What does a car engine look like. Internal combustion engine

30.09.2019

Transmission

More than one hundred and fifty years have passed since the invention of the first engine powered by combustion of the fuel mixture. Humanity has advanced in technological progress, but it still cannot be replaced. This type of power plant is used as a drive on machinery. Mopeds, cars, tractors, and other self-propelled units work due to the motor.

During the operation, more than ten types and types of motors were invented and applied for use. However, the principle of operation has not changed. Compared to the steam generator that preceded the installation, the engine that converts the thermal energy of combustion into mechanical work is more economical with a high efficiency. These properties are the key to the success of the motor, which remains in demand and popular for a century and a half.

Cross section of a piston internal combustion engine

Feature of work

The feature that makes the motor unlike other installations is that the operation of the internal combustion engine is accompanied by the ignition of the fuel mixture directly in the chamber. The very space where combustion occurs, inside the installation, this formed the basis for the name of the classification of motors. In the process of a complex exothermic reaction, when the initial working mixture is converted into combustion products with the release of heat, a transformation into mechanical work is performed. Work due to thermal expansion, a driving force, without which the existence of the installation would not be possible. The principle is tied to the pressure, gases in the space of the cylinder.

Types of motors

In the process of technological progress, types of units were developed and tested in which fuel was burned in the internal space, not all of them proved their feasibility. The most common types of internal combustion engines have been identified:

Piston installation.

The component part of the unit is made in the form of a block with cylindrical cavities mounted inside. Part of the cylinder is used to burn fuel. By means of a piston, a crank and a connecting rod, the combustion energy is transformed into the rotational energy of the shaft. Depending on how the combustible mixture is prepared, the units are divided:

Carburetor. In such installations, fuel is prepared by carburation. Atmospheric air and fuel are transported into the mechanism in proportion, and then mixed inside the plant. The finished mixture is fed into the chamber and burned;
Injector. The working mixture is supplied to the plant by means of a sprayer. The injection is carried out in the manifold and controlled by electronics. Through the collector, the fuel enters the chamber, where it is ignited by a candle;
Diesel. The principle is fundamentally different from previous opponents. The process is driven by pressure. A portion of fuel (diesel fuel) is injected into the volume through the atomizer, the air temperature is higher than the combustion temperature, the fuel ignites.

Piston motor:

Rotary piston motor. The transformation of the expansion energy of gases into mechanical work occurs due to the rotation of the rotor. The rotor is a part of a special profile, on which gases are pressed, forcing them to perform rotational movements. The trajectory of the rotor movement along the volumetric displacement chamber is complex, formed by an epitrochoid. The rotor performs the following functions: piston, gas distributor, shaft.

Rotary piston motor:

gas turbine engines. The process is carried out by converting heat into work. Rotor blades are directly involved. The rotation of parts from the flow of gases is transmitted to the turbine.

Today, piston engines have completely supplanted other types of installations and have taken a dominant position in the automotive industry. The percentage of rotary piston engines is small, since only Mazda is engaged in production. In addition, the production of installations is carried out in limited quantities. Gas turbine units also did not take root, because they had a number of disadvantages for civilian use, the main one being increased fuel consumption.

The classification of internal combustion engines is also possible according to the fuel consumed. Motors use: gasoline, diesel, gas, combined fuel.

Gas turbine engine:

Device

Despite the variety of installations, types of internal combustion engines are assembled from several components. The set of components is placed in the body of the unit. A clear and well-coordinated work of each component separately, in the aggregate, represents the motor as a single indivisible organism.

Motor block. The cylinder block combines cylindrical cavities, inside which ignition and combustion of the air-fuel mixture occurs. Combustion leads to thermal expansion of gases, and the engine cylinders serve as a guide that prevents the heat flow from going beyond the required limits;

Engine block:

The mechanism of the cranks and connecting rods of the motor. A set of levers through which a force is transmitted to the crankshaft, forcing it to perform rotational movements;

Crank mechanism of the motor:

Motor gas distributor. Sets the intake and exhaust valves in motion, promotes the gas exchange process. Removes mining from the cavity of the unit, fills it with the necessary portion in order to continue the operation of the mechanism;

Gas distribution mechanism of the motor:

Fuel supply in the motor. It serves to prepare a portion of fuel in the required proportion with air, transfers this portion to the cavity by spraying or by gravity;

Ignition system in the motor. The mechanism ignites the incoming portion in the cavity of the chamber. It is carried out by means of a spark plug or glow plug.

Spark plug:

The system for removing waste products from the motor. The mechanism is designed to effectively remove burnt products and excess heat.

intake pipe:

The start of the internal combustion power plant is accompanied by the supply of fuel to the unit, and the substance burns out in the cavity of the volumetric displacement chamber. The process is accompanied by the release of heat and an increase in volume, which provokes the movement of the piston. Moving, the part converts mechanical work into torsion of the crank mechanism.

Upon completion, the action is repeated again, thus without interruption for a minute. The processes during which the work of the installation is performed:

Tact. Movement of the piston from the lowest position to the highest position and vice versa. A beat counts as one movement in one direction.
Cycle. The total number of cycles required to complete the work. Structurally, the units are able to perform a cycle in 2 (one revolution of the shaft) or 4 (two revolutions) cycles.
Workflow. Action, implying: mixture inlet, squeezing, oxidation, working stroke, removal. The working process is typical for both two-stroke engines and four-stroke engines.

two stroke motor

The principle of operation of an internal combustion engine using two cycles as a working process is simple. A distinctive feature of the motor, the performance of two cycles: squeezing and working stroke. The intake and purge strokes are integrated into the compression and power stroke, so the shaft rotates 360° per stroke.

The order to be executed is:

Squeezing. The piston moves from the extreme lower position to the extreme upper position. The movement creates a vacuum under the piston, due to which fuel seeps through the vent holes. Further movement provokes the overlap of the intake hole with the piston skirt and the exhaust holes leading out. Closed space contributes to the growth of tension. At the highest point, the charge is ignited.
Expansion. Combustion creates pressure inside the chamber, forcing the piston to move down through the expansion of gases. There is an alternate opening of the outlet and purge windows. The tension in the bottom area provokes the flow of fuel into the cylindrical cavity, while simultaneously clearing it of mining.

The device of the unit for two cycles eliminates the mechanism for distributing gases, which affects the quality of the exchange process. In addition, purge cannot be excluded, and this greatly increases fuel consumption, since part of the mixture is thrown out with the exhaust gases.

The principle of operation of a two-stroke motor:

Four stroke motor

Motors that perform 4 strokes of the internal combustion engine during the work process are equipped with the equipment used today. In these motors, the input and output of fuel and mining are performed in separate cycles. The engines use a gas distribution mechanism that synchronizes the valves and the shaft. The advantage of a four-stroke engine is the supply of fuel to a chamber cleaned of exhaust gases with closed valves, which eliminates fuel leakage.

The order is:

Enter.Move the piston from the topmost position to the bottommost position. A vacuum occurs in the cavity, which opens the intake valve. The fuel enters the displacement chamber.
Squeezing. Moving the piston from the bottom up (extreme positions). The inlet and outlet openings are blocked, which contributes to an increase in pressure in the positive displacement chamber.
Working stroke. The mixture ignites, heat is released, a sharp increase in volume and an increase in the force pressing on the piston. The movement of the latter to the lowest position.
Cleaning. The outlet ports are open, the piston moves from bottom to top. Getting rid of mining, cleaning the cavity before the next portion of the working mixture.

The mechanical efficiency of an internal combustion engine, with a cycle of 4 strokes, is lower in comparison with a 2-stroke unit. This is due to a complex device and the presence of a gas distribution mechanism, which takes part of the energy onto itself.

The principle of operation of a four-stroke motor:

Sparking mechanism

The purpose of the mechanism is timely sparking in the cavity of the motor cylinder. The spark helps ignite the fuel and make the unit work. The sparking mechanism, an integral part of the electrical equipment of the car, which includes:

Source of electrical energy storage, battery. A source that generates electrical energy, a generator.
A mechanical or electrical device that supplies electrical voltage to the car's network, it is also called ignition.
Accumulator and converter of electrical energy, transformer, or coil. The mechanism provides a sufficient charge on the engine candles.
Ignition distribution mechanism, or distributor. The device is designed to distribute and timely supply an electrical impulse to the desired cylinder to the spark plugs.

intake mechanism

The purpose of the mechanism is the uninterrupted formation of the required amount of air in the cylinders of the internal combustion engine of a car. Subsequently, air is mixed with fuel, and all this is ignited for the working process. Obsolete, carburetor engines used an air filter element and an air duct for intake. Modern installations are equipped with:

Motor air intake mechanism. The part is made in the form of a branch pipe with a certain profile. The objective of the design is to supply as much air as possible into the cylinder while creating less resistance at the inlet. The suction of the air mass occurs due to the pressure difference when the piston moves to the bottom dead center position.
Motor air filter element. The part is used to clean the air entering the motor. The operation of the element affects the resource and performance of the power plant. The filter refers to consumables, and changes after a period of time.
Motor throttle valve. A bypass mechanism located in the intake manifold and regulating the amount of air supplied to the motor. The part works electronically or mechanically.
Motor intake manifold. The purpose of the mechanism is to distribute the amount of air evenly over the engine cylinders. The process is controlled by intake flaps and flow amplifiers.

Intake system:

Power mechanism

Purpose, uninterrupted supply of fuel for subsequent mixing with air and preparation of a homogeneous stoichiometric mixture. The power mechanism includes:

Motor tank. A container of a closed type in which fuel (gasoline, diesel fuel) is stored. The tank is equipped with a fuel intake device (pump) and a tank filling device (filler neck).
Fuel wiring of the motor. Branch pipes, hoses through which fuel is transported or redirected.
A mechanism that mixes fuel in a motor. Initially, power plants were equipped with a carburetor; modern engines use an injector. The task is to feed the prepared mixture into the combustion chamber.
Control unit. Purpose of the mechanism, control mixture formation and injection. In units equipped with an injector, the device synchronizes the operation to increase the efficiency of the process.
Motor pump. A device that creates voltage in the fuel wire of the motor and promotes the movement of a flammable liquid.
Filtration element. The mechanism cleans the incoming fuel from impurities and dirt, which increases the resource of the power plant.

Power Mechanism:

Lubrication mechanism

The purpose of the mechanism is to provide the parts of the power plant with the necessary amount of oil to create a protective film on the surfaces. The use of liquid reduces the effect of friction force at the points of contact of parts, removes wear products, protects the unit from corrosion, seals components and mechanisms. consists of:

Motor sump. A container in which the lubricant is placed, stored and cooled. For the normal functioning of the motor, it is important to observe the required oil level, so the pans are equipped with a dipstick for control.
Motor oil pump. A mechanism that pumps fluid from the engine sump and directs oil to points that need lubrication. The movement of oil occurs along the highways.
Oil filter element. The purpose of the part is to purify the oil from impurities and wear products that circulate in the motor. The element is changed at each oil change, since work affects the wear of the mechanism.
Motor oil cooler. Appointment of the mechanism, removal of excess heat from the lubrication system. Since oil removes heat from overheated surfaces, the oil itself is also subject to overheating. A characteristic feature of the lubrication mechanism, mandatory use, no matter what model of internal combustion engine is used. This happens for the reason that today there is no more effective method of protecting the motor.

Lubrication system:

Release mechanism

The mechanism is designed to remove exhaust gases and reduce noise during engine operation. Consists of the following components:

Engine exhaust manifold. A set of nozzles made of heat-resistant material, since they are the first to come into contact with hot gases leaving the combustion chamber. The collector dampens vibrations and transports gases further into the pipe;
Motor pipe. The intake pipe is designed to receive gases and transport them further through the system. The material from which the part is made has a high resistance to temperatures.
Resonator. A device that allows you to separate gases and reduce their speed.
Catalyst. Device for cleaning and neutralizing gases.
Motor muffler. The tank with built-in baffles, thanks to the redirection of exhaust gases, reduces noise.

Engine exhaust system:

cooling mechanism

On low-power internal combustion engines, counter-flow cooling of the motor is used. Modern units, automobile, ship, cargo, use liquid cooling. The task of the liquid is to take on some of the excess heat and reduce the thermal load on the components and mechanisms of the unit. The cooling mechanism includes:

Motor radiator. The task of the device is to transfer excess heat from the liquid to the environment. The part includes a set of aluminum tubes with outlet fins;
Motor fan. The task of the fan is to increase the effect of cooling due to the forced airflow of the radiator and the removal of excess heat from its surface.
Motor pump. The task of the water pump is to circulate the coolant through the system. The circulation takes place in a small circle (until the engine is warmed up), after which the valve switches the fluid movement to a large circle.
Bypass valve of the motor. The task of the mechanism is to ensure the switching of fluid circulation from a small circle of circulation to a large circle.

Engine cooling system:

Despite numerous attempts to get away from the internal combustion engine, in the foreseeable future, such a possibility is not foreseen. Therefore, power plants of this type will delight us with their well-coordinated work for a long time to come.

Your car “knocked”, and you do not open the hood for as long as possible, so as not to collide with this pile of iron, in which you do not understand anything? Or maybe you turn the radio up louder or just turn off the engine and hope that the sound will go away when you start it up the next day? In any case, if car engine is a big mystery for you, read on! Find out what makes it work and what can cause this terrible knock and bounce!

The engine has multiple cylinders arranged in one of three ways:

Opposite
V-shape
In one row

Operation of engine elements

Ignition of gasoline in a small enclosed space creates enough energy to throw a potato 150 meters! And if such an explosion happens 200 times per minute, then there is enough energy to move the car. The combustion process takes place in 4 cycles:

Inlet. The piston resembles a cannonball, only it does not fly out of the cannon. At the beginning of the cycle, it is at the top of the cylinder and begins to move down. At this point, the intake valve opens, which supplies air and fuel to the cylinder.
Compression. The crankshaft forces the piston to move up again, compressing the mixture of fuel and air.
Working move. When the piston reaches its top position, the spark plug ignites the fuel with a spark. This causes an explosion, under the action of which the piston moves down again.
Release. When the piston reaches the bottom position, the exhaust valve opens. It diverts exhaust gases to the exhaust pipe.

Car engine elements

cleans the air entering the cylinders, which ensures better combustion.
Air cooling system keeps the engine warm by circulating water around the cylinders and through the radiator.
supplies fuel from the gas tank and mixes it with air with the help of a carburetor. The mixture then enters the cylinders.
camshaft provides opening and closing of valves. The speed of its rotation is equal to 1/2 of the speed of rotation of the crankshaft.
timing belt connects the crankshaft and camshaft, ensuring the synchronism of the valves and pistons.
Piston rings mounted on the piston to prevent leakage of fuel air from the combustion chamber and oil consumption.
Lubrication system Delivers oil to all essential engine components to reduce friction.
mates with the crankshaft and provides oil from the oil pan.
Emission Control System using a computer and sensors regulates the exhaust gases, burning unused fuel in the exhaust mixture.
car battery provides the electrical current needed to start the engine. Charged from .
connected to the cylinder block. To increase tightness during combustion, there is a gasket between the block and the head.
Ignition system creates an electrical discharge through the ignition distributor, which then sends a spark through the wires to the spark plugs. Each cylinder has its own wire, the charge is applied to the candles in turn.
Exhaust system removes exhaust gases through the exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe. The traditionally loud exhaust sound is softened by the muffler.

If the car engine does not start, there are 3 most likely causes:

Bad fuel mixture. The fuel has run out, so only air enters the engine. Clogged air intake. Too much or too little fuel is supplied. The fuel contains impurities (eg water) that prevent it from igniting.
Bad compression. Worn piston rings (causes air leakage). Valve leaks cause leakage during compression. Cracks in the cylinder block due to gasket wear.
Bad spark. or wires to spark plugs. Broken or missing wire. Ignition set incorrectly, ie. spark is applied too early or too late.

However, lighting gas was suitable not only for lighting.

The credit for creating a commercially successful internal combustion engine belongs to the Belgian mechanic Jean Étienne Lenoir. While working at an electroplating plant, Lenoir came up with the idea that the air-fuel mixture in a gas engine could be ignited by an electric spark, and decided to build an engine based on this idea. Having solved the problems that arose along the way (tight stroke and overheating of the piston, leading to jamming), having thought through the engine cooling and lubrication system, Lenoir created a workable internal combustion engine. In 1864, more than three hundred of these engines of various capacities were produced. Having grown rich, Lenoir stopped working on further improvement of his car, and this predetermined her fate - she was forced out of the market by a more advanced engine created by the German inventor August Otto and who received a patent for the invention of his gas engine model in 1864.

In 1864, the German inventor Augusto Otto entered into an agreement with the wealthy engineer Langen to implement his invention - the company "Otto and Company" was created. Neither Otto nor Langen had sufficient knowledge of electrical engineering and abandoned electric ignition. They ignited with an open flame through a tube. The cylinder of the Otto engine, unlike the Lenoir engine, was vertical. The rotating shaft was placed above the cylinder on the side. Principle of operation: a rotating shaft raised the piston by 1/10 of the height of the cylinder, as a result of which a rarefied space formed under the piston and a mixture of air and gas was sucked in. The mixture then ignited. During the explosion, the pressure under the piston increased to approximately 4 atm. Under the action of this pressure, the piston rose, the volume of gas increased and the pressure fell. The piston, first under gas pressure, and then by inertia, rose until a vacuum was created under it. Thus, the energy of the burnt fuel was used in the engine with maximum completeness. This was Otto's main original find. The downward working stroke of the piston began under the influence of atmospheric pressure, and after the pressure in the cylinder reached atmospheric pressure, the exhaust valve opened, and the piston displaced the exhaust gases with its mass. Due to the more complete expansion of the combustion products, the efficiency of this engine was significantly higher than the efficiency of the Lenoir engine and reached 15%, that is, it exceeded the efficiency of the best steam engines of that time. In addition, Otto engines were almost five times more economical than Lenoir engines, they immediately became in great demand. In subsequent years, about five thousand of them were produced. Despite this, Otto worked hard to improve their design. Soon, a crank-and-rod transmission was used. However, the most significant of his inventions came in 1877, when Otto received a patent for a new four-stroke cycle engine. This cycle still underlies the operation of most gas and gasoline engines to this day.

Types of internal combustion engines

piston engine

rotary internal combustion engine

Gas turbine internal combustion engine

Piston engines - the combustion chamber is contained in a cylinder, where the thermal energy of the fuel is converted into mechanical energy, which is converted from the translational movement of the piston into rotational motion using a crank mechanism.

ICEs are classified:

a) By purpose - are divided into transport, stationary and special.

b) By the type of fuel used - light liquid (gasoline, gas), heavy liquid (diesel fuel, marine fuel oil).

c) According to the method of formation of a combustible mixture - external (carburetor, injector) and internal (in the engine cylinder).

d) According to the method of ignition (with forced ignition, with compression ignition, calorising).

e) According to the location of the cylinders, they are divided into in-line, vertical, opposed with one and two crankshafts, V-shaped with an upper and lower crankshaft, VR-shaped and W-shaped, single-row and double-row star-shaped, H-shaped, double-row with parallel crankshafts, "double fan", diamond-shaped, three-beam and some others.

Petrol

Petrol carburetor

The working cycle of four-stroke internal combustion engines takes two complete revolutions of the crank, consisting of four separate cycles:

intake,
charge compression,
working stroke and
release (exhaust).

The change in working cycles is provided by a special gas distribution mechanism, most often it is represented by one or two camshafts, a system of pushers and valves that directly provide a phase change. Some internal combustion engines have used spool sleeves (Ricardo) for this purpose, having inlet and/or exhaust ports. The communication of the cylinder cavity with the collectors in this case was provided by the radial and rotational movements of the spool sleeve, opening the desired channel with windows. Due to the peculiarities of gas dynamics - the inertia of gases, the time of occurrence of the gas wind, the intake, power stroke and exhaust strokes in a real four-stroke cycle overlap, this is called valve timing overlap. The higher the operating speed of the engine, the greater the phase overlap and the larger it is, the lower the torque of the internal combustion engine at low speeds. Therefore, modern internal combustion engines are increasingly using devices that allow you to change the valve timing during operation. Particularly suitable for this purpose are engines with solenoid valve control (BMW, Mazda). Variable compression ratio (SAAB) engines are also available for greater flexibility.

Two-stroke engines have many layout options and a wide variety of structural systems. The basic principle of any two-stroke engine is the performance by the piston of the functions of a gas distribution element. The working cycle consists, strictly speaking, of three cycles: the working stroke, lasting from the top dead center ( TDC) up to 20-30 degrees to the bottom dead center ( NMT), purge, which actually combines intake and exhaust, and compression, lasting from 20-30 degrees after BDC to TDC. Purging, from the point of view of gas dynamics, is the weak link of the two-stroke cycle. On the one hand, it is impossible to ensure complete separation of the fresh charge and exhaust gases, therefore, either the loss of the fresh mixture is inevitable, literally flying out into the exhaust pipe (if the internal combustion engine is a diesel, we are talking about air loss), on the other hand, the working stroke does not last half turnover, but less, which in itself reduces efficiency. At the same time, the duration of the extremely important process of gas exchange, which in a four-stroke engine takes half the working cycle, cannot be increased. Two-stroke engines may not have a gas distribution system at all. However, if we are not talking about simplified cheap engines, a two-stroke engine is more complicated and expensive due to the obligatory use of a blower or a pressurization system, the increased heat stress of the CPG requires more expensive materials for pistons, rings, cylinder liners. The performance by the piston of the functions of the gas distribution element obliges to have its height not less than the piston stroke + the height of the purge windows, which is uncritical in a moped, but significantly makes the piston heavier even at relatively low powers. When the power is measured in hundreds of horsepower, the increase in piston mass becomes a very serious factor. The introduction of vertically stroked distributor sleeves in Ricardo engines was an attempt to make it possible to reduce the size and weight of the piston. The system turned out to be complicated and expensive in execution, except for aviation, such engines were not used anywhere else. Exhaust valves (with direct-flow valve scavenging) have twice the heat density compared to four-stroke exhaust valves and worse conditions for heat removal, and their seats have longer direct contact with the exhaust gases.

The simplest in terms of the order of operation and the most complex in terms of design is the Fairbanks-Morse system, presented in the USSR and Russia, mainly by diesel locomotives of the D100 series. Such an engine is a symmetrical two-shaft system with diverging pistons, each of which is connected to its own crankshaft. Thus, this engine has two crankshafts mechanically synchronized; the one connected to the exhaust pistons is ahead of the intake by 20-30 degrees. Due to this advance, the quality of the scavenging is improved, which in this case is direct-flow, and the filling of the cylinder is improved, since the exhaust windows are already closed at the end of the scavenging. In the 30s - 40s of the twentieth century, schemes with pairs of diverging pistons were proposed - diamond-shaped, triangular; There were aviation diesel engines with three radially diverging pistons, of which two were inlet and one exhaust. In the 1920s, Junkers proposed a single-shaft system with long connecting rods connected to the fingers of the upper pistons with special rocker arms; the upper piston transmitted forces to the crankshaft by a pair of long connecting rods, and there were three crankshafts per cylinder. There were also square pistons of the scavenging cavities on the rocker arms. Two-stroke engines with divergent pistons of any system have, basically, two drawbacks: firstly, they are very complex and large, and secondly, exhaust pistons and sleeves in the area of exhaust windows have significant thermal tension and a tendency to overheat. Exhaust piston rings are also thermally stressed, prone to coking and loss of elasticity. These features make the design of such engines a non-trivial task.

Direct-flow valve-scavenged engines are equipped with a camshaft and exhaust valves. This significantly reduces the requirements for materials and execution of the CPG. The intake is carried out through the windows in the cylinder liner, opened by the piston. This is how most modern two-stroke diesels are assembled. The window area and the sleeve in the lower part are in many cases cooled by charge air.

In cases where one of the main requirements for the engine is its reduction in cost, different types of crank-chamber contour window-window purge are used - loop, reciprocating-loop (deflector) in various modifications. To improve the parameters of the engine, a variety of design techniques are used - a variable length of the intake and exhaust channels, the number and location of bypass channels can vary, spools, rotating gas cutters, sleeves and curtains are used that change the height of the windows (and, accordingly, the moments of the start of intake and exhaust). Most of these engines are air-cooled passively. Their disadvantages are the relatively low quality of gas exchange and the loss of the combustible mixture during purging; in the presence of several cylinders, the sections of the crank chambers have to be divided and sealed, the design of the crankshaft becomes more complicated and more expensive.

Additional units required for internal combustion engines

The disadvantage of an internal combustion engine is that it develops its highest power only in a narrow rev range. Therefore, an essential attribute of an internal combustion engine is a transmission. Only in some cases (for example, in airplanes) can a complex transmission be dispensed with. The idea of a hybrid car is gradually conquering the world, in which the engine always works in the optimal mode.

In addition, an internal combustion engine needs a power system (for supplying fuel and air - preparing a fuel-air mixture), an exhaust system (for exhaust gases), and a lubrication system (designed to reduce friction forces in engine mechanisms, protect parts engine from corrosion, as well as together with the cooling system to maintain optimal thermal conditions), cooling systems (to maintain optimal thermal conditions of the engine), starting system (starting methods are used: electric starter, with the help of an auxiliary starting engine, pneumatic, with the help of human muscle power ), ignition system (for igniting the air-fuel mixture, used in positive ignition engines).

Notes

Links

Ben Knight "Increasing mileage" //Article on technologies that reduce fuel consumption of automotive internal combustion engines

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So, we all know that the most important part of the car is the maestro engine. The main purpose of the engine is to convert gasoline into driving force. Currently, the easiest way to get a car moving is to burn gasoline inside the engine. That is why the car engine is called internal combustion engine.

Two things to remember:

There are various internal combustion engines. For example, a diesel engine is different from a gasoline engine. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

There is such a thing as an external combustion engine. The best example of such an engine is the steam engine of a steamboat. Fuel (coal, wood, oil) burns outside the engine, forming steam, which is the driving force. An internal combustion engine is much more efficient (requires less fuel per kilometer). In addition, it is much smaller than the equivalent external combustion engine. This explains the fact why we do not see cars with steam engines on the streets.

The principle behind the operation of any reciprocating internal combustion engine: If you put a small amount of high-energy fuel (such as gasoline) in a small enclosed space, and ignite it, an incredible amount of energy is released when it burns as a gas. If we create a continuous cycle of small explosions, the speed of which will be, for example, a hundred times a minute, and put the resulting energy in the right direction, then we will get the basis of the engine.

Almost all cars now use what is known as the four-stroke combustion cycle to convert gasoline into the driving power of a four-wheeled friend. The four-stroke approach is also known as the Otto cycle, after Nikolaus Otto, who invented it in 1867. The four strokes are:

intake stroke.
Compression stroke.
Burning stroke.
Removal of combustion products.

A device called a piston, which performs one of the main functions in the engine, replaces the potato projectile in a potato gun in a peculiar way. The piston is connected to the crankshaft by a connecting rod. As soon as the crankshaft begins to rotate, there is a "gun discharge" effect. Here's what happens when the engine goes through one cycle:

Ø The piston is on top, then the intake valve opens and the piston descends, while the engine gains a full cylinder of air and gasoline. This stroke is called the intake stroke. To start work, it is enough to mix air with a small drop of gasoline.

Ø The piston then moves back and compresses the mixture of air and gasoline. Compression makes the explosion more powerful.

Ø When the piston reaches its top point, the spark plug emits sparks to ignite the gasoline. An explosion of gasoline occurs in the cylinder, which causes the piston to move down.

Ø As soon as the piston reaches the bottom, the exhaust valve opens and the combustion products are expelled from the cylinder through the exhaust pipe.

The engine is now ready for the next stroke and the cycle repeats over and over again.

Now let's look at all the parts of the engine, the work of which is interconnected. Let's start with the cylinders.

The main components of the engine thanks to which it works

The base of the engine is the cylinder in which the piston moves up and down. The engine described above has one cylinder. This is true for most lawnmowers, but most vehicles have more than one cylinder (usually four, six, and eight). In multi-cylinder engines, the cylinders are usually arranged in three ways: in-line, V-shaped, and flat (also known as horizontally opposed).

Different configurations have different advantages and disadvantages in terms of smoothness, manufacturing costs, and shape characteristics. These advantages and disadvantages make them more or less suitable for different types of vehicles.

Let's take a closer look at some key engine parts.

Spark plug

Spark plugs provide the spark that ignites the air/fuel mixture. The spark must occur at the right moment for the engine to run smoothly.

valves

The intake and exhaust valves open at a certain moment in order to let in air and fuel and release combustion products. It should be noted that both valves are closed at the moment of compression and combustion, ensuring the tightness of the combustion chamber.

Piston

A piston is a cylindrical piece of metal that moves up and down inside an engine's cylinder.

Piston rings

Piston rings provide a seal between the sliding outer edge of the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder. Rings serve two purposes:

During the compression and combustion strokes, they prevent the air-fuel mixture and exhaust gases from escaping from the combustion chamber.
They prevent the oil from entering the combustion zone where it will be destroyed.

If your car starts to "eat up oil" and you have to add it every 1000 kilometers, then the car's engine is quite old and the piston rings in it are very worn out. As a result, they cannot provide tightness at the proper level. And this means that you need to be puzzled by the question, because buying a new engine is a painstaking and responsible business.

connecting rod

The connecting rod connects the piston to the crankshaft. It can rotate in different directions and from both ends, because. and the piston and crankshaft are in motion.

Crankshaft

In a circular motion, the crankshaft causes the piston to move up and down.

Sump

The oil sump surrounds the crankshaft. It contains some oil, which collects in the lower part of it (in the oil pan).

The main causes of malfunctions and interruptions in the machine and engine

One beautiful morning you can get into your car and realize that the morning is not so beautiful... The car won't start, the engine won't run. What could be causing this. Now that we have figured out the operation of the engine, you can understand what can cause it to fail. There are three main reasons: poor fuel mixture, no compression, or no spark. In addition, thousands of little things can cause it to malfunction, but these three form the "big three". We will look at how these causes affect the operation of the motor using the example of a very simple engine, which we have already discussed earlier.

Bad fuel mixture

This problem may occur in the following cases:

You have run out of gas and only air enters the car engine, which is not enough for combustion.

Air intakes can be clogged, and the engine simply does not get air, which is essential for the combustion stroke.

· The fuel system may be supplying too little or too much fuel to the mixture, meaning that combustion does not occur properly.

· There may be impurities in the fuel (such as water in the gas tank) that prevent the fuel from burning.

No compression

If the fuel mixture cannot be compressed properly, then there will be no proper combustion process to keep the engine running. Lack of compression can occur for the following reasons:

· The engine piston rings are worn, so the air-fuel mixture is leaking between the cylinder wall and the piston surface.

· One of the valves does not close tightly, which, again, allows the mixture to flow out.

There is a hole in the cylinder.

In most cases, "holes" in a cylinder appear where the top of the cylinder joins the cylinder itself. As a rule, there is a thin gasket between the cylinder and the cylinder head, which ensures the tightness of the structure. If the gasket breaks, holes form between the cylinder head and the cylinder itself, which also cause leakage.

No spark

The spark may be weak or absent for several reasons:

If the spark plug or the wire leading to it is worn out, the spark will be quite weak.
If the wire is cut or missing altogether, if the system that sends sparks down the wire is not working properly, then there will be no spark.
If the spark enters the cycle too early or too late, the fuel will not be able to ignite at the right time, which accordingly affects the stable operation of the motor.

Other engine problems are also possible. For example:

If it is discharged, then the engine will not be able to make a single revolution, respectively, you will not be able to start the car.
If the bearings that allow the crankshaft to rotate freely are worn out, the crankshaft will not be able to turn and start the engine.
If the valves do not close or open at the right time in the cycle, the engine will not work.
If the car runs out of oil, the pistons will not be able to move freely in the cylinder and the engine will stall.

In a properly running engine, the above problems cannot occur. If they appear, expect trouble.

As you can see, a car's engine has a number of systems that help it perform its main task - converting fuel into driving force.

Engine valve train and ignition system

Most automotive engine subsystems can be implemented through various technologies, and more advanced technologies can improve engine performance. Let's look at these subsystems used in modern cars. Let's start with the valve train. It consists of valves and mechanisms that open and close the passage for fuel waste. The system for opening and closing valves is called a shaft. The camshaft has lugs that move the valves up and down.

Most modern engines have so-called overhead cams. This means that the shaft is located above the valves. Shaft cams act on the valves directly or via very short links. This system is set up so that the valves are in sync with the pistons. Many high-efficiency engines have four valves per cylinder - two for air inlet and two for exhaust gases - and such arrangements require two camshafts per cylinder block.

The ignition system produces a high voltage charge and transfers it to the spark plugs using wires. First, the charge enters the distributor, which you can easily find under the hood of most cars. One wire is connected to the center of the distributor, and four, six or eight other wires come out of it (depending on the number of cylinders in the engine). These wires send a charge to each spark plug. The engine is set up so that only one cylinder at a time receives a charge from the distributor, which guarantees the smoothest possible operation of the motor.

Engine ignition, cooling and intake system

The cooling system in most vehicles consists of a radiator and a water pump. Water circulates around the cylinders through special passages, then, for cooling, it enters the radiator. In rare cases, car engines are equipped with a car air system. This makes the engines lighter, but the cooling is less efficient. As a rule, engines with this type of cooling have a shorter service life and lower performance.

Now you know how and why your car's engine cools. But why is air circulation so important? There are supercharged car engines - this means that the air passes through the air filters and enters directly into the cylinders. To increase performance, some engines are turbocharged, which means that the air that enters the engine is already under pressure, so more air/fuel mixture can be squeezed into the cylinder.

Improving the performance of a car is great, but what actually happens when you turn the key in the ignition and start the car? The ignition system consists of an electric motor, or starter, and a solenoid. When you turn the key in the ignition, the starter turns the engine a few revolutions to start the combustion process. It takes a really powerful motor to start a cold engine. Since starting an engine requires a lot of energy, hundreds of amps must flow into the starter to start it. The solenoid is the switch that can handle that much electricity, and when you turn the ignition key, it's the solenoid that activates, which in turn fires the starter.

Engine lubricants, fuel, exhaust and electrical systems

When it comes to daily use of the car, the first thing you care about is the availability of gasoline in the gas tank. How does this gasoline actuate the cylinders? Fuel system The engine pumps gasoline out of the gas tank and mixes it with air so that the correct air-gasoline mixture enters the cylinder. Fuel is supplied in three common ways: mixture formation, fuel port injection, and direct injection.

In carburetion, a device called a carburetor adds gasoline to the air as soon as the air enters the engine.

In an injection engine, fuel is injected individually into each cylinder, either through an intake valve (fuel port injection) or directly into the cylinder (direct injection).

Oil also plays an important role in the engine. Lubrication system ensures that oil is supplied to each of the moving parts of the engine for smooth operation. Pistons and bearings (which allow the crankshaft and camshaft to rotate freely) are the main parts that have an increased need for oil. In most vehicles, oil is sucked in through an oil pump and sump, passed through a filter to get rid of sand, then injected under high pressure into the bearings and onto the cylinder walls. Then the oil flows into the oil sump, and the cycle repeats again.

Now you know a little more about the things that go into your car's engine. But let's talk about what comes out of it. Exhaust system. It is extremely simple and consists of an exhaust pipe and a muffler. If there was no muffler, you would hear the sound of all those mini-explosions that happen in the engine. The muffler dampens the sound, and the exhaust pipe removes combustion products from the car.

Now let's talk about electrical system car, which also powers it. The electrical system consists of a battery and an alternator. The alternator is wired to the engine and generates the electricity needed to recharge the battery. In turn, the battery provides electricity to all vehicle systems that need it.

Now you know everything about the main engine subsystems. Let's look at how you can increase the power of your car's engine.

How to increase engine performance and improve its performance?

With all the information above, you must have noticed that there is a way to make the engine run better. Car manufacturers are constantly playing with these systems with one goal in mind: to make the engine more powerful and reduce fuel consumption.

Increase in engine volume. The larger the engine size, the greater its power, because. for each revolution, the engine burns more fuel. An increase in engine volume occurs due to an increase in either the cylinders themselves or their number. Currently 12 cylinders is the limit.

Increasing the compression ratio. Up to a point, a higher compression ratio produces more power. However, the more you compress the air/fuel mixture, the more likely it is to ignite before the spark plug can spark. The higher the octane rating of the gasoline, the less chance of pre-ignition. This is why high-performance cars need to be fueled with high-octane gasoline, as the engines in these cars use a very high compression ratio to produce more power.

More filling of the cylinder. If more air (and therefore fuel) can be squeezed into a certain size cylinder, then you can get more power from each cylinder. Turbos and superchargers pressurize air and force it into the cylinder efficiently.

Cooling of the incoming air. Compressing air raises its temperature. However, it would be desirable to have as cold air as possible in the cylinder, as The higher the air temperature, the more it expands when burned. Therefore, many turbocharging and supercharging systems have an intercooler. An intercooler is a radiator through which compressed air passes and is cooled before entering the cylinder.

Reduce the weight of parts. The lighter the part of the engine, the better it works. Every time the piston changes direction, it expends energy to stop. The lighter the piston, the less energy it consumes.

Fuel injection. The fuel injection system allows very precise dosing of the fuel that enters each cylinder. This improves engine performance and significantly saves fuel.

Now you know almost everything about how the car engine works, as well as the causes of the main problems and interruptions in the car. We remind you that if, after reading this article, you feel that your car requires updating any auto parts, we recommend that you order and buy them through our online service by filling out the request form in the " " menu, or by filling in the name of the spare part in the upper right window of this page. We hope that our article is about how a car engine works? As well as the main causes of malfunctions and interruptions in the car will help you make the right purchase.

To get acquainted with the main and integral part of any vehicle, consider what is the engine made of? For a full perception of its importance, the engine is always compared with the human heart. As long as the heart works, a person lives. Similarly, the engine, as soon as it stops or does not start, the car with all its systems and mechanisms turns into a pile of useless iron.

During the modernization and improvement of cars, engines have changed a lot in their design in the direction of compactness, efficiency, noiselessness, durability, etc. But the principle of operation has remained unchanged - each car has an internal combustion engine (ICE). The only exception is electric motors as an alternative way to generate energy.

Car engine device presented in a section on figure 2.

The name "internal combustion engine" comes precisely from the principle of obtaining energy. The fuel-air mixture, burning inside the engine cylinder, releases a huge amount of energy and makes the passenger car eventually move through a numerous chain of nodes and mechanisms.

It is fuel vapors mixed with air during ignition that give such an effect in a limited space.

For clarity on Figure 3 shows the device of a single-cylinder car engine.

The working cylinder from the inside is a closed space. The piston, connected via a connecting rod to the crankshaft, is the only moving element in the cylinder. When the fuel and air vapors are ignited, all of the released energy pushes against the cylinder walls and the piston, causing it to move downward.

The design of the crankshaft is made in such a way that the movement of the piston through the connecting rod creates a torque, causing the shaft itself to rotate and receive rotational energy. Thus, the released energy from the combustion of the working mixture is converted into mechanical energy.

Two methods are used to prepare the fuel-air mixture: internal or external mixture formation. Both methods still differ in the composition of the working mixture and methods of its ignition.

To have a clear concept, it is worth knowing that two types of fuel are used in engines: gasoline and diesel fuel. Both types of energy carriers are obtained on the basis of oil refining. Gasoline evaporates very well in air.

Therefore, for engines running on gasoline, a device such as a carburetor is used to obtain a fuel-air mixture.

In the carburetor, the air flow is mixed with gasoline droplets and fed into the cylinder. There, the resulting air-fuel mixture is ignited when a spark is applied through the spark plug.

Diesel fuel (DF) has low volatility at normal temperatures, but when mixed with air under enormous pressure, the resulting mixture ignites spontaneously. This is the principle of operation of diesel engines.

Diesel fuel is injected into the cylinder separately from the air through the nozzle. Narrow injector nozzles, combined with high cylinder injection pressure, convert diesel fuel into fine droplets that mix with air.

For a visual presentation, this is similar to when you press on the cap of a perfume or cologne can: the squeezed out liquid instantly mixes with air, forming a fine mixture, which is immediately sprayed, leaving a pleasant aroma. The same spray effect occurs in the cylinder. The piston, moving up, compresses the air space, increasing the pressure, and the mixture ignites spontaneously, forcing the piston to move in the opposite direction.

In both cases, the quality of the prepared working mixture greatly affects the full operation of the engine. If there is a lack of fuel or air, the working mixture does not completely burn out, and the generated engine power is significantly reduced.

How and due to what is the working mixture supplied to the cylinder?

On Figure 3 it can be seen that two rods with large caps emerge from the cylinder upwards. This is the inlet and
exhaust valves that close and open at certain times, providing working processes in the cylinder. They can both be closed, but never both can be open. This will be discussed a little later.

On a gasoline engine, there is the same spark plug in the cylinder that ignites the fuel-air mixture. This is due to the appearance of a spark under the influence of an electric discharge. The principle of operation and operation will be considered in the study

The inlet valve ensures the timely flow of the working mixture into the cylinder, and the exhaust valve ensures the timely release of exhaust gases that are no longer needed. Valves operate at a certain point in time of piston movement. The whole process of converting energy from combustion into mechanical energy is called a work cycle, consisting of four cycles: intake of the working mixture, compression, power stroke and exhaust gases. Hence the name - four-stroke engine.

Let's take a look at how this happens figure 4.

The piston in the cylinder makes only reciprocating movements, that is, up and down. This is called piston stroke. The extreme points between which the piston moves are called dead points: top (TDC) and bottom (BDC). The name "dead" comes from the fact that at a certain moment, the piston, changing direction by 180 degrees, seems to "freeze" in the lower or upper position for thousandths of a second.

TDC is at a certain distance from the top of the cylinder. This area in the cylinder is called the combustion chamber. The area with the piston stroke is called the working volume of the cylinder. You must have heard this concept when listing the characteristics of any car engine. Well, the sum of the working volume and the combustion chamber forms the full volume of the cylinder.

The ratio of the total volume of the cylinder to the volume of the combustion chamber is called the compression ratio of the working mixture. This
quite an important indicator for any car engine. The more strongly the mixture is compressed, the more recoil is obtained during combustion, which is converted into mechanical energy.

On the other hand, excessive compression of the air-fuel mixture causes it to explode rather than burn. This phenomenon is called "detonation". It leads to loss of power and destruction or excessive wear of the entire engine.

To avoid this, modern fuel production produces gasoline that is resistant to a high degree of compression. Everyone has seen inscriptions like AI-92 or AI-95 at the gas station. The number indicates the octane number. The larger its value, the greater the resistance of the fuel to detonation, respectively, it can be used with a higher compression ratio.