Parts of an IC engine

The main components of a standard IC engine are briefly described below:

1.

Cylinder head. This is the top cover of the cylinder and holds the inlet and exhaust

valves, their operating mechanisms, and the spark plug or fuel injector, as the case may be. The
valves along with their operating mechanism are together called the valve gear.
2.

Cylinder block and cylinder liner. The cylinder head is fitted over the cylinder block

and liner. The space between the block wall and cylinder liner acts as the cooling water jacket.
3.

Piston. The piston is of cylindrical shape to fit the inside bore of the cylinder. Gas

tightness is ensured by means of the piston rings in the slots on the outer cylindrical surface of
the piston.
4.

Connecting rod. This is the link connecting the piston to the crankshaft for transmission

of the forces from and to the piston. The pin connecting it to the piston is called the gudgeon pin
and that connecting it to the crankshaft as the crank pin.

5.

Crankshaft. This is a shaft with radial cranks, which converts the reciprocating motion of

the piston into rotary motion of the shaft.

6.

Crank case and sump. Crank case is the engine casing having the main bearings in

which the crank shaft rotates. The bottom cover of the engine is the sump which usually acts as a
lubricating oil reservoir.

Comparison of Petrol Engines & Diesel Engines

PETROL ENGINE
1. Works on Otto cycle.

DIESEL ENGINE
Works on Diesel cycle.

2. Fuel is mixed with air in a Fuel is injected directly using an injection nozzle
carburettor and the mixture at the end of compression stroke.
is admitted during suction.
3. Spark ignition is used.

Compression ignition is used.

4. Has low compression ratios Has high compression ratios (10 to 20).
(6 to 10).
5. Lower engine efficiency.

Higher engine efficiency.

6. Higher fuel consumption.

Lower fuel consumption.

7. Lower vibration and engine Higher vibration and engine noise.

noise.
8. Low initial cost.

High initial cost.

9. High running cost.

Low running cost.

10. Light duty application.

Heavy duty application.

FOUR STROKE ENGINE

In a four stroke internal combustion engine, one cycle of operation is completed in four
strokes of the engine piston in the engine cylinder. One stroke is the distance travelled by the
piston from one end of the cylinder to the other end, during which the crankshaft makes half a
revolution. The end positions of the piston in the cylinder are known as the dead centres. In a
vertical engine they are the top dead centre (TDC) and the bottom dead centre (BDC). In a

horizontal engine the respective positions are the outer dead centre and the inner dead centre.

The distance between the two dead centres is the stroke length of the piston which will be two
times the crank length or the crank radius.

The four strokes making up a thermodynamic cycle of a four-stroke I.C. engine are (i)
suction stroke, (ii) compression stroke, (iii) expansion or power stroke and (iv) exhaust stroke.
(i) Suction Stroke

Piston movement :

from TDC to BDC.

Valve position

inlet valve is open and exhaust valve is closed.

Process

vacuum created inside the cylinder draws the charge into the
cylinder through inlet valve.

Charge is air fuel mixture in petrol engines or air in diesel engines.

(ii) Compression Stroke

(iii)

Piston movement :

from BDC to TDC.

Valve position

both valves are closed.

Process

the charge in the cylinder is compressed from the full cylinder

volume to clearance volume.

Power (Expansion) Stroke

Piston movement :

from TDC to BDC.

Valve position
Process : 1.

(iv)

both valves are closed.

At the end of the compression stroke a spark is struck by the spark plug in SI
engines. This causes the combustion of the fuel in the charge and the
instantaneous increase of pressure. In CI engines, fuel is sprayed into the hot
compressed air resulting in combustion of fuel. During the period of fuel
injection the piston moves in its expansion stroke and so there is minimal
pressure increase.

2.

As the charge in the cylinder burns it pushes the piston from TDC to BDC;
expansion of combustion products (gas) takes place; power is produced. A
fraction of the power is used for the other strokes, the balance being supplied to
the surrounding (useful power output of the engine).

Exhaust Stroke

Piston movement :

from BDC to TDC.

Valve position

inlet valve is closed and exhaust valve is open.

Process

the combustion products are pushed out of the cylinder.

TWO STROKE ENGINE

In a two-stroke internal combustion engine one cycle of operation is completed in two

strokes of the piston in the engine cylinder, that is, one revolution of the crankshaft. The
construction of the two-stroke I.C. engine is similar to the four-stroke I.C. engine except that
there are no valves in a two-stroke engine as there are in a four-stroke engine. Instead ports are
provided in the engine cylinder which are operated by the engine piston itself. The arrangement
is shown in the figure on the previous page. The three ports are:
Crank case inlet port -

admits the charge into the crank case.

Transfer port

admits the charge from the crank case into the cylinder.

Exhaust port

exhausts the burnt gases from the cylinder.

Working principle
Please refer to the sketches giving the different positions of the piston in the two stroke
engine cylinder shown on the diagram sheet.

Stroke 1
Piston movement

: from BDC to TDC.

Processes

: 1. the charge inside the cylinder is compressed increasing its

pressure and temperature;
2. vacuum is created inside the crank case and when the piston
uncovers the crank case inlet port the charge enters the crank
case.

The charge is air-fuel mixture in petrol engines or atmosphere air in diesel engines.
Stroke 2

Piston movement

: from TDC to BDC.

Processes

: 1. At the end of the compression stroke a spark is struck by the

spark plug in petrol engines or fuel is sprayed into the cylinder
through the injection nozzle in diesel engines, resulting in
combustion of fuel. The pressure and temperature of gases
increase pushing the piston downwards in its power stroke.
2. When the piston uncovers the exhaust ports in its downward
stroke the burnt gases leave the cylinder through the exhaust
ports.
3. When the piston uncovers the transfer port. The charge in the
crank case, which has been compressed during the downward
movement of the piston, gets into the cylinder through the transfer
port. The deflector on top of the piston directs the charge upwards
which helps in pushing out the burnt gases through the exhaust
ports which remain uncovered. This is called scavenging.

Thus in a two-stroke engine, both faces of the piston are effective, unlike in a 4-stroke
engine.

Advantages of two-stroke engines

1.

A two-stroke engine has a power stroke every revolution of the crankshaft. Therefore its
power to weight ratio is higher than that of a four-stroke engine.

2.

The torque is more uniform in a two-stroke engine, hence it requires a lighter flywheel
than that for a four-stroke engine.

3.

Two-stroke engines are simpler in construction than four-stroke engines due to the
absence of valves and their operating mechanism.

4.

The friction loss is less in two-stroke engines, therefore it gives higher mechanical
efficiency than four-stroke engines.

5.

The capital cost of two-stroke engines is less than that of four-stroke engines.

6.

The starting of two-stroke engines is easier than starting of four-stroke engines.

Disadvantages of two-stroke engines

1.

The overall efficiency is less than that of four-stroke engines due to (i) inadequate

scavenging as some combustion products are left in the cylinder (ii) loss of fresh charge
during scavenging, and (iii) less effective compression ratio for same stroke long.
2.

The engine is always overheated due to power stroke in every revolution.

3.

The consumption of lubricating oil is higher as it is subjected to higher temperatures.

4.

The exhaust of two-stroke engines is noisier needing more baffling in the silencers.

Comparison between Four-stroke & Two-stroke Engines

FOUR STROKE ENGINE

TWO STROKE ENGINE

1. One cycle in four strokes of the One cycle in two strokes of the piston or
piston or two revolutions of the one revolution of the crankshaft.
crankshaft.
2. Valves are used for charge admission No valves but ports are used for charge
and exhaust.
admission an exhaust.
3. One power stroke per two One power stroke in one revolution of
revolutions of crankshaft resulting in crankshaft causing smoother torque and
torque fluctuations needing heavier consequent lighter flywheel.
flywheel.
4. Low power to weight ratios.

Higher power to weight ratios.

5. Higher overall efficiency.

Lower overall efficiency due to loss of

fresh charge in exhaust.

6. Complex construction due to valve Simpler construction due to absence of

gear.
valves.
7. Used for heavy duty applications.

Used for light duty applications.