating volume above it.
Diesel engine operation cont’d
 Compression
Both valves remain closed and the piston begins to
ascend from B.D.C to T.D.C. the piston progressively
compresses the enclosed air in the cylinder. Before
the piston reaches T.D.C, an injection pump timely
injects pressurized fuel into the dense air.
 Diesel engine operation cont’d
 Compression continued
At the end of compression, air fuel mixture is highly
compressed within the combustion chamber volume
with resultant high compression ratio of 14:1 to 18:1.
Fuel disintegrates into small droplets as it breaks
through highly compressed hot air. The two mix to
form a combustibles mixture. As the fuel molecules
get in touch with the hot air molecules, it vaporizes
and the mixture spontaneously ignites and burning
takes place due to the presence of oxygen. By the end
of compression and due to burning, temperature and
pressure sharply rise
Diesel engine operation cont’d
 Power
The valves remain closed. The burning mixture
explodes and expands within a small closed
space generating heat with a sharp rise in
pressure which exceeds the piston’s resistance.
The gas force forces the piston to change its
direction of travel with a thrust. As the piston
moves down to B.D.C, the volume above it
increases with a drop in the cylinder pressure
and temperature Combustion is completed
during the beginning of the power stroke when
the fuel previously unburnt burns up fully.
Diesel engine operation cont’d
 Exhaust
At the beginning of the exhaust stroke, the inlet valve
remains closed but exhaust valve is open. The piston
moves from B.D.C to T.D.C. The waste products of
combustion are first thrown out of the open valve by
their own pressure.
As the piston moves up to T.D.C, it pushes and speeds
the exhaust gas expulsion. At the end of the stroke,
pressure and temperature drop.
It is only during the power stroke that the piston
moves down with a thrust due to the gas pressure.
During the other three idle strokes, the piston is
moved by the rotating crankshaft due to the
mechanical energy or power stored by the fly wheel
during the previous power stroke.
Engine operation – 4 stroke
 Spark Ignition Four stroke cycle engine
 Suctionstroke: Suction stroke starts when piston is
at top dead center and about to move downwards.
During suction stroke inlet valve is open and
exhaust valve is closed. Due to low pressure
created by the motion of the piston towards bottom
dead center, the charge consisting of fresh air
mixed with the fuel is drawn into cylinder. At the
end of suction stroke the inlet valve closes
 Operation continued
 Compression stroke: During compression stroke,
the compression of charge takes place by return
stroke of piston, i.e. when piston moves from BDC
to TDC. During this stroke both, inlet and exhaust
valve remain closed. Charge which is occupied by
the whole cylinder volume is compressed up to the
clearance volume. Just before completion of
compression stroke, a spark is produced by the
spark plug and fuel is ignited. Combustion takes
place when the piston is almost at TDC
 Operation Continued
 Expansion or power stroke: Piston gets downward
thrust by explosion of charge. Due to high
pressure of burnt gases, piston moves downwards
to the BDC. During expansion stroke both inlet and
exhaust valves remains closed. Thus power is
obtained by expansion of products of combustion.
Therefore it is also called as ‘power stroke’. Both
pressure as well as temperature decreases during
expansion stroke.
 Operation continued
 Exhaust stroke: At the end of expansion stroke
the exhaust valve opens, the inlet valve
remains closed and the piston moves from BDC
to TDC. During exhaust stroke the burnt gases
inside the cylinder are expelled out. The
exhaust valve closes at the end of the exhaust
stroke but still some residual gases remains in
cylinder.
 TWO CYCLE DIESEL ENGINES
 Insteadof the crankcase, a mechanically driven
blower is used to pressurize the air.
A cam-operated valve in the head is used to
expel exhaust gases. When the piston is
approximately halfway through the down stroke,
the exhaust valve opens to release the exhaust
gases and then the intake port is uncovered.
 Compressed air from the blower rushes into the
combustion chamber and sweeps residual
exhaust gases through the exhaust valve.
 Two cycle diesel engine operation

 The exhaust valve begins closing after CDC, and,

while it is closing, the rising piston covers the
intake port. Continued upward movement of the
piston compresses the trapped air.
 Fuelis injected as the piston nears HDC and the
trapped air has reached the self-ignition
temperature of the fuel. The injected fuel
ignites, and the released energy forces the
piston downward to produce work.
Two cycle diesel engine operation
Operation of two stroke petrol engine
 This uses the crankcase as an air pump.
 While the piston is moving upward on a compression
stroke, a vacuum is created in the crank case, and the
check valve opens to admit the air fuel mixture.
 The check valve closes, and the mixture in the crankcase
is compressed as the piston moves downward on the power
stroke. The piston uncovers intake and exhaust ports
during its descent. When the ports are uncovered,
the compressed mixture in the crankcase rushes into the
combustion chamber and sweeps the exhaust gases toward
the exhaust port.
2 stroke petrol engine operation
 Operation of two stroke petrol engine
cont’d
 As the piston again rises and covers the ports, the
mixture in the combustion chamber is compressed
by continued upward movement of the piston.
 The spark plug fires as the piston approaches TDC,
and then the burning mixture forces the piston
down to provide power.
 The use of the crankcase as an air pump interferes
with its use as a sump for lubricating oil. The
lubrication of moving parts is accomplished by
mixing oil with the gasoline.
2 stroke petrol engine operation
Comparison of 4 stroke and 2 stroke engines
Basis of comparison Four stroke Two stroke
Number of strokes 4 2
per cycle
Number of 2 1
revolutions of the
crankshaft per cycle
Torque fluctuations High. Hence the More uniform.
need for a bigger fly Lighter fly wheel is
wheel sufficient
Thermal efficiency High Low
Mechanical Low High
efficiency
Entry and Exhaust of Through valves Through ports
charge
Fuel consumption Less More
 Comparison of 4 stroke and 2 stroke engines
Basis of comparison Four stroke Two stroke
Running noise Less More

Power Stroke One power stroke for One power stroke for
two revolutions of one revolution of the
the crankshaft crankshaft
Weight Heavy and bulky Lighter and compact

Cooling and Requires lesser Requires more

Lubrication cooling and cooling and
lubrication since lubrication since
combustion takes combustion takes
place in alternate place in every
revolutions of the revolution of the
crankshaft crankshaft
 Advantages of 2 stroke engines
 A 2 stroke engine has the twice the number of power
strokes than a four stroke engine at the same speed.
Hence theoretically power developed in 2 stroke
engine is double than the four stroke engine.
 The weight of the 2 stroke engine is less than four
stroke engine because of the lighter flywheel due to
more uniform torque on the crankshaft
 Since there are no mechanical valves and valve gears,
the construction is simpler
 It occupies less space
 Less maintenance since less number of moving parts
 The 2 stroke engine is much easier to start
 Initial cost of the engine is less
Disadvantages of 2 stroke engines
 Thermal efficiency is less
 Since the firing takes place in every revolution, the time
available for cooling is less, which results in overheating
of the piston and other engine parts.
 Consumption of lubricating oil is more
 Incomplete scavenging results in mixing of fresh charge
with the exhaust gases which will reduce the power
output and thermal efficiency.
 Since the transfer port opened for only short duration, it
is likely that less quantity of charge may be admitted into
the engine cylinder reducing the power output
 For a given stroke and clearance volume, the effective
compression ratio is less
 Running cost will be more as the fuel consumption is more
 Comparison between Petrol & Diesel
engines
Basis of comparison Petrol engine Diesel engine

Cycle of operation Otto cycle Diesel cycle

Fuel used Petrol Diesel

Ignition of charge Using a spark plug Self ignition

Supply of fuel Using a carburetor Using a fuel pump

and injector

Thermal efficiency Lower Higher

Initial cost Less More

Running cost More less

 Comparison between Petrol & Diesel
engines
Basis of comparison Petrol engine Diesel engine
Compression ratio Low compression High compression
ratio ratio
Weight of the engine Less weight High weight
Noise production Produces less noise Produces more noise
Starting Easy to start Much difficult to
start
application It is used in light It is used in heavy
commercial duty vehicles
vehicles like likes bus, trucks,
motorcycle, cars ships etc.
etc.