INTRODUCTION

Heat engine:

A heat engine is a device which transforms the chemical energy of a fuel into thermal
energy and uses this energy to produce mechanical work. It is classified into two types-

(a) External combustion engine

(b) Internal combustion engine

External combustion engine:

In this engine, the products of combustion of air and fuel transfer heat to a second fluid which
is the working fluid of the cycle.

Examples:

*In the steam engine or a steam turbine plant, the heat of combustion is employed to generate
steam which is used in a piston engine (reciprocating type engine) or a turbine (rotary type
engine) for useful work.

*In a closed cycle gas turbine, the heat of combustion in an external furnace is transferred to
gas, usually air which the working fluid of the cycle.

Internal combustion engine:

In this engine, the combustion of air and fuels take place inside the cylinder and are used as the
direct motive force. It can be classified into the following types:

1. According to the basic engine design- (a) Reciprocating engine (Use of cylinder piston
arrangement), (b) Rotary engine (Use of turbine)

2. According to the type of fuel used- (a) Petrol engine, (b) diesel engine, (c) gas engine
(CNG, LPG), (d) Alcohol engine (ethanol, methanol etc)

3. According to the number of strokes per cycle- (a) Four stroke and (b) Two stroke engine

4. According to the method of igniting the fuel- (a) Spark ignition engine, (b) compression
ignition engine and (c) hot spot ignition engine

5. According to the working cycle- (a) Otto cycle (constant volume cycle) engine, (b) diesel
cycle (constant pressure cycle) engine, (c) dual combustion cycle (semi diesel cycle) engine.

6. According to the fuel supply and mixture preparation- (a) Carburetted type (fuel supplied
through the carburettor), (b) Injection type (fuel injected into inlet ports or inlet manifold, fuel
injected into the cylinder just before ignition).

7. According to the number of cylinder- (a) Single cylinder and (b) multi-cylinder engine

8. Method of cooling- water cooled or air cooled

 9. Speed of the engine- Slow speed, medium speed and high speed engine

10. Cylinder Arrangement-Vertical, horizontal, inline, V-type, radial, opposed cylinder or

piston engines.

11. Valve or port design and location- Overhead (I head), side valve (L head); in two
stroke engines: cross scavenging, loop scavenging, uniflow scavenging.

12. Method governing- Hit and miss governed engines, quantitatively governed engines
and qualitatively governed engine

14. Application- Automotive engines for land transport, marine engines for propulsion of
ships, aircraft engines for aircraft propulsion, industrial engines, prime movers for electrical
generators.

Comparison between external combustion engine and internal combustion engine:

External combustion engine Internal combustion engine

*Combustion of air-fuel is outside the engine * Combustion of air-fuel is inside the engine
cylinder (in a boiler) cylinder (in a boiler)

*The engines are running smoothly and * Very noisy operated engine
silently due to outside combustion

*Higher ratio of weight and bulk to output * It is light and compact due to lower ratio of
due to presence of auxiliary apparatus like weight and bulk to output.
boiler and condenser. Hence it is heavy and
cumbersome.

*Working pressure and temperature inside * Working pressure and temperature inside
the engine cylinder is low; hence ordinary the engine cylinder is very much high; hence
alloys are used for the manufacture of engine special alloys are used
cylinder and its parts.

*It can use cheaper fuels including solid fuels *High grade fuels are used with proper
filtration

*Lower efficiency about 15-20% *Higher efficiency about 35-40%

* Higher requirement of water for dissipation *Lesser requirement of water

of energy through cooling system

*High starting torque *IC engines are not self-starting

Main components of reciprocating IC engines:

Cylinder: It is the main part of the engine inside which piston reciprocates to and fro. It
should have high strength to withstand high pressure above 50 bar and temperature above
2000 oC. The ordinary engine is made of cast iron and heavy duty engines are made of steel
alloys or aluminum alloys. In the multi-cylinder engine, the cylinders are cast in one block
known as cylinder block.

Cylinder head: The top end of the cylinder is covered by cylinder head over which inlet and
exhaust valve, spark plug or injectors are mounted. A copper or asbestos gasket is provided
between the engine cylinder and cylinder head to make an air tight joint.

Piston: Transmit the force exerted by the burning of charge to the connecting rod. Usually
made of aluminium alloy which has good heat conducting property and greater strength at
higher temperature.

Figure 1 shows the different components of IC engine.

Fig. 1. Different parts of IC engine

Piston rings: These are housed in the circumferential grooves provided on the outer surface of
the piston and made of steel alloys which retain elastic properties even at high temperature. 2
types of rings- compression and oil rings. Compression ring is upper ring of the piston which
provides air tight seal to prevent leakage of the burnt gases into the lower portion. Oil ring is
lower ring which provides effective seal to prevent leakage of the oil into the engine cylinder.

Connecting rod: It converts reciprocating motion of the piston into circular motion of the
crank shaft, in the working stroke. The smaller end of the connecting rod is connected with the
piston by gudgeon pin and bigger end of the connecting rod is connected with the crank with
crank pin. The special steel alloys or aluminium alloys are used for the manufacture of
connecting rod.

Crankshaft: It converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into the rotary motion with the
help of connecting rod. The special steel alloys are used for the manufacturing of the
crankshaft. It consists of eccentric portion called crank.

Crank case: It houses cylinder and crankshaft of the IC engine and also serves as sump for the
lubricating oil.

Flywheel: It is big wheel mounted on the crankshaft, whose function is to maintain its speed
constant. It is done by storing excess energy during the power stroke, which is returned during
other stroke.

Terminology used in IC engine:

1. Cylinder bore (D): The nominal inner diameter of the working cylinder.

2. Piston area (A): The area of circle of diameter equal to the cylinder bore.

3. Stroke (L): The nominal distance through which a working piston moves between two
successive reversals of its direction of motion.

4. Dead centre: The position of the working piston and the moving parts which are
mechanically connected to it at the moment when the direction of the piston motion is reversed
(at either end point of the stroke).

(a) Bottom dead centre (BDC): Dead centre when the piston is nearest to the crankshaft.

(b) Top dead centre (TDC): Dead centre when the position is farthest from the crankshaft.

5. Displacement volume or swept volume (Vs): The nominal volume generated by the
working piston when travelling from the one dead centre to next one and given as,

Vs=A × L

6. Clearance volume (Vc): the nominal volume of the space on the combustion side of the
piston at the top dead centre.

7. Cylinder volume (V): Total volume of the cylinder.

V= Vs + Vc

8. Compression ratio (r):

Four stroke engine:

 - Cycle of operation completed in four strokes of the piston or two revolution of the
piston.
(i) Suction stroke (suction valve open, exhaust valve closed)-charge consisting of fresh
air mixed with the fuel is drawn into the cylinder due to the vacuum pressure created
by the movement of the piston from TDC to BDC.
(ii) Compression stroke (both valves closed)-fresh charge is compressed into clearance
volume by the return stroke of the piston and ignited by the spark for combustion.
Hence pressure and temperature is increased due to the combustion of fuel
(iii) Expansion stroke (both valves closed)-high pressure of the burnt gases force the
piston towards BDC and hence power is obtained at the crankshaft.
(iv) Exhaust stroke (exhaust valve open, suction valve closed)- burned gases expel out
due to the movement of piston from BDC to TDC.

Figure 2 show the cycle of operation of four stroke engine.

Fig. 2. Cycle of operation in four stroke engine

Two stroke engine:

-No piston stroke for suction and exhaust operations

-Suction is accomplished by air compressed in crankcase or by a blower

-Induction of compressed air removes the products of combustion through exhaust ports

-Transfer port is there to supply the fresh charge into combustion chamber

Figure 3 represents operation of two stroke engine

Fig. 3. Cycle of operation in two stroke engine

Comparison of Four-stroke and two-stroke engine:

 Four-stroke engine Two-stroke engine
1. Four stroke of the piston and two revolution Two stroke of the piston and one
of crankshaft revolution of crankshaft
2. One power stroke in every two revolution of One power stroke in each revolution of
crankshaft crankshaft
3. Heavier flywheel due to non-uniform Lighter flywheel due to more uniform
turning movement turning movement
4. Power produce is less Theoretically power produce is twice than
the four stroke engine for same size Light
5. Heavy and bulky and compact
6. Lesser cooling and lubrication requirements Greater cooling and lubrication
requirements
7. Lesser rate of wear and tear Higher rate of wear and tear
8. Contains valve and valve mechanism Contains ports arrangement
9. Higher initial cost Cheaper initial cost
10. Volumetric efficiency is more due to greater Volumetric efficiency less due to lesser
time of induction time of induction
11. Thermal efficiency is high and also part load Thermal efficiency is low, part load
efficiency better efficiency lesser
12. It is used where efficiency is important. It is used where low cost, compactness
and light weight are important.
Ex-cars, buses, trucks, tractors, industrial Ex-lawn mowers, scooters, motor cycles,
engines, aero planes, power generation etc. mopeds, propulsion ship etc.
 Comparison of SI and CI engine:
SI engine CI engine
Working cycle is Otto cycle. Working cycle is diesel cycle.

Petrol or gasoline or high octane fuel is used. Diesel or high cetane fuel is used.

High self-ignition temperature. Low self-ignition temperature.

Fuel and air introduced as a gaseous mixture in Fuel is injected directly into the combustion
the suction stroke. chamber at high pressure at the end of
compression stroke.

Carburettor used to provide the mixture. Injector and high pressure pump used to supply
of fuel.

Throttle controls the quantity of mixture Quantity of fuel regulated in pump.

introduced.

Use of spark plug for ignition system Self-ignition by the compression of air which
increased the temperature required for
combustion

Compression ratio is 6 to 10.5 Compression ratio is 14 to

22
Higher maximum RPM due to lower weight
Lower maximum RPM
Maximum efficiency lower due to lower
compression ratio Higher maximum efficiency due to higher
compression ratio
Lighter
Heavier due to higher pressure