UNIT M1- DIESEL ENGINE FUNDAMENTALS AND
WORKING PRINCIPLES
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this unit is to make you understand about the basic working principle
and fundamentals of Diesel Engine as per the following details: -
• Working principle
• Classification of Diesel Engine based on cycle of operation, aspiration, Cylinder
arrangement and Engine Layout, speed and power output.
• Understanding working cycle through valve timing diagram.
• Understanding process of combustion in Diesel Engine.
STRUCTURE
• Introduction
• Cycle of Operation
• Valve Timing Diagram
• Cylinder arrangement and Engine Layout.
• Natural aspiration and Supercharging
• Firing Order
• Combustion in Diesel Engine
• WDM2 Diesel Locomotive Engine Data and Layout
• Summary
• Self assessment
1
, INTRODUCTION
As commonly known, there are two types of engines i.e. External Combustion Engine
and Internal Combustion Engine. The examples of External Combustion Engine are Coal or oil
fired steam engines and those of Internal Combustion engine are Petrol, Diesel and Gas engine.
In External Combustion engine, coal or liquid fuel is burnt outside the cylinder, but in
Internal Combustion engine the fuel burns inside the cylinder.
The Internal Combustion engines are again divided into two groups i.e.(i) Spark Ignition
engines and (ii) Compression Ignition engine, Example of spark ignition engine is petrol and gas
engine where-as example of compression ignition engine is diesel engine.
The basic purpose of an IC engine is to develop power by burning fuel. Therefore, good
performance of an Engine is dependent on how quickly and completely the fuel can be burnt.
This burning of hydrocarbons is called combustion, which is a chemical process (oxidation),
accompanied by emission of light and heat.
The petrol or gas engines are called spark ignition engines, as electric spark is required
for ignition of fuel air mixture, which is injected in the mixture form in the combustion chamber.
The process of combustion in the compression ignition engine differs widely from that of
spark ignition engine. In case of diesel engine only fuel in liquid state is injected at very a high
pressure, into highly heated and compressed air in the combustion chamber, the heat of the
compressed air starts the combustion process and no agency like electric spark is required.
The name 'Compression Ignition Engine’ has been derived from the fact that the air
drawn in the suction stroke is compressed to such a degree in compression stroke, that the heat
generated due to compression goes much above the self ignition or auto-ignition temperature of
the liquid fuel.
The abbreviation `IC Engine' (Internal Combustion Engine) and C.I.Engines
(Compression Ignition Engine) sometimes causes confusion. Though both petrol and diesel
engines are `I.C.Engines', only diesel engines work on Compression Ignition principle and
should be termed as `C.I.Engines'. In other words while all `C.I.Engines' are `I.C.Engines' but all
`I.C.Engines' are not `C.I.Engines'.
Compression Ratio
The compression ratio of `I.C.Engines' is the ratio between total volume i.e. (clearance
volume + swept volume.) and clearance volume
In other words this ratio is indicative of the degree of compression of the trapped air.
Higher the compression ratio, higher will be the compression pressure and consequently higher
the temperature.
It is for this reason that compression ratio of spark ignition engine is lesser (round about
8:1) whereas the compression ratio of compression ignition engine is 12:1 & above.
CYCLE OF OPERATION
In any Compression Ignition engine following pre-requisites must be fulfilled.
2
, (a) Suction or Induction
The suction or induction of fresh cool air must take place for the purpose of providing
oxygen for combustion of fuel as also for the scavenging of burnt gases and taking away heat
from the combustion chamber components.
(b) Compression:
Once the air is drawn in, the air inlet passage is closed. The trapped air is compressed due
to upward movement of pistons. Once the air is highly compressed, it attains high temperature.
At this stage fuel is injected just before the T.D.C. for combustion to start.
(c) Firing or Power:
Very shortly after the fuel injection, the firing takes place and peak pressure is achieved
just after TDC, the expansion of gas provides the force or power which drives the piston back,
thus rotating the crank shaft.
(d) Exhaust:
After the fuel is burnt out, the burnt gas has to find passage to atmosphere so that space
can be made for accommodating fresh air for the next cycle of operation.
The aforesaid requirements are fulfilled in either four strokes of piston or in 2 strokes. In
case of the former the engine is called a four stroke cycle engine and in case of the latter the
engine is called two stroke cycle i.e. either two revolutions or one revolution of the crankshaft
cover all the events of the cycle.
FOUR STROKE/ TWO STROKE CYCLE
While in four stroke cycle engines, suction, compression, fuel injection, exhaust and
scavenging, are completed in four strokes of the piston or two revolutions of the crank, in two
stroke engines all these are completed in two strokes of the piston or one revolution of the
crankshaft.
(Sk.1.1. & Sk.1.2.)
There are various designs of 2 stroke cycle engines but one thing common in all, is that
compressed air is essential for the purpose of scavenging right from the lowest power output
whereas in case of 4 stroke cycle engine at lower power range it works as naturally aspirated
engine.
To describe this process in greater detail, we can take the example of the WDG4
locomotive, in which all the exhaust valves are in the cylinder head at the top and the inlet ports
are round the cylinder liner.
VALVE TIMING DIAGRAM
Valve Timing Diagram of 2 stroke (WDG4/ GM Engine) and 4 Stroke (WDM2 Engine)
is being dealt separately for better understanding.
3
, Sk: 1.1
4
WORKING PRINCIPLES
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this unit is to make you understand about the basic working principle
and fundamentals of Diesel Engine as per the following details: -
• Working principle
• Classification of Diesel Engine based on cycle of operation, aspiration, Cylinder
arrangement and Engine Layout, speed and power output.
• Understanding working cycle through valve timing diagram.
• Understanding process of combustion in Diesel Engine.
STRUCTURE
• Introduction
• Cycle of Operation
• Valve Timing Diagram
• Cylinder arrangement and Engine Layout.
• Natural aspiration and Supercharging
• Firing Order
• Combustion in Diesel Engine
• WDM2 Diesel Locomotive Engine Data and Layout
• Summary
• Self assessment
1
, INTRODUCTION
As commonly known, there are two types of engines i.e. External Combustion Engine
and Internal Combustion Engine. The examples of External Combustion Engine are Coal or oil
fired steam engines and those of Internal Combustion engine are Petrol, Diesel and Gas engine.
In External Combustion engine, coal or liquid fuel is burnt outside the cylinder, but in
Internal Combustion engine the fuel burns inside the cylinder.
The Internal Combustion engines are again divided into two groups i.e.(i) Spark Ignition
engines and (ii) Compression Ignition engine, Example of spark ignition engine is petrol and gas
engine where-as example of compression ignition engine is diesel engine.
The basic purpose of an IC engine is to develop power by burning fuel. Therefore, good
performance of an Engine is dependent on how quickly and completely the fuel can be burnt.
This burning of hydrocarbons is called combustion, which is a chemical process (oxidation),
accompanied by emission of light and heat.
The petrol or gas engines are called spark ignition engines, as electric spark is required
for ignition of fuel air mixture, which is injected in the mixture form in the combustion chamber.
The process of combustion in the compression ignition engine differs widely from that of
spark ignition engine. In case of diesel engine only fuel in liquid state is injected at very a high
pressure, into highly heated and compressed air in the combustion chamber, the heat of the
compressed air starts the combustion process and no agency like electric spark is required.
The name 'Compression Ignition Engine’ has been derived from the fact that the air
drawn in the suction stroke is compressed to such a degree in compression stroke, that the heat
generated due to compression goes much above the self ignition or auto-ignition temperature of
the liquid fuel.
The abbreviation `IC Engine' (Internal Combustion Engine) and C.I.Engines
(Compression Ignition Engine) sometimes causes confusion. Though both petrol and diesel
engines are `I.C.Engines', only diesel engines work on Compression Ignition principle and
should be termed as `C.I.Engines'. In other words while all `C.I.Engines' are `I.C.Engines' but all
`I.C.Engines' are not `C.I.Engines'.
Compression Ratio
The compression ratio of `I.C.Engines' is the ratio between total volume i.e. (clearance
volume + swept volume.) and clearance volume
In other words this ratio is indicative of the degree of compression of the trapped air.
Higher the compression ratio, higher will be the compression pressure and consequently higher
the temperature.
It is for this reason that compression ratio of spark ignition engine is lesser (round about
8:1) whereas the compression ratio of compression ignition engine is 12:1 & above.
CYCLE OF OPERATION
In any Compression Ignition engine following pre-requisites must be fulfilled.
2
, (a) Suction or Induction
The suction or induction of fresh cool air must take place for the purpose of providing
oxygen for combustion of fuel as also for the scavenging of burnt gases and taking away heat
from the combustion chamber components.
(b) Compression:
Once the air is drawn in, the air inlet passage is closed. The trapped air is compressed due
to upward movement of pistons. Once the air is highly compressed, it attains high temperature.
At this stage fuel is injected just before the T.D.C. for combustion to start.
(c) Firing or Power:
Very shortly after the fuel injection, the firing takes place and peak pressure is achieved
just after TDC, the expansion of gas provides the force or power which drives the piston back,
thus rotating the crank shaft.
(d) Exhaust:
After the fuel is burnt out, the burnt gas has to find passage to atmosphere so that space
can be made for accommodating fresh air for the next cycle of operation.
The aforesaid requirements are fulfilled in either four strokes of piston or in 2 strokes. In
case of the former the engine is called a four stroke cycle engine and in case of the latter the
engine is called two stroke cycle i.e. either two revolutions or one revolution of the crankshaft
cover all the events of the cycle.
FOUR STROKE/ TWO STROKE CYCLE
While in four stroke cycle engines, suction, compression, fuel injection, exhaust and
scavenging, are completed in four strokes of the piston or two revolutions of the crank, in two
stroke engines all these are completed in two strokes of the piston or one revolution of the
crankshaft.
(Sk.1.1. & Sk.1.2.)
There are various designs of 2 stroke cycle engines but one thing common in all, is that
compressed air is essential for the purpose of scavenging right from the lowest power output
whereas in case of 4 stroke cycle engine at lower power range it works as naturally aspirated
engine.
To describe this process in greater detail, we can take the example of the WDG4
locomotive, in which all the exhaust valves are in the cylinder head at the top and the inlet ports
are round the cylinder liner.
VALVE TIMING DIAGRAM
Valve Timing Diagram of 2 stroke (WDG4/ GM Engine) and 4 Stroke (WDM2 Engine)
is being dealt separately for better understanding.
3
, Sk: 1.1
4
