Engine Combinations: 5 Major Categories & Examples

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the classification of diesel engines into five major categories and the exploration of possible configurations within those categories. Participants are seeking to understand the feasibility of various engine combinations and examples that could be presented to students in an engineering course.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes five major categories for classifying diesel engines: operating feature, cylinder arrangement, piston connection, piston action, and speed, with sub-categories for each.
  • Another participant suggests additional classifications such as charge cooling methods and fuel injection types, questioning the initial classification system's effectiveness.
  • Concerns are raised about the practicality of certain combinations, such as whether a radial engine can have fewer than three cylinders or if a double-acting configuration is feasible in diesel engines.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the utility of a drop-down box for combinations, arguing that the workability of an engine depends on numerous subjective factors.
  • There is a suggestion to consider rotary valve configurations and various fuel management systems as part of the classification.
  • Discussion includes the possibility of diesel engines being configured as Wankel types, with acknowledgment of engineering challenges related to compression ratios.
  • Participants note that cooling configurations should also be considered, with mentions of air-cooled and water-cooled options.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the classification system and the feasibility of various engine combinations. There is no consensus on the practicality of specific configurations, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding which combinations may yield workable engines.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the complexity and variability in engine design, suggesting that many factors influence the workability of different configurations. There are also mentions of the need for further research into commercially available engines to find suitable examples.

  • #31
intercooled I understand [compressed air heat reduction]
but what is after cooling, how does it work,
what are the power gain or other effects
 
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  • #32
Aftercooling is probably what you think intercooling is. Cooling of the charge air following compression. The effect is increasing the density of the charge air. Resultant effects can be increased power density and torque (greater expansion of air under combustion). In the past 10 years with on-highway, and in recent and coming years in off-highway, aftercooling will be increasingly used on Diesel products in order to lower peak in-cylinder temperatures for NOx control.
 
  • #33
Ok guys, here's how it works
I need to know if the following configurations are possible. If so, please tell me anyone application where it it used.

1. A 2-stroke-Inline-Horizontal-Trunk type-Single-acting-Air-cooled-Slow speed-Normally aspirated engine?

2. A 2-stroke-Inline-Horizontal-Trunk type-Single-acting-Air-cooled-Slow speed-Supercharged engine?

3. A 2-stroke-Inline-Horizontal-Trunk type-Single-acting-Air-cooled-Slow speed-Turbocharged engine?
 
  • #34
can you have a 2 stroke without a blower in a diesel of any real size
all the GMC 2 strokes are blown

the only unblown air cooled 2 strokes I HAVE SEEN
were small bike add on motors about 50cc and 2 hp
 
  • #35
So can I conclude that a normally aspirated engine among the above configurations cannot exist?
 
  • #36
No abidansari, this was my point. You most certainly not conclude that your mentioned configurations don't exist. It's entirely possible that there's such an engine somewhere in the world that none of us know about, hence why ray b said "I HAVE SEEN".

When you say air-cooled, do you mean jacket water cooling or charge air cooling?
 
  • #37
I meant Jacket water cooling.
And yes thanks for reminding me. It could be possible that any engine configuration could exist for some particular application. It is just that I wanted to show the most popular or the most used types.
And also considering the fact that only you & ray b are giving some thoughtful answers here, maybe I should try some other forums. Do you know of any where the participation is more?
 
  • #38
This is the only forum I've ever found where you can get consistent, meaningful engineering discussion. The reason you're not really getting too many replies is because your question can't be conclusively answered by anyone (or even all) of us. I'm not trying to be obstructive, but who are these students you're teaching and why do you not have access to the information yourself?

Most automotive and industrial Diesel engines are jacket water cooled. Some are air cooled. Most are single acting, some are double acting. Most are in-line or vee, some are radial or single cylinder.

Almost all modern automotive Diesels are water cooled, turbocharged, air/air charge cooled, 4 stroke direct injection. Many are now common rail. The automotive sector accounts for the lion's share of all Diesels currently in use, infer from that what you will, or go and have a look at VW, Ford, BMW websites. The application here between different manufacturers is so similar that the configuration of 99% of modern automotive Diesels is the same.

Industrial Diesel engines work in such a wide range of applications that there is no typical configuration.

Go to:

www.cat.com[/URL]
[url]www.cummins.com[/url]
[url]www.perkins.com[/url]
[url]www.mak-global.com[/url]
[url]www.man-engines.com[/url]
[url]www.scania.com[/url]

And then come back with further questions. The above sites will cover 95% of industrial Diesel applications.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #39
abidansari said:
So can I conclude that a normally aspirated engine among the above configurations cannot exist?

no I am sure there is one or two somewhere
everytype has been tryed
by some one some time
even if a backyard more power guy like tim taylor on the show tool time

now common or comercial sucess is another matter

BTW how are you defining diesel
fuel oil or just no spark plug, pure CI
as I have seen a lot of small glow plug motors
use for model cars boats and most commonly aircraft
they burn nitro mixes
but are sort of CI motors
or are they
 
  • #40
ray b said:
no I am sure there is one or two somewhere
everytype has been tryed
by some one some time
even if a backyard more power guy like tim taylor on the show tool time

now common or comercial sucess is another matter

BTW how are you defining diesel
fuel oil or just no spark plug, pure CI
as I have seen a lot of small glow plug motors
use for model cars boats and most commonly aircraft
they burn nitro mixes
but are sort of CI motors
or are they

Yes.
They run on
what's based on
a Diesel cycle.
The fuel type is
irrelevant; it's only
called Diesel fuel because
that's the type of engine
it's designed
to run in.
Large marine
engines will run on heavy
oil which is nothing like
DERV, but
they're still Diesel engines.
 

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