Cairo University – Faculty of Engineering

Mechanical Power Department

Mechanical Power Engineering SEE Program
Academic Year: 2022-2023

Course Name: Automotive Systems Course Code: MEPN-333

1. Show and discuss Mass flow through the intake valve into a cylinder?

Flow of air–fuel mixture through the intake valve(s) into an engine

cylinder. Possible backflow can occur during valve overlap and when
the intake valve closes after BDC.
2. Show valve timing diagram 4-stroke Engine?

3. State the relation between the speed of the engine and the dimensions
of the runners?

• At low speeds, the air is directed through longer,

smaller diameter runners to keep the velocity high and
to assure proper mixing of air and fuel.

• At high speeds, shorter, larger diameter runners are

used, which minimizes flow resistance but still
enhances proper mixing.
 4. Draw a simple sketch of the EGR system stating the components
clarifying why we can use it?

some exhaust gas is recycled by (EGR) into the

intake system to dilute the incoming air.

EGR missions:
1. Reduces combustion temperatures in the engine, which results in less
nitrogen oxides in the exhaust as Up to about 20% of exhaust gases will be
diverted back into the intake manifold.
2. exhaust gas displaces some incoming air, and it also heats the incoming air
and lowers its density.
3. Engine crankcases are vented into the intake systems, displacing some of the
incoming air and lowering the volumetric efficiency.

valve lift: The distance that a valve opens and is

generally on the order of a few millimeters to more than
a centimeter. (Usually about 5 to 10 mm for automobile
engines).
How does VARIABLE VALVE CONTROL work ??

1. At high engine speed:

▪ time of a cycle is less and more air–fuel per cycle is required.

▪ This requires intake valve to open earlier , have a longer open duration,
and if possible, have a greater lift.

▪ exhaust valve should have greater lift and open earlier to allow more
real time for blow- down; it should also close a little later at the end of
the exhaust stroke.

2. At low engine speed and idle:

▪ real time of a cycle is greater and less air–fuel input is needed. intake
valve and the exhaust valve should open later and close earlier.

▪ At low speed, there is very low pressure in the intake system so less
valve overlap is desirable.

▪ A fuel-rich mixture is desirable for good combustion at low speed.

▪ intake valve reduced at low RPM so that inlet flow velocity remains high
to provide a proper flow pattern and mixing.

Cam switching: uses two cam profiles, with an actuator to swap between
the profiles (at specific RPM) also provide variable valve lift and variable
duration.

Cam phasing/Variator: variator device allows continuous

adjustment of the cam timing.

Oscillating cam: oscillating or rocking motion in a part cam lobe acts on a

follower to open and closes the valve. Some are conventional cam lobe others
eccentric cam lobe and a connecting rod. The advantage is that adjustment of
lift and duration is continuous.

Camless engines: Engine designs do not rely on a camshaft to operate the

valves have greater flexibility in achieving variable valve timing and variable
valve lift.

Define each of the following:

1. Blowdown: At end of power stroke when exhaust valve opens the cylinder
pressure is much higher than the exhaust manifold pressure which is typically at
1 atm (P4 > Pe), so the cylinder gas flows out through the exhaust valve and the
pressure drops to Pe.
2. Displacement: Remaining gas is pushed out of the cylinder by the piston
moving to TC.

5. What is Valve overlap, why does this occur and how can it be shown on
the crank angle graph:

The exhaust valve opens before TC and closes

after BC and the intake valve opens before TC
and closes after BC to ensure that the valve is
fully open during a stroke for volumetric
efficiency, the valves are open for longer than
180o.
 6. What are the three conditions in valve overlap?

A. (Pi < Pe): residual gas flows into the intake port and during intake stroke the
residual gas is first returned to the cylinder then fresh gas is introduced.

B. WOT (unthrottled) (Pi = Pe): some fresh gas can flow out the exhaust valve
reducing performance and increasing emissions

C. Supercharged (Pi > Pe): fresh gas can flow out the exhaust valve.

7. Identify all pressure losses along the length of the intake system?

Po = atmospheric pressure
DPair = pressure losses in air cleaner
DPu = intake losses upstream of throttle
DPthr = loss across throttle
DPvalve = loss across intake valve
When Blowdown occurs?
when the exhaust valve starts to open towards the end of the power stroke, somewhere around 60° to 40°
bBDC .

what makes the blowdown process not an isentropic process?

1) heat losses
2) irreversibility
3) choked flow
What will happen if the valve opening time was too early or too late?

Too early: amount of work is lost in the latter stages of the power stroke. Too late: there is still excess pressure
in the cylinder at BDC.

Complete the following sentences….

1. The finite real time of blowdown is constant, mainly because of the choked flow condition.
2. At higher speeds the valve will be opening late, and at lower speeds the valve will be opening
early.

3. Temperature of the gases in the exhaust system of a typical SI engine will average 400°C to 600°C.
This drops to about 300°C to 400°C at idle conditions and goes up to about 900°C at maximum
power. This is about 200°C to 300°C cooler than the exhaust gases in the cylinder when the
exhaust valve opens.

4. The difference is because of expansion cooling. The average temperature in the exhaust system
of a typical CI engine is 200°–500°C. This is lower than SI engine exhaust because of the larger
expansion cooling that occurs due to the higher compression ratios of CI engines.

5. Modern smart engines have a number of sensors in the exhaust manifold to provide input to
engine controls as information about levels of O2, HC, NOx, CO, CO2, particulates, temperature,
and knock.

6. This information is then used by the engine management system (EMS) to adjust engine
parameters such as AF, injection timing, ignition timing, and EGR rate.
 7. The amount of EGR can be as high as 15–20% of the total mass and is regulated according to
engine operating conditions. Under some conditions, such as starting or WOT, no EGR is used. In
addition to reducing the maximum combustion temperature, EGR increases the intake mixture
temperature and affects fuel evaporation.

8. Mufflers use two general methods of sound reduction. One method absorbs the energy of sound
pulses by flow through a porous medium. Other mufflers reduce sound by the cancellation of
waves.

9. Some automobiles with air-cooled engines, such as the early models of VW Beetles, use hot
exhaust gas for heating the passenger compartment in cold weather. The exhaust flow is ducted
through one side of a heat exchanger, while passenger compartment air is circulated through the
other side.

Why the exhaust valve should be as large as possible?

larger valve gives a greater flow area and reduces the time of blowdown and allows
for a later exhaust valve opening and a longer expansion stroke with less lost work.

Valve Overlap and state when it can be a greater problem?

Valve Overlap is a period of 15°–50° of engine rotation when both intake and
exhaust valves are open and there can be some reverse flow of exhaust gas back
into the intake system with the fresh air charge which results in a larger exhaust
residual during the rest of the cycle. Backflow of exhaust gases is a greater problem
at low RPM.

Draw a graph illustrating the flow of gases through the exhaust valve out of the
cylinder ?
When the valve is first opened, blowdown occurs with a very high flow rate then Choked flow will
occur at first, limiting the maximum flow rate. By the time the
piston reaches BDC, blowdown is complete. The piston reaches
maximum speed about halfway through the exhaust stroke, and
this is reflected in the rate of exhaust flow. at the end of the exhaust
stroke the intake valve opens and valve overlap is experienced.
 Compare between Intake and Exhaust Valve?
Intake Exhaust
Area Always larger Always smaller
Differential pressure Less than one atm 3 or 4 times
across valve atmospheric pressure
Sonic velocity across Lower Higher
have

What is manifold?
a piping system that directs the flow into one or more exhaust pipes. It is made of cast
iron and is sometimes designed to have close thermal contact with the intake manifold.
This is to provide heating and vaporization in the intake manifold.

They are designed to operate at much hotter temperatures and act as a thermal converter
to reduce unwanted emissions in the exhaust gas. Some of these are equipped with
electronically controlled air intake to provide additional oxygen for reaction.
 Sketch the block diagram of engine management system?

Sketch the block diagram of intake system configuration, and mention the air
volume measurement and adjustment method?

Intake system
Air volume measurement:
➔ L-Jetronic System uses a Mass Airflow (MAF) Sensor,
➔ D-Jetronic System (speed density type) uses a Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) Sensor to detect the intake manifold
pressure
Air volume adjustment
➔Using Idle Speed Control Valve (ISCV) at the throttle body
Sketch the fuel system block diagram?

Sketch the ignition system block diagram?

Sketch Air fuel ratio feedback system block diagram?

Sketch the engine’s control system block diagram, and mention its elements’
functions?

The control system uses an

engine ECU to determine the
optimal fuel consumption
rate, injection timing, ignition
timing, optimum control of exhaust gas, output, etc. To control various actuators for action taking.
Explain the cam shaft position sensors with sketch ?
1. MRE (Magnetic Reluctance)

The disc has teeth or marks distributed evenly around the circumference. When the shaft
spins, teeth or marks pass by the stationary detector and generate a series of electrical
pulses. The frequency of these pulses is detected and converted to the corresponding
shaft rotation speed. The relative angular position can be obtained by counting the
number of pulses.

2. Hall Effect

A small section of semiconductor material as silicon. When a magnetic field is imposed on the Hall element,
as shown in Fig. (b), a current will flow in circuit 2. When the magnetic effect is prevented from reaching the
Hall element, as in Fig.(c), the current will cease to flow in circuit 2.

3. Optical Sensor

The disk has holes in it that correspond to the number of tabs on the disks
of the magnetic systems. The hole in the disk allows transmission of light
through the light pipes from the (LED) source to the photo transistor used
as a light sensor. Light would not be transmitted from source to sensor when
there is no hole because the solid disk blocks the light.

Explain with net sketches the SI core engine air mass

flow and torque Production?
• SI engine produces torque by controlling the net airflow.
• the engine must comply with emission standards, the ECU
operates a three-way catalytic converter at the stoichiometric
air-fuel ratio.
What is the purpose of Exhaust Gas Temperature sensor (EGT)? And
mention its types??????

The EGT sensor is to monitor exhaust gas temperature to reduce emissions and
component protection. We have two types:

1. PTC (Positive temperature coefficient) Resistance increases with heat.

2. NTC (negative temperature coefficient) Resistance decreases with heat.

Difference between EGT sensors in Petrol engines (SIE) and in Diesel

engines (CIE)??
Petrol Engines
1. To protect the turbocharger and catalytic
converter from thermal overload.
2. Used for control and protection from
overheating of NOx reduction systems.
Diesel Engines
1. To establish that the temperature
required for regeneration of the DPF has
been achieved.
2. Control and protection from overheating
of SCR (Selective catalytic reduction) or
LNT (lean NOx trap) and other NOx
absorber.

What is DPF? Explain its function and how it can be regenerated.by

using net sketches?

Diesel particulate filter is a ceramic filter to trap the

soot in diesel engines. Then the accumulated soot on
the filter is burned by exhaust gas to regenerate the
filter or by post combustion fuel injection which
increases the temperature of the exhaust.

Explain the operation of Mass Ail flow (MAF) sensors and mention their
types?
Measures the amount of air volume flowing into a car’s engine and sends the (ECU) a voltage that
represents the airflow. We have two types…..

1. Vane type Air Flow Rate Sensor

2. Hot Wire type Air Flow Rate Sensor
 Explain the operation of Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensors?

The MAP sensor detects the intake manifold pressure downstream from the throttle
valve to indirectly calculate the air density and estimate the intake air flow rate based on
the relationship between pressure and engine rotational speed.

Discuss how Strain Gauge MAP Sensor works?

➢ There is a silicon chip mounted inside a reference chamber. On one side, this
reference pressure is either a perfect vacuum or a calibrated pressure, depending
on the application.

➢ On the other side is the pressure to be measured. The silicon chip changes its
resistance with the changes in pressure. When the silicon chip flexes with the
change in pressure, the electrical resistance of the chip changes.

➢ This change in resistance alters the voltage signal. The ECM interprets the voltage
signal as pressure and any change in the voltage signal means there was a change
in pressure.

Compare the two types of MAF????

Vane type Air Flow Rate Sensor Hot wire type MAF
Type of spring- loaded mechanical flap. hot wire anemometer but in MAF the
sensing hot-wire is replaced by hot-film
elemen structure mounted on a substrate.
t
How it 1.The flap is pushed open by an 1. The film element is electrically heated
works amount that is proportional to the to a constant temperature above that of
volume of air entering the engine. the inlet air.
2.The flap has a wiper arm that 2.As air flows across the hot film, heat is
rotates against a sealed carried away from the film by the moving
potentiometer. allowing the sensor's air. The amount of heat carried away
resistance and output voltage to varies in proportion to the mass
change according to airflow. flowrate of the air.
3. The greater the airflow, the further 3.The heat lost by the film to the air tends
the flap is forced open. This lowers to cause the resistance of the film to vary,
the potentiometer's resistance and which unbalances the bridge circuit,
 increases the voltage return signal to thereby producing an input voltage to
the computer. the amplifier.

4.The output of the amplifier is

connected to the bridge circuit and
provides the power for this circuit. The
amplified voltage changes the resistance
in such a way as to maintain a fixed hot-
film temperature relative to the inlet
temperature.

Sketch