03 Combustion Chamber

Combustion Chamber
The design of combustion chamber varies with the

engine type but the basic requirement will still be
the same. In diesel engines it is necessary to have a
compression ratio of about 14:1 in order that the
temperature at the end of the compression is high
enough to ignite the fuel. With this compression
ratio the clearance space is very small. The fuel
spray should travel in all directions to fill up the
clearance space. A long spray travel would be ideal
to satisfy this requirement. The combustion space
there fore should not be contained with in flat
surfaces but instead be accommodated in a space
suitably formed between the crown of the piston
and the cylinder cover. A geometry is evolved over
the years which gives a shape as near to spherical
as possible. A centrally located injector is most
desirable in so far as its ability to disperse the spray
of oil is concerned. Other important factors are an
induced turbulence to incoming air in the form of a
swirl movement and a uniform distribution of heat.
It not only improves the air to fuel mixture but also
protects the chamber wall from direct heat
impingement and differential thermal strain. It is
difficult however to achieve many of these
condition in a 4-stroke engine. The diesel engine can
burn any liquid fuel that can be injected in the
cylinder. The fuel must be sprayed, penetrated and
dispersed in the space with in a short period. The
combustion must be completed with in the very short
time during which the fuel comes in contact with air.
Marine diesel engines employ largely two types of
combustion chambers
1. Direct Injection type, nonturbulent, open Chamber
2. Pre-combustion chamber with turbulent main
chamber
Direct Injection type "Open Chamber‘
• It has by far the largest application amongst the slow
and medium diesel engines. Large slow speed marine
engines invariably use this type of chamber. The
criterion IS the diameter of a cylinder and power of
the engine. In the open chamber there is
insignificant movement of air and therefore these are
also called "non-turbulant chamber”. The injector
which should ideally be located at the centre must be
very precise In atomising and dispersing oil
throughout the combustion space. The angle of
spray should be matching the shape of the chamber
such that the spray pattern would exactly fit in.
A muti-orifice nozzle is used to perform such duties
along with the employment of a high fiction
pressure. The injector alone is not enough to ensure
complete mixing of air and fuel with in a short lime. A
degree of air movement or swirl assumes an Important
factor in forming a correct mixture of air with fuel to
assist complete combustion.
Pro-Combustion Chamber :
In small engines where the volumetric clearance space
is small and is occupied within an extremely small
length of the stroke, a pre-combustion chamber s used.
It Is a chamber located outside the main chamber and
is connected to II by a passage. All the fuel is injected in
the pre-combustion chamber where the combustion is
first initiated.
A single orifice nozzle can inject the fuel employing a low
injection pressure. The expanding gases
pass out through the throat of an opening to the main
chamber at a velocity. Turbulance thus caused breaks
the oil and mixes it with the air. The combustion is
completed In the main chamber The injection
equipments associated with this type of chamber can be
simpler. The thermal efficiency of this engine is low.
Hence its use in confined to small power generation.
Factors affecting combustion :
(1) Loss of compression arising out of in effective sealing
of the combustion space or increase in clearance
volume. The condition of liner surface, piston rings,
tightness of mountings, condition of bearings etc. are to
be kept in constant surveillance.
(2)Viscosity of Oil — Steady values of viscosity is to be
maintained for proper atomisation. Atomisation is
breaking down of oil to droplets so that a large
surface area of oil is exposed to heat and oxidation. If
the atomisation is too fine, drops will not penetrate
deep enough. This will cause burning close to the
nozzle tip. On the other hand if the drops are too
large it will have sufficient energy to strike the
matallic surfaces. Both conditions are undesirable as
in addition to poor combustion, the nozzle operation
would be troublesome in the former case and local
overheating may result in the later case.
• (3) Ignition quality of fuel — The design of
combustion chamber and rotational speed of the
engine specify the fuel quality that can be efficiently
burnt in the engine cylinder. It necessary that
appropriate grade of fuel as denoted by the cetane
number be injected in the cylinder. There Is provision
for adjustment of injection timing to suit a different
grade of fuel to obtain better combustion result but
this can be done only to a limited extent. A fuel with
poor ignition quality will burn with smoke and
lacquer formation in the engine.
• (4) Charge quality and temperature — Combustion in
the cylinder will be affected if air density at the engine
intake falls. This may be due to defective scavenge
valves, air suction choking, pulsation in the ducting,
defective cooling etc.
• (5) Exhaust Choking or high back pressure — At the
point of exhaust, the pressure is much higher than the
scavenge air pressure. The exhaust ports are uncovered
first so that there Is a drop in pressure due to blow
down of gases in exhaust pipe. If the exhaust passages
are restricted there will be a rise in exhaust back
pressure which may interfere with proper scavenging of
the cylinder. This leads to imperfect combustion.
(Fig. 16) shows a diagrammatic view of fuel lines
arrangement for operation on heavy oil. Diesel oil and
heavy oil storage tanks should be arranged so that the
fuel oil lines leading to the pumps can work under a
positive suction head. The tank should be designed
with space at the bottom for collection and removal of
sludge. Heavy oil suction pipe Is located for from the
sludge space. The tanks are fitted with heating coils.
The area surrounding the suction pipe must be heated
up to Increase the fluidity of the oil to render it
suitable for pumping. The service tanks may be
arranged with an inclined bottom to facilitate
collection of sludge and water.
Viscometers and
Fig. 16: H.O. Fuel-pipe-line arrangement
Flow meters are fitted In the flow path and they should be placed as near to
engine as possible
• A mixing tank is installed in fuel system of engine designed to
operate on heavy oil. Its purpose is to produce a gradual
variation of fuel quality during transits period from diesel oil
to heavy oil or vice-versa. The supply oil changes in viscosity
and temperature progressively with this system. Mixing
tanks have been proved to be useful for degasification and
entrapment of air from the system. In order that the mixing
tank functions efficiently it should have a sufficient volume
capacity. It can also be used as a metering tank. Excess oil
from the fuel pumps is returned to the mixing tank. The tank
should have a sludge collection space and removal
arrangement. The lines from service tank to mixing tank
should be designed for minimum resistance to flow. The
venting line should have a large diameter. The incoming oil
and the return oil is mixed and gas bubbles and trapped air
expelled.

03 Combustion Chamber

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Combustion Chamber

The design of combustion chamber varies with the

Fig. 16: H.O. Fuel-pipe-line arrangement

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