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Combustion in IC Engines

The document discusses combustion in internal combustion (I.C.) engines, focusing on the chemical reactions of fuel and air mixtures in spark ignition (SI) engines. It outlines the stages of combustion, factors influencing flame speed, and the differences between normal and abnormal combustion, including knocking. Additionally, it describes various engine types and their susceptibility to knocking based on design and operational variables.

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Vishal Meena
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19 views15 pages

Combustion in IC Engines

The document discusses combustion in internal combustion (I.C.) engines, focusing on the chemical reactions of fuel and air mixtures in spark ignition (SI) engines. It outlines the stages of combustion, factors influencing flame speed, and the differences between normal and abnormal combustion, including knocking. Additionally, it describes various engine types and their susceptibility to knocking based on design and operational variables.

Uploaded by

Vishal Meena
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Combustion in I.C.

Engines
Combustion is a chemical reaction in which certain elements of the fuel like hydrogen and
carbon combine with oxygen liberating heat energy and causing an increase in temp. of the
gases.

Homogeneous Mixture : In spark ignition engines a nearly homogeneous mixture of air and fuel
is formed in the carburettor. Homogeneous mixture is thus formed outside the engine cylinder
and combustion is initiated inside the cylinder at a particular instant towards the end of the
compression stroke. The flame front spreads over a combustible mixture with certain velocity.
In a homogeneous gas mixture the fuel and oxygen molecules are more or less, uniformly
distributed. In homogeneous mixture with an equivalence ratio (the ratio of the actual fuel-air
ratio to stoichiometric fuel-air ratio) close to 1.

Hetrogeneous Mixture: equivalence ratio (the ratio of the actual fuel-air ratio to stoichiometric
fuel-air ratio) varies between 1.0 and 1.2 corresponding to maximum rate of chemical
reaction.
Combustion in Spark-Ignition Engines

In SI engine, the fuel and air are homogeneously mixed together


in the intake system, inducted through the intake valve into the
cylinder where it mixes with residual gases and in then
compressed. Under normal operating conditions, combustion
is initiated towards the end of the compression stroke at the
spark plug by an electric discharge.

Combustion in SI engine may be divided into two general types:


normal combustion and abnormal combustion.
Stages of Combustion in SI Engines

Compression (a-b), Combustion


(b-c) and expansion (c-d) in an
ideal four stroke SI engine.
Entire pressure rise during
combustion takes place at
constant volume i.e. at TDC

Theoretical Pressure-crank angle diagram


A is point of passage of spark (say 20
degree bTDC)
B→ beginning of pressure rise (8
degree bTDC)
C → Peak Pressure
AB →first stage, BC →Second stage
and CD →third stage

The First stage (A →B)- Ignition


lag or preparation phase in
which growth and development
of a self propagating nucleus of Pressure variation in Practical Engine
flame take place. It is chemical
process depends upon both
The third stage → the instant at which
temp. and pressure.
maximum pressure is reached.
The Second Stage (B →C) – is a
physical one & spread of the
flame throughout the
combustion chamber. In this
stage, first measurable rise of
pressure is seen.
Flame Front Propagation
The reaction rate is purely
chemical combustion process in
which flame eats its way into the
unburned charge.
The transposition rate is due to
physical movement of the flame
front relative to the cylinder wall.

In area I, (A →B) low transposition


rate and low turbulence.
In area II, - more turbulent where it
consume a greater mass of mixture,
it progresses more rapidly and at a
constant rate B →C
In area III,- volume of unburned
charge is very less towards the ends
of flame travel. Low turbulence (C
→D).
Factor Influencing the flame speed
Turbulence: The flame speed increases with increasing turbulence. It also
accelerates the chemical reaction by mixing of fuel and oxygen.
Fuel-Air Ratio: The higher flame velocities (minimum time for complete
combustion ) are obtained with somewhat richer mixture (point A).
Temperature and Pressure: Flame speed increase with an increase in intake
temperature and pressure.

Compression ratio: A higher compression ratio increase the pressure and temp. of the
working mixture which reduce the initial preparation phase of combustion and hence
less ignition advance is needed. Higher pressure and temp. of the compressed
mixture also speed up the second phase of combustion. Engine having higher
compression ratio have higher flame speeds.

Engine Speed: the flame speed increase almost linearly with engine speed since the
increase in engine speed increase the turbulence inside the cylinder.

Engine Size: does not have much effect on the rate of flame propagation. The time
required for complete combustion is more in large size engine because the flame has
to travel a longer distance. This requires increased crank angle duration during the
combustion.
Abnormal Combustion
The flame initiated by the spark travel across the combustion chamber in a fairly
uniform manner in normal combustion.
Under certain operating conditions the combustion deviates from its normal course
leading to loss of performance and possible damage to engine. This type of
combustion may be termed as an abnormal combustion or knocking combustion.

If the temperature of the unburnt mixture exceeds the self-ignition temperature of


the fuel and remains at or above this temperature during the period of preflame
reactions, spontaneous ignition or auto ignition occurs at various pin-point
locations. This phenomenon is called knocking. The process of autoignition leads
towards engine knock.
Knocking in SI Engines
the temperature of the end
charge had not reached its self-
ignition temperature, the
charge would not auto ignite
and the flame will advance
further and consume the charge
BB’D. This is the normal
combustion process.

the end charge BB’D reaches its


auto ignition temperature and
remains upto the time of
preflame reactions the charge
will auto ignite, leading to
knocking combustion
Effect of engine Variable on Knock-Density Factor
Factors which reduces the density of the charge tends to reduce the knocking
phenomena by providing lower energy release.

1. Compression Ratio: Higher the compression ratio, increases the temp. and
pressure of the gases at the end. By this, tendency of knocking is increases.
2. Mass of Inducted Charge: A reduction in the mass of inducted charge into
the cylinder, reduces both density and temp. at the time of
ignition. It decreases the tendency of knocking.
3. Inlet temperature of mixture: increase in the inlet temperature of
mixture makes the compression temperature higher. So, knocking tendency
increases.
4. Power Output of the Engine: When the output of the engine decreases, the
temp. of combustion chamber walls and cylinder decreases. This decrease
the tendency of knocking.
Effect of engine Variable on Knock-Time factor
increasing the duration of ignition lag will tend to reduce knocking.

1. Turbulence: Increasing of turbulence reduces the time available for the


end charge to reach auto-ignition condition and increases the flame speed .
This decrease the knocking tendency.

2. Engine speed: Tendency of knocking is reduced at higher speed. Because


turbulence increase at higher engine speed. By this, flame speed increase
and time for preflame reactions decrease.

3. Engine Size: Flame requires more time to travel in larger Combustion


Chamber engines. So, the larger engines have more tendency to knock.

4. Location of spark plug: spark plug is located centrally for minimize the
flame travel distance. This reduce the tendency of knocking.
Effect of engine Variable on Knock-Composition Factor
air-fuel ratio, and the properties of fuel play a significant role for controlling the knocking

1. Fuel Air ratio: flame speeds are affected by fuel-air ratio.


Also, reaction time and the flame temp. are different for
different fuel-air ratios.

2. Octane value: In general, paraffin series of hydrocarbon


have the maximum and aromatic series the minimum
tendency to knock.
Combustion chambers for SI Engines
T-Head Type: Tendency of knocking is high in this
type of engine. Two camshafts requires because
two vales on either side of cylinder.

L-Head type: single camshaft is used because two valves on the same side of the
cylinder. Lubrication of valve mechanism is easy.
I-Head Type or Overhead Valve: less heat loss
due to less surface to volume ratio. It has higher
volumetric efficiency.

F-Head Type: one valve is in the cylinder head and


another in the cylinder block. Here two cam shaft is
required.

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