Internal combustion engine

The principle of the internal combustion engine has not changed in the last 100 years. The engine takes in fuel and air which are compressed in a combustion chamber. Then, this mixture is ignited by a spark plug to produce an explosion, which moves the piston in the cylinder. The up and down motion of the piston in the cylinder is converted into rotational motion by crankshaft. The rotational force generated by the engine is known as torque. The size of the engine determines the power. The more cylinders there are, the more powerful is the engine. This power is transmitted through the clutch, the gearbox, the propeller shaft (in rear-wheel and four-wheel drive), and the axles to the wheels. The position of the engine can vary, but it is usually mounted at the front. In some sports cars, the engine is mounted at the rear, for example Porsche, or in the middle, for example Ferrari or Lamborghini, because of weight distribution.

Engines can be classified in many different ways: by the engine cycle used, the layout of the engine, source of energy, the use of engine, or by cooling system employed.

Common layouts of engines are two-stroke engine, four-stroke engine, six-stroke engine and diesel engine. Cylinder configurations include the straight or inline configuration and the V configuration.

The most common forms of engine cooling are air-cooled and water-cooled.

Engines are often classified by the fuels they used. They include petroleum, coal, biofuels and hydrogen.

Vocabulary:

combustion chamber [kqm'bAsCqn 'CeImbq] – камера сгорания

ignite [Ig'naIt] v.– зажигать

torque [tLk] n.– крутящий момент

clutch [klAC] n.– сцепление

gearbox ['gIqbPks] n.– коробка передач

Answer the following questions:

1. Where are fuel and air compressed?

2. How does the piston move in the cylinder?

3. What does a crankshaft do?

4. How is the power of the engine determined?

5. How is the power transmitted?

6. How can engines be classified?

ТТП, ЭТМК, ПМХ (III семестр)