Module 3.

INTRODUCTION TO IC ENGINES

An internal combustion engine is a heat engine which converts the heat energy
released by the combustion of fuel taking place inside the engine cylinder into
mechanical work. Its versatile advantages such as high efficiency, light weight,
compactness, easy starting, adaptability, suitability for mobile applications,
comparatively lower initial cost has made its use as a prime mover universal.

CLASSIFICATION OF IC ENGINES:

IC engines are classified according to

i. Nature of thermodynamic cycle as
1. Otto cycle engine 2. Diesel cycle engine 3. Dual combustion cycle engine.
ii. Type of fuel used as
1. Petrol engine 2. Diesel engine 3. Gas engine 4. Bio fuel engine
iii. Number of strokes as
1. Four stroke engine 2. Two stroke engine
iv. Method of ignition as
1. Spark ignition engine, known as S.I engine.
2. Compression ignition engine, known as C.I engine.
v. Number of cylinders as
1. Single cylinder engine 2. Multi cylinder engine
vi. Position of cylinder as
1. Horizontal engine 2. Vertical engine 3. V- engine
4. Radial engine 5. Opposed cylinder engine
vii. Method of cooling as
1. Air cooled engine 2. Water cooled engine 3. Oil cooled engine

PARTS OF I.C ENGINE:

The various important parts of an I.C engine as shown in figure 1

1. CYLINDER: The main part of the engine is the cylinder in which the fuel is burnt and the
power is developed. It is considered as heart of the engine. The primary functions of cylinder
is

a. To contain the working fluid under pressure and

b. To guide the piston while reciprocating inside the cylinder.

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2. CYLINDER HEAD: The top end of the cylinder is closed by a removable cylinder head.
The cylinder head consists of two valves 'inlet valve' and 'exhaust valve'.

Figure 1: Parts of I.C. Engine

3. PISTON: A piston is a device which reciprocates inside the cylinder and fits perfectly
inside the cylinder. The power developed by the combustion of the fuel is transmitted by the
piston to the crankshaft through the connecting rod.

4. PISTON RINGS: The piston rings are the metallic rings inserted into the circumferential
grooves provided at the top end of the piston. These rings maintain a gas tight joint between
the piston and the cylinder while the piston is reciprocating in the cylinder.

a. Compression rings – Acts as a seal between cylinder and piston. It presses hard to provide
a tight seal.

b. Oil rings - The function of oil rings is to extract the lubricating oil from the cylinder walls
and send it back to oil sump through the holes provided on the piston.

5. CONNECTING ROD: It is a link that connects the piston and the crankshaft by means of
pin joints. It converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into rotary motion of the
crankshaft.

6. CRANK & CRANKSHAFT: The crank is a lever that is connected to the end of the
connecting rod by a pin joint with its other end connected rigidly to a shaft called crankshaft.

7. VALVES: The valves are devices which controls the flow of the intake and the exhaust
gases to and from the engine cylinder. They are also called as poppet valves. These valves are
operated by means of cams driven by the crankshaft. There are two valves.

a. Inlet valve – In which fresh charge (air and fuel or fuel) enters into the cylinder.

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b. Exhaust valve - Through which the burnt gases are discharged out of the cylinder.

8. FLYWHEEL: It is a heavy wheel mounted on the crankshaft of the engine to maintain

rotation of the crankshaft and stores energy received during the power stroke and supplies the
same during other strokes.

9. CRANKCASE: It is the lower part of the engine serving as an enclosure for the crankshaft
and also as a sump for lubricating oil.

10. CAM: It is designed to control inlet and exhaust valves movement.

I.C ENGINE TERMINOLOGY:

The basic components of a reciprocating engine are shown in figure 2.

Figure 2: Terminology of I.C. Engine

Bore: The inside diameter of the cylinder is called as Bore.

Top Dead Center (TDC): The extreme position of piston close to the cylinder head is called
as TDC.

Bottom Dead Center (BDC): The extreme position of piston close to the crankshaft is called
as BDC.

Stroke: It is the linear distance travelled by the piston from TDC to BDC or BDC to TDC.

Intake valve: Air or air-fuel mixture is drawn into the cylinder.

Exhaust valve: The combustion products are expelled from the cylinder.

FOUR-STROKE (4-S) ENGINES

A four stroke engine consists of a piston and a cylinder arrangement with two valves. One
valve called the ‘inlet valve’ through which fresh charge enters into the cylinder and the
other, ‘exhaust valve’, through which burnt gases are discharged out of the cylinder. In 4

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stroke engines, all the operations of the working cycle are completed in four different strokes
of the piston. The four different strokes performed are

a) Suction stroke
b) Compression stroke
c) Power stroke (Expansion stroke)
d) Exhaust stroke

Based on the type of fuel used, 4-stroke engines are classified as

a) 4-stroke petrol engine

b) 4-stroke diesel engine

FOUR-STROKE PETROL ENGINE

Petrol engines work on the principle of Otto cycle. Hence, it is called as Otto cycle engine
and constant volume cycle as the combustion takes place at constant volume with increase of
pressure. In this type of engine, the piston performs four strokes to complete one cycle. The
power is developed in two revolutions of the crankshaft or four strokes of the piston.

Since ignition occurs due to a spark created by the spark plug, these engines are also called
spark ignition engines.

a) Suction stroke

During this stroke, the piston moves from TDC to BDC. The inlet valve opens and the
exhaust valve will be closed. The crankshaft revolves by half a rotation. Refer figure 3.

The downward movement of the piston creates suction in the cylinder and as a result, fresh
charge of air-petrol mixture is drawn into the cylinder through the inlet valve. When the
piston reaches the BDC, the suction stroke ends and the inlet valve closes. The suction stroke
is represented by the line AB on the p-v diagram as shown in figure 4, where the pressure in
the cylinder decreases while the volume in the cylinder increases.

(P-V diagram – It is a diagram or a graph plotted with x-axis as volume and y-axis as
pressure. The amount of work done is represented by the area of the diagram with a suitable
scale).

b) Compression stroke

During this stroke, the piston moves from BDC to TDC and both inlet and exhaust valves are
closed. The crankshaft revolves by half a rotation. Refer figure 3.

As the piston moves upwards, the air-petrol mixture in the cylinder is compressed
adiabatically. The pressure and temperature of the charge are increased and this is shown by
the curve BC on p-v diagram. When the piston reaches the TDC, the spark plug initiates a
spark that ignites the air-petrol mixture. Combustion of fuel takes place at constant volume
and this is shown by a line CD on p-v diagram.

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(Adiabatic – It is a process in which there is no heat transfer from the system to the
surroundings or vice versa).

c) Power stroke or working stroke

During this stroke, both inlet and exhaust valves remain closed and crankshaft revolves by
half rotation. As the combustion of fuel takes place, it releases the hot gases which burns and
expands the gases. Due to expansion, the hot gases exert a large force on the piston and as a
result, the piston is pushed from TDC to BDC. Refer figure 3. The linear motion of the piston
causes it to produce the mechanical work or power during this stroke which will be
transmitted to the crankshaft through the connecting rod. This causes the crankshaft to rotate
at high speeds. Thus, work is obtained in this stroke. Hence, this stroke is called working
stroke. Also, gases expand and do work on the piston. So this stroke is also called expansion
stroke.

The expansion of gases is adiabatic in nature and this adiabatic expansion is shown by the
curve DE on p-v diagram. When the piston reaches the BDC, the exhaust valve opens. A part
of the burnt gases escapes through the exhaust valve due to their own expansion. The drop in
pressure at constant volume is shown by the line EB on p-v diagram.

d) Exhaust stroke

During this stroke, the piston moves from BDC to TDC and the crankshaft revolves by half a
rotation. The inlet valve is closed and the exhaust valve is opened. Refer figure 3. As the
piston moves upward, it forces the remaining burnt gases to the atmosphere through the
exhaust valve. This is shown by the line BA on p-v diagram. When the piston reaches the
TDC, the exhaust valve closes. Thus, one cycle is completed.

In the next cycle, the piston which is at the TDC moves to BDC thereby allowing fresh
charge (air-petrol mixture) to enter into the cylinder and the process continues.

Figure 3: Working of 4-Stroke Petrol Engine

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D
Reversible
adiabatic

E
P C

A B

Figure 4: P-V Diagram of 4-Stroke Petrol Engine

FOUR-STROKE DIESEL ENGINE

The 4-stroke diesel engine is similar to that of a 4-stroke petrol engine, except a fuel injector
that is fitted in place spark plug and only air enters into the cylinder during suction stroke. Air
alone is compressed during the compression stroke and at the end of this stroke, the fuel
injector, injects the fuel (diesel) into the hot compressed air. The fuel is ignited as it comes in
contact with the hot compressed air. Hence, these engines are compression ignition (C.I.)
engines.

Diesel engine works on the principle of diesel cycle or constant pressure heat addition cycle.
The power is developed in two revolutions of the crankshaft or four strokes of the piston.

a) Suction stroke

During this stroke, the piston moves from TDC to BDC. The inlet valve opens and the
exhaust valve will be closed. Refer figure 5. The downward movement of the piston creates
suction in the cylinder and as a result, atmospheric air is drawn into the cylinder through the
inlet valve. When the piston reaches the BDC, the suction stroke ends and the inlet valve
closes. The suction stroke is represented by the line AB on p-v diagram as shown in figure 6.

b) Compression stroke

During this stroke, the piston moves from BDC to TDC and both the inlet and exhaust valves
are closed. Refer figure 5. As the piston moves upwards, air in the cylinder is compressed to a
high pressure and temperature. The compression process is adiabatic in nature and is shown
by the BC on p-v diagram. At the end of this stroke, the fuel (diesel) is injected into the
cylinder in the form of sprays by a fuel injector. The fuel ignites as it comes in contact with
the hot compressed air. Combustion of fuel takes place at constant pressure and this process
is shown by the line CD on p-v diagram.

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c) Power stroke

During this stroke, both inlet and exhaust valves remain closed. As the combustion of fuel
takes place, the burnt gases expand and exert a large force on the piston. Due to this, the
piston is pushed from TDC to the BDC. Refer figure 5. The linear motion of the piston causes
it to produce the mechanical work or power during this stroke which will be transmitted to
the crankshaft through the connecting rod. This causes the crankshaft to rotate at high speeds.
Thus, work is obtained in this stroke.

The expansion of gases is adiabatic in nature and this adiabatic expansion is shown by the
curve DE on p-v diagram. When the piston reaches the BDC, the exhaust valve opens. A part
of the burnt gases escapes through the exhaust valve due to their own expansion. The drop in
pressure at constant volume is shown by the line EB on p-v diagram.

d) Exhaust stroke

During this stroke, the piston moves from BDC to TDC and the crankshaft revolves by half a
rotation. The inlet valve is closed and the exhaust valve is opened. Refer figure 5. As the
piston moves upward, it forces the remaining burnt gases to the atmosphere through the
exhaust valve. This is shown by the line BA on p-v diagram. When the piston reaches the
TDC, the exhaust valve closes. Thus, one cycle is completed.

In the next cycle, the piston which is at the TDC moves to BDC thereby allowing fresh air to
enter into the cylinder and the process continues.

Figure 5: Working of 4-Stroke Diesel Engine

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Reversible
C D adiabatic

P E

B
A

V
Figure 6: P-V Diagram of 4-Stroke Diesel Engine

COMPARISON OF PETROL ENGINE AND DIESEL ENGINE:

Sl. PETROL ENGINE (S.I ENGINE) DIESEL ENGINE (C.I ENGINE)

No
It works on Otto cycle, also called as It works on diesel cycle, also called as
1 constant volume cycle. constant pressure cycle.
2 Petrol is used as fuel. Diesel is used as fuel.
3 Air-fuel mixture is supplied in Fuel is injected into the engine cylinder by
combustion chamber with the help of the fuel injector at the end of compression
carburetor. stroke.
4 The compressed air and petrol is The compressed air gets ignited by itself
ignited by the spark plug. due to high temperature.
5 Thermal efficiency is low. Thermal efficiency is high.
6 Less initial cost but high running cost. High initial cost but less running cost.
7 Low compression ratio ranging from High compression ratio ranging from 16:1
7:1 to 12:1 to 20:1
8 Engine speed is high. Engine speed is low.
9 Because of less operating pressure Because of less operating pressure noise
noise and vibration are almost nil. and vibration are high.
10 Petrol engines can be easily started in Diesel engines are difficult to start in cold
cold weather. weather.
11 Exhaust gas pollution is more. Exhaust gas pollution is less.
12 Used in scooters, motor cycle, cars. Used in trucks, tractors, buses, bulldozers.

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APPLICATIONS OF IC ENGINES

IC engines used in transportation, power generation and industrial equipment like power cars,
trucks, boats, motor cycle, airplanes, generators, pumps, compressors.

1. Automobiles: IC engines are widely used in automobiles such as cars, buses, trucks,
and motorcycles to power vehicles.
2. Aircraft: IC engines are also used in small aircraft and helicopters to provide
propulsion.
3. Marine: IC engines are used in marine applications such as ships, boats, and
submarines.
4. Agriculture: IC engines are used in agriculture for powering farm machinery such as
tractors, harvesters and irrigation pumps.
5. Power Generation: IC engines are used for power generation in applications where
grid power is unavailable such as remote locations, construction sites.
6. Construction: IC engines are used in construction machineries such as excavators,
bulldozers, cranes.
7. Military: IC engines are used in military vehicles, tanks, aircraft.
8. Small Equipment: IC engines are used in a variety of small equipments such as
lawnmowers, chainsaws, generators.

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