Lesson 2.1: Overview of I.C.E.

Lesson Summary
This lesson starts with the topic of heat engines, external and internal
combustion engines being the two main types of it. We will discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of both, as well as the development if I.C.
engines, the basic idea of its operation, and lastly the classification of I.C.
engines.

Learning Outcomes
1. Discuss the basic idea of internal combustion engines.
2. Identify the different types of internal combustion engines.

Motivation Question
What are the different types of internal combustion engines?

Discussion
HEAT ENGINES

Any type of engine or machine which derives heat energy from the combustion
of fuel or any other source and converts this energy into mechanical work is
termed as a heat engine.
Heat engines may be classified into two main classes as follows:
1. External combustion engines (E.C. engines)
External combustion engines are generally steam engines. They differ from
internal combustion engines because the heat source is separate from the fluid
that does work. For example, an external combustion engine would use a flame
to heat water into steam, then using the steam to turn a turbine. This is different
from internal combustion engine, like in a car engine, where the gasoline ignites
inside a piston, does work, and then is expelled.
During 1800’s and 1900’s steam engines are commonly used for
transportation. As of today they are no longer used in transportation, as mobile
designs are not efficient enough, but they continue to be used in powerplants.
For example, a natural gas power plant boils water into steam to turn a turbine,
creating electricity. The external combustion design means that the natural gas
does not come in direct contact with the water, and the engine still uses the
immense amount of energy emitted to do useful work. A coal-fired power plant
works in much the same way, where coal is taken into the plant from the mine
and burned in a boiler. Pipes send water into the boiler, and the burning coal
boils the water creating steam, which turns a turbine and creates electricity.
Examples of E.C. engines are:
 CANDU reactor (a type of nuclear power plant)
 Coal-fired power plant
 Natural gas power plant
 Steam locomotive (although there are a very few operational examples
left)
 Solar thermal power plant
 Stirling engine

Figure 2-1. Steam train is powered by an external combustion engine

2. Internal combustion engines (I.C. engines)

In this case, combustion of the fuel with oxygen of the air occurs within the
cylinder of the engine. The internal combustion engines group includes engines
employing mixtures of combustible gasses and air, known as gas engines,
those using lighter liquid fuel or spirit known as petrol engines and those using
heavier liquid fuels, known as oil compression ignition or diesel engines.

Figure 2-2. Cross section of a 4-cylinder In-line car engine

Advantages of reciprocating internal combustion engines over external
combustion engines:
Reciprocating internal combustion engines offer the following advantages over
external combustion engines:
1. Overall efficiency is high.
2. Greater mechanical simplicity.
3. Weight to power ratio is generally low.
4. Generally lower initial cost.
5. Easy starting from cold conditions.
6. These units are compact and thus require less space.

Advantages of external combustion engines over internal combustion

engines:
The external combustion engines claim the following advantages over internal
combustion engines:
1. Starting torque is generally high
2. Because of external combustion fuel, cheaper fuels can be used. Even
solid fuels can be used advantageously.
3. Due to external combustion of fuel it is possible to have flexibility in
arrangement.
4. These units are self-starting with the working fluid whereas in case of
internal combustion engines, some additional equipment or device is
used for starting the engines.

DEVELOPMENT OF IC ENGINES
Brief early history of development of I.C. engines is as follows:
 The first fairly practical engine was invented by J.J.E. Lenoir which
appeared on the scene about 1860. During the next decade, several
hundred of these engines were built with power upto about 4.5 KW and
mechanical efficiency upto 5%.
 The Otto-Langen engine with efficiency improved about 11% was first
introduced in 1867 and several thousands of these were produced
during the next decade. This was a type of atmospheric engine with the
power stroke propelled by atmospheric pressure acting against a
vacuum.
 Although many people were working on four-stroke cycle design, Otto
was given credit when his prototype engine was built in 1876.
 In the 1880’s, the internal combustion engines first appeared in
automobiles. Also in this decade the two-stroke cycle engine became
practical and was manufactured in large number.
 Rudlof Diesel, by 1892, had perfected his compression ignition engine
into basically the same diesel engine known today. This was after years
of development work which included the use of solid fuel in his early
experimental engines.
  Early compression engines were noisy, large, slow, single cylinder
engines. They were however generally more efficient than spark ignition
engines.
 It wasn’t until the 1920’s that multicylinder compression ignition engines
were made small enough to be used with automobile and trucks.

BASIC IDEA OF I.C. ENGINES

Figure 2-3. Internal combustion engine

The basic idea of internal combustion engines is shown in Figure 2-3. The
cylinder which is closed at one end is filled with a mixture of fuel and air. As the
crankshaft turns it pushes the cylinder. The mixture is set alight, as it burns, it
creates a gas pressure on the piston, forcing it down the cylinder. This motion
is shown by arrow 1. The piston pushes on the rod which pushes on the crank.
The crank is given rotary (turning) motion as shown by arrow 2. The fly wheel
fitted on the end of the crankshaft stores energy and keeps the crank turning
steadily. This rotary motion is transmitted to the power train, which is connected
to the axle and the wheel or your car or motorbike to make it move.
CLASSIFICATION OF I.C. ENGINES
Internal combustion engines may be classified as given below:
1. According to cycle operation:
(i) Two stroke cycle engines
(ii) Four stroke cycle engines
2. According to cycle of combustion
(i) Otto cycle engine (combustion at constant volume)
(ii) Diesel cycle engine (combustion at constant pressure)
(iii) Dual combustion or Semi-Diesel cycle engine (combustion partly at
constant volume and partly at constant pressure).
3. According to arrangement of cylinder

In-line engine
This is the most common in an
automobile engine. This type of
engine arrangement has only
one-cylinder bank; all cylinders
of engine arranged in linearly,
and all of them transmit power
to a single crankshaft. Inline
engine with four and six
cylinders is popular in
automotive industries.
Figure 2-3. In-line engine
Advantage of an inline engine is that the
design of engine block is simple and cheaper. Running of four-cylinder inline
engine is also smoother than the one- or two-cylinder engines. Inline engine
design does not need heavy counterweights. Because of simplicity, inline
engine is popular in economy cars. However, it suffers secondary imbalance
and causes minor vibration in the smaller engine. This vibration also increases
as the size and power of increases. For this reason, the powerful engine does
not adopt inline arrangement.
V engine
V engines have two-cylinder banks and one
crankshaft. It is literally the assembly of two
inline engine arrangement (appear to be in
"V" shape). This arrangement reduces the
overall engine length, height and weight
compared to the equivalent inline
arrangement. Two-cylinder banks inclined at
an angle to each other and also each of
them inclined to crankshaft. The angle
between two-cylinder banks is known as
bank angle. In narrow bank angle V engines,
Figure 2-4. V engine cylinders are combined into a single cylinder
block. Engine with more than six cylinders
usually adopts this cylinder arrangement. Most high-powered automobile use
eight-cylinder v engine (four engine is in inline on each side of V).
Radial engine
In a radial engine, the cylinders
arranged in equally spaced
around the one crankshaft; the
cylinders are arranged radially in
a circle. Pistons of these cylinders
are coupled to the same
crankshaft. The radial
arrangement is widely used in
large air crafts until gas turbine
engines became predominant. In
air cooled aircraft engine with 3, 5,
7 or 9 cylinders are used radial
arrangement. For the higher
capacity of engine multi-row radial Figure 2-5. Radial engine
engine is used.

Opposed cylinder engine / Flat engine / Boxer engine

Figure 2-7. Opposed cylinder engine/ Flat engine/ Boxer engine

In this type of arrangement two-cylinder banks (or two inline-engines) in the

same plane but opposite side of the crankshaft. One of the advantages of an
opposed cylinder engine is that it inherently well balanced. The type of engine
arrangement found application in small aircraft.

Opposed piston engine

In this type of arrangement, single engine cylinder houses two piston and has
no cylinder head. Each piston drives two separate crankshafts. The movement
of piston made synchronized by coupling these two crankshafts. The type
engine usually working on the principle of two stroke engine. The advantages
opposed piston includes, it gets rid heavy cylinder head, and it is a well-
balanced arrangement. The opposed piston engine is used in large diesel
plants.

Figure 2-8. Opposed piston engine

Delta type engine/ Napier Deltic engine
It is a combination of three opposed piston engine. The piston of this engine is
coupled to three interlinked crankshafts.

X engine
This is a variation of V type with four banks of cylinder attached to the single
crankshaft. This twinned V block engine has four banks and appeared as X
shape. X type arrangement is extremely uncommon because of its complexity
and weight.

Figure 2-6. Delta type/Napier Deltic engine

Figure 2-9. X engine
H engine
In this type two opposed cylinder type is connected to two separate but
interconnected crankshaft. It shows excellent mechanical balance.

U type engine
In u type engine, two separate straight engines joined by using gears or chains.
It appears in the shape of U. This cylinder arrangement is uncommon as it is
heavier than the similar V engine.

W engine
It is similar to V engine but it has three or four cylinder banks.
 Figure 2-11. U engine

Figure 2-10. H engine

Figure 2-12. W engine

References
1. M.D. Hansdah. Sub: Internal Combustion Engine & Gas Turbines.
Retrieved from:
https://www.vssut.ac.in/lecture_notes/lecture1429900545.pdf
2. R.K. Rajput. Internal Combustion Engines. LAXMI Publications (P) Ltd,,
New Delhi, India. (Chapters 1-4, 17)
3. R.K. Rajput. 2007. Engineering Thermodynamics. 3 th edn. LAXMI
Publications (P) Ltd,, New Delhi, India. (Chapters 4, 11, 18)