2.

1 Spark Ignition Engine

PROF MOHNISH M. BORKER
A S S I S TA N T P R O F E S S O R
D E PA RT M E N T O F M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G , P C C E
The spark ignition engine exploits the Otto cycle for a four-stroke engine.
These comprise an intake stroke when a fuel–air mixture is drawn into the
engine, a compression stroke when the mixture is compressed, a power
stroke when the mixture is ignited and expands and an exhaust stroke when
the combustion gases are expelled from the cylinder.

 Spark-ignition engines can run very smoothly and at low noise level and
are therefore suitable for passenger cars.
 Their only disadvantage is their low efficiency at part loads due to losses
by throttling the air.
• In the spark ignition engine, fuel and air are mixed before initiating
combustion with fuel introduced either in the intake manifold or now
commonly in cylinder with direct injection technologies.
• In either case the fuel vaporizes and mixes with the charge gases to an
ignitable mixture.
• Prior to TDC of the compression stroke, a high energy electrical
discharge (spark) initiates combustion, igniting the fuel–air mixture forming
a flame kernel transitioning to a propagating turbulent flame.
• The compression ratio is limited by the autoignition of the fuel–air mixture
ahead of the flame so as not to cause combustion knock.
• As a result of lower compression ratios, SI engines reach peak efficiencies of
35%
Air - Fuel ratio requirement
An engine is generally operated at different speeds and loads. For this,
proper air fuel mixture has to be supplied to the engine cylinder.
Fuel and air are mixed to form three different types of mixtures:
a) Chemically correct mixture
b) Rich mixture
c) Lean mixture
• Chemically correct or Stoichiometric mixture is one in which there is just
enough air for complete combustion of fuel.
Ex: To burn 1 kg of Octane (C8H18) completely, 15.12 kg of air is
required. Hence, chemically correct A/F ratio for C8H18 is 15.12:1

• This chemically correct mixture will vary only slightly in numerical value
between different hydrocarbon fuels.
• It is always computed from chemical equation for complete combustion
for a particular fuel.
• Complete combustion means all the carbon in the fuel is converted to
carbon dioxide and all hydrogen to water.
• A mixture which contains less air from the stoichiometric requirement is
called a Rich mixture.
Ex: A/F ratio of 12:1, 10:1

• A mixture which contains more air from the stoichiometric requirement is

called a Lean mixture.
Ex: A/F ratio of 17:1, 20:1
Variation of power output and bsfc with A/F ratio

Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (bsfc): It

is the rate of fuel consumption per unit
power produced
 Automotive A/F ratio requirement
As per requirement of engine, the
carburetor provides an air-fuel ratio,
which must be within combustion
range.
Engine is cold at the time of starting
so, very rich mixture is required.
Rich mixture is also required at time
of idling and producing maximum
power.
During the normal running, a
comparatively lean mixture can be
used.
i) Air-Fuel Ratio for Starting
Very rich mixture (10: 1) is required at starting of engine. During starting very small
amount of fuel is vaporized and rest of it stay in the liquid state so as to give an ignitable
mixture.

ii) Air-Fuel Ratio for Idling

An idling, engine demands a rich mixture, which can be made leaner as the throttle is
gradually opened.
During idling, the pressure in the inlet manifold is about 20 to 25% of atmospheric
pressure.
At suction stroke, inlet valve opens and the product of combustion trapped in the
clearance volume, expands in the inlet manifold.
Latter when the piston moves downwards, the gases along with the fresh charges go into
the cylinder.
iii) Air-Fuel Ratio for Medium Load
Most of the time, engine is running in medium load condition, therefore, it is desirable that the
running should be most economical in this condition.
So a lean mixture can be supplied, as engine has low fuel consumption at medium load.

iv) Air-Fuel Ratio for Maximum Power Range

When maximum power is required, the engine must be supplied with rich mixture as the
economy is of no consideration.
As the engine enters in the power range, the spark must be retarded otherwise knocking would
occur.
A lean mixture burns at latter part of working stroke. As the exhaust valve expose to high
temperature gases and have very less time to cool down.

v) Air-Fuel Ratio for Acceleration

Even during normal running, sometimes more power is required for a short period such as to
accelerate the vehicle for overtaking etc. During this period rich mixture is required.
Carburetor
Definition: The process of formation of a combustible fuel-air mixture by
mixing the proper amount of fuel with air before admission to engine
cylinder is called CARBURETION and the device which does this job is called
a CARBURETOR.

Factors Affecting Carburetion: Of the various factors, the process of

carburetion is influenced by
a) The engine speed
b) The vaporization characteristics of the fuel
c) The temperature of the incoming air, and
d) The design of the carburetor
Essential Parts of a Carburetor:
A carburetor consists essentially of the
following parts, viz.
a) fuel strainer

b) float chamber

c) main fuel metering and idling nozzles

d) choke and throttle

Function of a Carburetor
Vaporize the petrol (gasoline) by means of engine suction and to supply the
required air and fuel (petrol) mixture to the engine cylinder.
• During the suction stroke, air flows from atmosphere into the cylinder.
• As the air passes through the venturi, velocity of air increases and its
pressure falls below the atmosphere.
• The pressure at the nozzle tip is also below the atmospheric pressure. The
pressure on the fuel surface of the fuel tank is atmospheric. Due to which a
pressure difference is created, which causes the flow of fuel through the
fuel jet into the air stream.
• As the fuel and air pass ahead of the venturi, the fuel gets vaporized and
required uniform mixture is supplied to the engine
Types of Carburetor

Up draft Down draft Natural draft

Limitations of Carburetors
1. At low loads the mixture becomes leaner; the engine requires the mixture
to be enriched at low loads.
2. At intermediate loads, the mixture equivalence ratio increases slightly as
the air flow increases. The engine requires an almost constant
equivalence ratio.
3. The elementary carburetor cannot compensate for transient phenomena
in the intake manifold. Nor can enrich the mixture during engine starting
and warm‐up.
4. The elementary carburetor can not adjust to changes in ambient air
density (due primarily to changes in altitude).
Fuel Injection System

 Fuel injection has no choke, but sprays atomized fuel directly into the
engine.
 Electronic fuel injection also integrates more easily with computerized
engine control systems.
 Multi port fuel injection delivers a more evenly distributed mixture of air
and fuel to each of the engine's cylinders.
 Sequential fuel injection improves power and reduces emissions.
Gasoline fuel injection
 Inject the fuel into the engine intake system
 Required one injector per cylinder
 There are both mechanical and electronic injector systems
 Increased power and torque, uniform fuel distribution, rapid engine
response to throttle position, precise control of equivalence ratio
 Single point Fuel
Gasoline Fuel Injection
injection
Indirect/Manifold
Injection
Multi Point Fuel
Injection (MPFI)
Gasoline Direct Injection
(GDI)
Direct injection (GDI)
• These systems inject the fuel directly into the combustion chamber, either
during the intake stroke or during the compression stroke.
• There are two basic type of GDI, either injection of gasoline alone, or a dual
injection of gasoline and air together.
• Injection of fuel alone is usually done during the compression stroke and is
somewhat similar to fuel injection in CI engine.
• Because of the very short time available for vaporization and mixing with
air, very fine droplets of fuel are required, as are high turbulence and bulk
mass motion within the combustion chamber
Indirect injection

• In indirect fuel is injected

into the air stream before
entering the combustion
chamber.
• And in direct injection
system fuel is injected
directly inside the
combustion chamber.
Single Point Injection System

• The earliest & simplest type of fuel

injection, single point simply replaces the
carburetor with one or two fuel injector
nozzles in the throttle body, which is the
throat of the engine’s air intake manifold.
• Single point injection system meters fuel
better than a carburetor and is less
expensive and easier to service.
Multi Point Injection System

• MPFI system is widely used in petrol engine in place of carburetor.

• Purpose of MPFI is supply proper A/F ratio to each cylinder of engine.
• Fuel tank > Pump > High pressure petrol > Distributor > Fuel injector >
Cylinder
• Now a days MPFI system control by Electric Control Module (ECM).
• ECM receives signal from different sensors and send to the solenoid
operated fuel injector to meter and inject right amount of fuel at right
time.
• The advantages of multi-point injectors, fuel
is more effectively channeled to the engine
because the location of each injector is inside
the intake manifold (in front of the inlet
valve).
• So that when the fuel sprayed, the fuel can go
directly into the cylinder .

• But it has disadvantage, this type works at

one time exactly like a single point. That is,
all injectors will spray fuel at the same time.
• This will keep the fuel sprayed even if one of
the cylinders is in the combustion step.
Electronic Fuel Injection System
Combustion in SI engines
In an ideal engine the
entire pressure rise during
combustion takes place at
constant volume i.e., at
TDC.
Compression (a b),
Combustion (b  c)
Expansion (c  d)
Stages of combustion
• A is the point of passage
of spark (say 20° bTDC)
• B is the point at which
the beginning of pressure
rise can be detected (say
8° bTDC)
• C the attainment of peak
pressure.
Thus AB represents the first
stage, BC the second stage
and CD the third stage.
 AB: Ignition lag
• There is a certain time interval between the spark and instant where there is
a noticeable rise in pressure due to combustion. This time lag is called
IGNITION LAG.
• Ignition lag is the time interval in the process of chemical reaction during
which molecules get heated up to self ignition temperature, get ignited and
produce a self propagating nucleus of flame.
• This is a chemical process depending upon the nature/properties of fuel,
temperature and pressure in combustion chamber, proportions of exhaust
gas and rate of oxidation or burning.
BC: Flame propagation
• The second stage (BC) is a physical one and it is concerned with spread
of the flame (progressive) throughout the combustion chamber called
FLAME PROPAGATION.
• The starting point of the second stage is where the first measurable
pressure rise is seen on the indicator diagram i.e., the point where the line
of combustion departs from the compression line (point B).
• During the second stage the flame propagates practically at a constant
velocity
• Heat transfer to the cylinder wall is low, because only a small part of the
burning mixture comes in contact with the cylinder wall during this period.

• The rate of heat-release depends largely on the turbulence intensity and also
on the reaction rate which is dependent on the mixture composition.

• The rate of pressure rise is proportional to the rate of heat release because
during this stage, the combustion chamber volume remains practically
constant (since piston is near the top dead center).

Rate of pressure rise α Rate of heat release

 CD: After burning

• The starting point of the third stage, known as AFTER BURNING is usually
taken as the instance at which the maximum pressure is reached on the
indicator diagram (point C).
• The flame velocity decreases during this stage.
• The rate of combustion becomes low due to lower flame velocity and
reduced flame front surface.
• Since the expansion stroke starts before this stage of combustion, with the
piston moving away from the top dead center, there can be no pressure rise
during this stage.
Types of combustion

Combustion

Normal Abnormal
Combustion Combustion
 NORMAL COMBUSTION ABNORMAL COMBUSTION

When the flame travels evenly or When the combustion gets deviated
uniformly across the combustion from the normal behavior and
chamber. resulting in loss of performance or
damaging the engine.
Reasons for abnormal combustion

Pre-ignition (self ignition)

◦ occurs when the fuel mixture in the cylinder burns before the spark-
ignition event at the spark plug.

Knocking
◦ occurs due to auto-ignition of end portion of unburned charge in
combustion chamber.
Pre-Ignition
• Pre-ignition is the ignition of the homogeneous mixture of charge as it
comes in contact with hot surfaces, in the absence of spark.
• Pre-ignition is initiated by some overheated projecting part such as the
sparking plug electrodes, exhaust valve head, metal corners in the
combustion chamber, carbon deposits or protruding cylinder head gasket
rim etc.
• Auto ignition may overheat the spark plug and exhaust valve and it
remains so hot that its temperature is sufficient to ignite the mixture.
• Engine efficiency will decrease due to preignition
Knocking
• In the normal combustion the flame travels across the combustion
chamber from A towards D. The advancing flame front compresses the end
charge BB'D farthest from the spark plug thus raising its temperature.
• The temperature is also increased due to heat transfer from the hot
advancing flame-front.
• If the temperature of the end charge had not reached its self-ignition
temperature, the charge would not auto-ignite and the flame will advance
further and consume the charge BB‘D.
• However, if the end charge BB'D reaches its auto-ignition temperature and
remains for some length of time equal to the time of preflame reactions the
charge will auto ignite, leading to knocking combustion.
• During the preflame reaction period if the flame front could move from BB' to
only CC’ then the charge ahead of CC' would auto-ignite.
Effect of engine variables on knocking

A. Density Factors

B. Time Factors

C. Composition Factors
Density factors
1. Compression Ratio
An increase in CR increases Press and Temp: reduces ignition delay and
increases tendency for knocking and vice versa.
The increased density of the charge increases preflame reactions in the
end charge and increases the knocking tendency in engine.

2. Mass of Inducted Charge

A reduction by throttling etc. reduces the temperature and density of the
charge and reduces tendency of knocking.
3. Inlet Temperature of the Mixture
Increase in inlet temp increases tendency of knocking

4. Temperature of the combustion chamber walls

The hot spots in the combustion chamber walls should be avoided.
Since the spark plug and exhaust valves are two hottest spots in the
engine, the end charge should not be compressed against them.

5. Retarding the spark timing

By retarding the spark timing from the optimized timing – that is, by having
the spark closer to TDC
The peak pressures are reached farther down on the power stroke with a
relatively lower magnitude- this might reduce knocking
Time factors
to reduce knocking tendency:
a. Increasing Flame speed
b. Increasing Duration of Ignition Lag
c. Reducing the time of exposure of un-burnt mixture to Auto ignition
d. Turbulence – depends on combustion chamber design and engine speed.
Increasing turbulence increases the flame speed and reduces the time
available for the end charge to reach auto-ignition conditions and
decreases the tendency to knock
Engine Speed- An increase in speed increases the turbulence of the mixture –
increased flame speed reduces time available for pre-flame reactions
decreases knocking tendency.

Flame Travel Distance- A shorter distance is beneficial- Engine size and

spark plug positioning play critical role

Combustion chamber shape- A compact combustion chamber reduces flame

travel length – Thus spherical shape preferred plus measures to improve
turbulence

Location of Spark Plug- Centrally located spark plug reduces the flame travel
distance.
 Composition Factors
i. Fuel-Air Ratio : Equivalence ratio~1.1-1.2 gives minimum reaction time
for auto ignition.
ii. Octane value of the fuel.
iii. A higher self-ignition temperature of the fuel and A low pre-flame
reactivity reduce the tendency to knock.
iv. Paraffin series have higher tendency and aromatic series minimum
tendency to knock.
v. Compounds with more compact molecular structure are less prone to
knock.