Running head: DIESEL ENGINES

Diesel Engines
A Research Paper
2/8/12 Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville

Ismail Khchaf

Author Note This paper was prepared for Automotive 141, Section ZD1, taught by Scott Cunningham.

DIESEL ENGINES Diesel Engines A Research Paper A diesel engine (also known as a compression-ignition engine) is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber (Diesel Engine, 2012, para. 1 ). There are many parts that make up a diesel engine and that make a diesel engine work. The fuel delivery system and the components that make up the fuel delivery system in a diesel engine are very interesting. There are many types of fuel injection systems. The two main types of fuel injection systems are: mechanical and electronic. Some sub-groups of these fuel injection systems are: indirect injection, direct injection, unit direction and common rail injection. Also, the diesel engine has many major advantages over the gas engine. There is a certain way in which you have to start a car in the cold weather. There are many different types and sizes of engines that come standard in different cars and there are even more different types and sizes that are available for purchase. Finally, there are many different applications that diesel engines are used for. The basic parts that make up the diesel engine are: fuel injector, glow plugs, fuel pump, crankshaft, camshaft, pistons, piston rings, and oil pan. The early fuel injection systems used diesel fuel and compressed air to make combustion by atomizing the fuel and forcing it through a nozzle into the engine. The nozzle opening was closed using a pin valve which was lifted by the camshaft to start the fuel injection process before TDC. They called this air-blast injection (Diesel Engine, Early Fuel Injection Systems section, 2012, para. 1). The engines in use now have their fuel pressure increased by fuel pumps instead of using compressed air to increase pressure. With the direct injection systems the fuel is

DIESEL ENGINES sprayed through 12 small holes on the nozzle. With the early air injection engines they had a much better combustion without pressuring the fuel (Diesel Engine, Early Fuel Injection Systems section, 2012, para. 2). The fuel delivery system of a diesel engine is a very important and interesting part of the diesel engine. An important aspect of the fuel delivery system is the governor which is either mechanical or electronic. Without the governor the engines would not idle right and could easily over power itself and be destroyed (Diesel Engine, Fuel Delivery section, 2012, para. 1). Mechanically governed fuel injection systems are driven by the engine's gear train. These systems use a combination of springs and weights to control fuel delivery relative to both load and speed (Diesel Engine, Fuel Delivery section, 2012, para. 1). Modern electronically controlled diesel engines control fuel delivery by use of an electronic control module (ECM) or electronic control unit (ECU) (Diesel Engine, Fuel Delivery section, 2012, para. 1). When the ECM/EMU gets a signal from the engine, when it reaches a certain speed it injects the fuel in to the cylinders. There are many different types of fuel injection systems, which can either be mechanical or electronic. Some types of fuel injection systems are: indirect, direct, unit direct, and common rail direct. An indirect fuel injection system injects the fuel into a chamber that is off of the combustion chamber, this chamber is also known as a pre-chamber or an ante-chamber. In this chamber combustion starts and then goes out into the combustion chamber, which is assisted with turbulence that is created inside the combustion chamber. With this system the engine runs a lot smoother, and quieter, which means the injector pressures are able to be lowered at about 1,500psi per injector. The indirect injection engines are a lot cheaper to make than direct injection engines (Diesel Engine, Indirect Injection section, 2012).

DIESEL ENGINES There are many advantages the diesel engines have over gas engines. Diesel engines get better gas mileage and offer more power than gas engines (IntelliChoice, Gas vs. Diesel section, 2005, para. 1). The engines have no electrical ignition system which means that it can run in extremely damp environments. It also does not give off any radio frequencies which mess up GPS systems and communication systems. Also, the diesel engines life last twice as long as gas engines. The way diesel fuel in made is by being distilled directly for petroleum. Many people consider diesel fuel a lot safer then gas in many different ways. For example, diesel fuel is less flammable than petrol fuel (gas). Diesel engines are also unaffected by vapor lock. Also, diesel fuel is a better than gas in marine type vehicles. Diesel engines also use a lot less fuel than gas engines. They also have a lot less wasted heat. Diesel engines also give off a lot less carbon monoxide exhaust than gas engines. Diesel engines can also run on biodiesel which is a nonpetroleum- based fuel. During the cold weather there is a certain way you have to start a diesel engine. In cold weather, high speed diesel engines can be difficult to start because the mass of the cylinder block and cylinder head absorb the heat of compression, preventing ignition due to the higher surfaceto-volume ratio (Diesel Engine, Starting section, 2012, para. 1). Some methods used to fix this problem are glow plugs and different types of heaters such as: resistive grid heaters and block heaters. Also, some engine models use a system to introduce small amounts of ether into the inlet manifold to start combustion (Diesel Engine, Starting section, 2012, para. 2). There is also a problem known as waxing or gelling that can occur to diesel fuel during cold weather. This is a term used for the solidification of diesel oil into a partially crystalline state. The crystals build up in the fuel line (especially in fuel filters), eventually starving the engine of fuel and causing it to stop running (Diesel Engine, Gelling section, 2012, para. 1).

DIESEL ENGINES In order to solve this problem sometimes there are low-output electric heaters in fuel tanks and around fuel lines (Diesel Engine, Gelling section, 2012, para. 1). Most engines have a spill return system, by which any excess fuel from the injector pump and injectors is returned to the fuel tank. Once the engine has warmed, returning warm fuel prevents waxing in the tank (Diesel Engine, Gelling section, 2012, para. 1). There are different sizes and types of diesel engines. The different sizes of engines are: small, medium, and large (Diesel Engine, Types section, 2012, para. 1). The two basic types of diesel engines are: two-stroke cycle and four-stroke cycle (Diesel Engine, Types section, 2012, para. 2). Diesel engines (heat engines using the Diesel cycle) are used in automobiles, power generation, Diesel-electric locomotives, and submarines (Diesel Cycle, Maximum Thermal Efficiency section, 2012, para. 5). Diesel engines are used in irrigation pumps, corn grinders, and coffee de-pulpers (Diesel Engine, Non-transport Uses section, 2012). Diesel engines can be used in aircraft, motorcycles, and boats (Diesel Engine, Diesel Applications section, 2012). The diesel engine is an amazing major in the advancement of engine technology. There are many things that go into making a diesel engine work. There are so many different types of fuel injection available in a diesel engine. The diesel engine has so many advantages over the gas engine, although there are a few problems with the diesel engine when being used in cold weather. There are different sizes and types of diesel engines. Finally, there are so many different applications that the diesel engine can be used for. The diesel engine is very useful in everyday life. The diesel engine can be used every day for many things.

DIESEL ENGINES References

Diesel cycle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2012, February 4). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_cycle Diesel engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2012, February 8). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine IntelliChoice. (2005, January). Diesel Engines 101 - Facts, Myths, How to Buy - Motor Trend. New Cars, Car Reviews & Prices, Used Cars for Sale, & Auto Shows at Motor Trend Magazine. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from http://www.motortrend.com/features/112_0501_diesel_engines/viewall.html