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Scrivener Publishing
100 Cummings Center, Suite 541J
Beverly, MA 01915-6106

Publishers at Scrivener
Martin Scrivener (martin@scrivenerpublishing.com)
Phillip Carmical (pcarmical@scrivenerpublishing.com)

Combustion Engines

An Introduction to Their Design, Performance, and Selection

 

Aman Gupta

Shubham Sharma

Sunny Narayan

 

 

 

 

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Preface

Engines and pumps are common engineering devices which have become essential to the smooth running of modern society. Many of these are very sophisticated and require infrastructure and high levels of technological competence to ensure their correct operation. For example, some are computer-controlled, others require stable, three-phase electrical supplies, or clean hydrocarbon fuels. This project focuses on the identification, design, and construction of various engines. Noise, vibration and harness performances have also been evaluated with further suggestions given to improve current systems.

Introduction

Diersel engines constitute a major source of power for ships, buses, and trains as well as road machinery. About one-fifth of total energy consumption in the United States goes toward operating these engines, and hence demand for them is growing fast, compared to gasoline engines. Sales of vehicles using diesel engines reached a peak during the 1980s in the United States due to major oil crises, as depicted in Figure 1. Various projections at that time had predicted that an increase of about 20% in sales would be achieved by the end of the decade. However, variations in fuel costs, falling prices of petrol and various problems associated with the operation of diesel engines led to a fall in their overall sales.

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Figure 1 Trend in sales of various diesel engine based automobiles in the United States.

Gasoline engines use a spark ignition system for the initiation of fuel reaction, unlike diesel engines, which are based on the compression ignition of fuel-air mixture. Diesel engines operate at higher compression ratios, thus allowing more useful work output during the course of their operation. Combustion in these types of engines can be made to take place away from chamber walls, thus helping in reduction of the overall heat release rate. In addition, there are various throttling as well as pumping losses associated with the opertion of petrol engines. These are some of the major reasons for their lesser cycle efficiency when compared with diesel engines. Overall fuel efficiency of a diesel engine may be over 40% higher in the case of medium-sized engines and 50% for larger ones (which are generally used in marine propulsions).

The factors discussed above have hence led to a renewal of interest by various automotive companies in the development of diesel engines. Sales data of diesel engine based automobiles in Europe have indicated that about a quarter of new automobiles were powered using these engines. In France, diesel engines accounted for almost half of total engine sales. Sales of diesel engine based cars in Japan have almost tripled.

This work sheds light on the development of combustion engines with a specific focus on NVH performance of engines. We hope the information provided in the text will be useful for undergraduate and graduate students on various automotive courses.