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MAINTENANCE OF ESP POWER STATION

MECHANICAL TRAINING PLAN

MAIN COMPONENTS OF DIESEL ENGINES

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Diesel Engine Components and Their Functional Applications

Introduction

In general, engines convert heat energy into mechanical energy by exploiting gas onto the piston
and crankshaft assembly. The amount of energy depends on the rotational speed of crank shafts as
per specifications. An internal combustion engine (ICE) is more efficient than a steam engine
because an ICE is simple to start and disengage. An ICE is widely used in the field of transportation.
Important components of internal combustion engines include:

1) Fuel systems
2) Lubrication systems
3) Air-intake systems
4) Exhaust systems
5) Cooling systems
6) Electrical systems

Fuel System
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In an engine, fuel reaches the cylinder bore through the following path:
➢ Fuel tank
o The fuel tank is for storing fuel. Generally, it is made of sheet metal. Most fuel tanks have a
fuel gauge to check the fuel level and a drain plug to drain fuel.
➢ Water separator
o The water separator is used for separating dirt and water from the fuel.
➢ Feed pump
o The feed pump is used to feed fuel to the filter and injection pump.
➢ Filter
o The primary purpose of a diesel fuel filter is to protect the fuel system components of the

engine. A diesel fuel filter must be designed to remove extremely small particles to prevent

the premature failure of these components.

➢ Injection pump
o The fuel system must pressurize the fuel to open the nozzle. The pressure required to inject
fuel into the combustion chamber to offset the pressure of compression is typically 350 to

450 psi. This work is mainly done by the injection pump.

➢ Injector nozzle
o The injector nozzle injects fuel into the combustion chamber. The injector nozzle atomizes
fuel, which is the breaking up of fuel into small particles. The fuel must be atomized when it

enters the combustion chamber. Atomization occurs at a pressure between 1,500 to 4,000

psi.
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Lubrication System

Various purposes of lubrication include:

1) Reduces the wear and prevents seizure of rubbing surfaces
2) Reduces the power needed to overcome frictional resistance
3) Removes heat from the piston and other parts
4) Separates piston rings and cylinders
5) Removes foreign material from the engine

In this system, the engine parts are lubricated under pressure feed. The oil is stored in the oil sump,
from where an oil pump takes the oil through a strainer and delivers it through a filter to the main
gallery. From the main gallery, the oil flows to the main bearings. After lubricating the main bearings,
some of the oil falls back to the sump, some is splashed to the cylinder walls, and the remaining oil
goes through a hole to the crankpin. From the crankpin, the oil travels to the piston pin through a
hole in the connecting rod web where it lubricates the piston rings. For lubricating camshaft and
timing gears, the oil is led through the separate oil line from the oil gallery. The valve tappets are
lubricated by connecting the main oil gallery to the tappet guide surfaces through drilled holes.
Our FE mechanical exam review course thoroughly explains the fundamental concepts and
functional applications of mechanical engineering equipment parts.

Oil Cooler
An oil cooler is used for cooling lubricating oil. Higher temperatures will reduce the viscosity of oil,
which causes a harmful oil film to form between moving parts. To eliminate this, an engine oil cooler
is used.
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Intake System

Air flows into the cylinder bore through the following path:

➢ Air cleaner
o The air cleaner is a filter that prevents dust from entering the cylinder bore. Filters generally
have pores on the surface, which are measured by microns. The lowest micron value typically
has better filtration. A filter set contains outer and safety filters in heavy diesel engines for
better filtration.

➢ Turbo charger
o The tuber charger is a very important part in an engine that compresses air from the air filter.

Turbo chargers have two impellers fixed on the same shaft. These impellers are driven by

exhaust air. Generally, the air sucked in by the air filter is compressed before entering the

cylinder bore, which results in high efficiency. The shaft will rotate at the speed of

approximately 100,000 rpm to result in a longer engine life.

➢ Intake manifold
o The intake manifold is a pipe that transports air from the turbo charger to the inlet port.
➢ Inlet valve
o The inlet valve is a valve that allows air into the cylinder bore. The opening and closing of the
valve is controlled by a camshaft.
➢ Cylinder bore
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Exhaust System

Exhaust gases flow through the following path in an engine:

➢ Cylinder bore
➢ Exhaust valve
➢ Exhaust manifold
➢ Turbocharger
➢ Muffler

o To reduce engine noise, the exhaust is passed through the muffler. The exhaust gases have a

higher pressure than atmosphere; if these gases were to be released directly to the

atmosphere, a loud, unpleasant noise would sound, similar to the sound of firing a gun. The

muffler is used to cool the exhaust gases.

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Cooling System

There are many purposes of cooling an engine, including:

1) To maintain an optimal temperature for efficient work in all conditions.
2) To avoid excess heat and to protect engine components including cylinders, cylinder head,
pistons, and valves.
3) To maintain the lubricating property of the oil.

There are two types of cooling:

1) Air cooling
2) Water cooling
Every cylinder in an engine is surrounded by water jackets. The water in the jackets absorb heat
from the cylinders. The heated water conducted through the radiator helps cool the water.

There are three types of water-cooling methods:

1) Direct or non-direct method

2) Thermosiphon method
3) Forced circulation method

Mechanical engineers preparing for the FE exam are strongly encouraged to review heating and
cooling systems prior to taking the FE Mechanical exam.
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Electrical System

The electrical system of an engine is comprised of the following parts:

➢ Starter-Motor

o The starter motor is used for rotating the flywheel. A starter motor receives its power supply from

the battery. The pinion of the starter motor engages with the teeth of a flywheel ring and rotates,

which then rotates the crankshaft. This rotation of crankshaft leads to the movement of pistons

in the cylinders. The piston will suck air and fuel into the combustion chamber, which causes the

engine to start. After reaching a specific rpm, the starter motor withdraws its pinion from the

flywheel.

➢ Alternator

o The alternator is fixed on the engine and includes a pulley. The belt is used to drive the shaft of

the alternator. The main job of the alternator is to charge the batteries.

➢ Battery

o In general, two batteries, each with a 12 volt capacity, are used.

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➢ Head Gasket
o A head gasket lies between the engine block and cylinder heads of a diesel engine.
First and foremost, the component stops liquids from leaking onto the cylinder heads.
If the cylinder heads get wet, they won’t be able to provide the right fuel and air
mixture to start. Head gaskets are also prone to warping because they see the most
extreme changes in temperatures—cooler temperatures from the coolant system and
warm temperatures from combustion. So, drivers must watch out for potential signs
of failure.
➢ Fuel Injectors
o Diesel engines operate differently from other traditional engines. They need a fuel and air
mixture to start, as well as a tremendous amount of heat. For this reason, fuel injectors
are one of the most important parts of a diesel engine. These components release diesel
gas into the combustion chamber where it mixes with air, and the ignition starts the car.
However, this begs this question: where does the fuel and air mixture go after the
combustion chamber
➢ Camshaft and Crankshaft
o The camshaft, duh! The camshaft is located near the top of the engine. This part allows
fuel and air to come in and releases other exhaust smoke outward. The camshaft opens
and closes valves that allow for combustion to occur. So, where does the crankshaft come
into play? The two parts essentially work together!
o The crankshaft is one of the most intricate parts of a diesel engine. This piece operates on
a rotary movement, almost like a bicycle. This sentiment is true for the camshaft, as well.
The crankshaft remains closed, holding down the air and fuel mixture needed for
combustion until sensors tell them it’s time to open, consequently making the automobile
start.
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➢ The Crankcase
o The crankcase surrounds the crankshaft, enclosing it while it rotates. The crankcase
bears the weight of the crankshaft since this part is incredibly heavy. This component
also directs any excess oil to the oil pan, which is exactly what it sounds like. Oil pans
collect the additional lubricant and oil that’s not needed for combustion. Some larger
automobiles have several oil pans, while smaller vehicles have just one.

➢ Flywheel
o Perhaps the coolest part of a diesel engine is the flywheel. The flywheel is located on the
end of the crankshaft. This part does the following things:
o Minimizes noise when the crankshaft rotates.
o Minimizes vibration.
o Some flywheels have teeth-like edges to aid in the rotation when needed.

➢ Cylinder Heads
o If you couldn’t tell by now, the fuel and air mixture needed for combustion is incredibly
important to a diesel engine. If the engine doesn’t receive the appropriate mixture, it
won’t start correctly. Luckily, cylinder heads are there to help. These cylinders sit at the
top of the engine block and prevent droplets of the air and fuel mixture from getting
into the combustion chamber.

o Cylinder heads also do their best to stop engines from overheating. When an engine
starts, it gets incredibly warm. Yet, at the same time, it releases coolant to ensure it
doesn’t overheat. The coolant absorbs the heat from combustion and moves toward the
radiator inlet. As long as the coolant isn’t too hot, the thermostat of the car will allow it
to pass through the cylinder heads. Larger vehicles have more cylinder heads than
smaller vehicles. Therefore, they have more passageways for coolant to flow through.

➢ Exhaust System
o Another main part of the diesel engine is the exhaust system. The exhaust system is
essential because it gets rid of any unwanted materials that do not belong in the engine.
A previous blog posts discuss the different colors you may see from your exhaust system
and what they mean. Below is a brief summary of these colors and meanings:
o Black smoke: Black smoke indicates that there’s a faulty fuel injector pump and that the
engine isn’t getting the proper fuel and air mixture it needs to run properly.
o Blue smoke: Blue smoke indicates that you’re burning engine oil. This can be a problem
because, even though your engine technically has enough fuel to run, it doesn’t think it
does.
o White smoke: White smoke means that coolant is leaking out of your engine, which may
cause it to overheat.
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