Calculating Piston Speed in Single Cylinder Engines

In summary, to calculate piston speed and acceleration for a single cylinder engine without transmission, you can simplify by considering only the minimum necessary information, such as the attachment points on the circle and the piston, and using normalized variables. The maximum acceleration can be found using the formula (2*pi*f)^2 * (s/2 + s^2/4L), where f is the rotation frequency of the crank, s is the stroke, and L is the connecting rod length. Graphs of the vertical displacement, velocity, and acceleration as functions of crank angle and normalized connecting rod length can also be created to aid in the calculation process.
  • #1
IndustriaL
13
0
how do you calculate piston speed with a single cylinder engine no transmission what I am trying to do is determine the influence of rod length in that problem
 
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  • #2
how do i calculate the piston acceleration for that on both strokes
 
  • #3
Start by looking at just the mininum information that you need, ignore stuff like "no transmission" and "single cylinder" as that makes no difference. Start with a simple diagram like that below and see how far you can get from there.
 

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  • #4
How are you going with this one Industrial, do you have a starting point yet?

Let P1 be the attachment point on the circle and P2 be the attachment point on the piston (big-end bearing and gudeon pin respectively).

Take P1 = ( r cos(q), r sin(q) ),
and P2 = ( 0, y).

Since you know the distance between P1 and P2 is constrainted to be the length l of the connecting rod then you can easily write an expression for the unknown vertical displacement y.

I recommend using "normalized" variables for y and l by expressing everything as multiples of the radius r. For example if you let l=ar and y=zr then the expression you get in terms of these normalized parameters is,

cos^2(q) + ( z - sin(q) )^2 = a^2.

Just solve this for z as a function of q and you're set up to work out the things you require.

BTW, Note that I've used q to represent the crank angle because I was too lazy to use latex and write the more conventional theta.
 
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  • #5
If stroke is s and conrod length is L, max acceleration is
[tex](2\pi f)^2\left(\frac{s}{2}+\frac{s^2}{4L}\right)[/tex]
where f is the rotation frequency of the crank. So if f is in rpm, and s and L are in feet, this will give you feet per minute squared.
 
  • #6
Here are the normalized values that I got for the vertical displacement (z=y/r) and it's first and second derivatives as a function of crank angle (q) and normalized connecting rod length (a=L/r). I think they're correct, though I'm sure that the expression for second derivative could be tidied up a bit. Obviously for constant crank angular velocity (omega) you just need to multiply the first derivative by omega and the second by omega^2 to get the time derivatives (by the chain rule).


z = sin(q) + sqrt( a^2 - cos^2(q) )

dz/dq = cos(q) + sin(q) cos(q) / sqrt( a^2 - cos^2(q) )

d^2z/dq^2 = -sin(q) + (cos^2(q) - sin^2(q)) / sqrt( a^2 - cos^2(q) ) - sin^2(q) cos^2(q) / sqrt( a^2 - cos^2(q) )^3
 
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  • #7
Here are some graphs of those function for parameter a=2, a=3 and a=4 (first, second and third attachments respectively).

In each figure the solid curve is displacement, the dashed curve is velocity and the lightly dashed curve is acceleration.
 

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1. How do you calculate piston speed in a single cylinder engine?

To calculate piston speed in a single cylinder engine, you need to know the stroke length (distance the piston travels from top to bottom) and the engine's RPM. Then, use the formula: piston speed = stroke length x RPM x 2 / 60.

2. Why is piston speed important in engine design?

Piston speed is important in engine design because it affects the engine's power, efficiency, and durability. A higher piston speed can lead to more power, but it also puts more stress on the engine components, potentially decreasing its longevity.

3. What is considered a safe piston speed for a single cylinder engine?

The safe piston speed for a single cylinder engine depends on the engine's design, materials, and intended use. In general, a safe piston speed is considered to be around 4,000 feet per minute (FPM), but it can vary depending on the factors mentioned above.

4. How can you decrease the piston speed in a single cylinder engine?

To decrease the piston speed in a single cylinder engine, you can reduce the engine's RPM or decrease the stroke length. However, these changes may also affect the engine's performance and should be carefully considered in the design process.

5. Is there a way to optimize piston speed in a single cylinder engine?

Yes, there are ways to optimize piston speed in a single cylinder engine. This can be achieved by carefully selecting the stroke length and RPM, as well as using lightweight and durable materials for the engine components. Computer simulations and testing can also help in finding the optimal piston speed for a specific engine design.

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