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Glossary of Engine Terms
Glossary of Engine Terms
Aftertreatmentsystem
Reducesexhaust,NOxandparticulateemissions
Bar
Unitofpressurethatisaboutthesameasatmosphericpressureatsealevel(Approximately14.5lbsper
squareinch)
Camshaft
Shaftthatismovedbythecrankshaftwithtwoormoreoffsetcams(lobes)thatoperatethevalves
Combustion
Processinwhichasubstancereactswithoxygentogiveheatandlight(burning)
Compression
Phaseintheworkingofaninternalcombustionenginewhereacombinationoffuelandairiscompressed
inacylinderbeforebeingignited
Crank/crankshaft
Rodthatspinsanddrivesapistonmovementinthecylinder
Crankangle
Anglethatcanbemeasuredbetweenthecrankshaftandtopdeadcenter
Cylinder
Centralworkingpartofareciprocating(orpiston)engine,thespacethroughwhichapistontravels
Exhaust
Gasesejectedfromanengineaswasteproducts
Flamespeed
Fuel'sabilitytoundergocontrolledcombustionwithoutdetonation.Flamespeedcanbeusedasa
measureofefficiency
Fuelinjection
Systemformixingfuelwithair.Fuelinjectionatomizesthefuelbyforciblypumpingitthroughasmall
nozzleunderhighpressure
JakeBrake(compressionreleaseenginebrakes)
Atrademarkforenginebrakesdeveloped/manufacturedbyJacobsVehicleSystems.Abrakingsystemthat
modifiesenginevalveoperation,usingenginecompressiontoslowthevehicle.Primarilyusedonsemi
trucksorotherlargevehicles.Knownforbeingextremelyloud
Knock
Aphenomenonthatoccurswhencombustionstartsoffcorrectly,butoneormorepocketsofair/fuel
mixtureexplodeoutsidetheenvelopeofthenormalcombustionfront.Thiscausestimingtobethrown
off,creatingashockwavethatmakesapingingsoundandincreasescylinderpressuredramatically.The
effectofengineknockrangesfrominconsequentialtocompletelydestructive
Millercycle
AcombustionprocessforthefourstrokeinternalcombustionenginefirstusedbyRalphMillerinthe
1940s.TheintakevalveisleftopenlongerthanitwouldbeinanOttocycleengine.Ineffect,the
compressionstrokeistwodiscretecycles:theinitialportionwhentheintakevalveisopenandfinal
portionwhentheintakevalveisclosed
Millereffect
TheeffectoftheMillercycle:Alowerfinalchargetemperatureallowingignitiontimingtobeadvanced
beyondwhatisnormallyallowedbeforetheonsetofdetonation.Theresultisanincreaseinoverall
efficiencyandareductionofNOxemissions
Inletvalve
Onewayvalvethatallowsairintoacompressor
Naturallyaspirated
Aninternalcombustionenginedevoidofforcedinductionmethods
NOx
Achemicaltermfornitrogenoxidesproducedduringcombustionandacontributortosmogandacidrain
Ottocycle
Afourstrokecycleforinternalcombustionengines:(1)suctionofgas/airintothefiringcylinder(2)
compression,ignition,explosion(3)expansionofgasses(4)expulsionoftheproductsofcombustionfrom
thecylinder.InventedbyBeaudeRochasin1862andappliedbyDr.Ottoin1877intheOttoCrossleygas
engine,thefirstcommerciallysuccessfulinternalcombustionengine
Outletvalve(exhaustvalve)
Onewayvalvethatallowscompressedairoutofacompressor
Piston
Rodinsideacylinderthatismovedbypneumaticpressure
Poppet
Valvemechanismthatcontinuallyopensandclosesinresponsetovariationsinpressure
Poppetvalve
Pneumaticcontrolvalvethatredirectstheflowofgaswhenactuated
Power
Theratewhichworkisperformedorenergyistransmitted,ortheamountofenergyrequiredor
expendedforagivenunitoftime
Powercurve
Graphicalrepresentationofthechangingrelationshipbetweenspeedandrevolutionsperminute(RPM)
Pressurevolume(PV)curve
Pressurevolumecurveagraphicalrepresentationofthechangingrelationshipbetweenpressureand
volumeinthecylinderduringenginecycles.APVcurveordiagramshowstheimpactofearlyorlate
ignitiontimingonpeakcylinderpressure
Regenerativebraking
Regenerativebraking(seeninhybridvehicles)takesenergynormallywastedduringbrakingandturnsit
intousableenergy.Thisenergyissavedinastoragebatteryandusedtopowerthemotorwheneverthe
vehicleisinelectricmode
Sparkplug
Electricaldevicethatfitsintothecylinderheadofsomeinternalcombustionenginesandignites
compressedaerosolgasolinebymeansofanelectricspark
Splitcycleengine
Atypeofinternalcombustionenginethatdividesfourcylinderstrokesbetweentwopairedcylinders:one
forintake/compressionandanotherforpower/exhaust
Supercharger
Aircompressorusedforforcedinductionofaninternalcombustionengine.Thegreatermassflowrate
providesmoreoxygentosupportcombustionthanwouldbeavailableinanaturallyaspiratedengine,
whichallowsmorefueltobeprovidedandmoreworktobedonepercycle,increasingpoweroutput
Thermalefficiency
Ratioofengineworktoheatenergyofconsumedfuel
Thermodynamics
Thestudyofrelationshipbetweenthermalenergy(heat)andallotherformsofenergy(i.e.mechanical,
electrical)
Topdeadcenter,aftertopdeadcenter
Thepositionofapistonthatisfarthestfromthecrankshaft(atitshighestpoint).TheScuderiEnginefires
aftertopdeadcenter,meaningthepistonhasjustbegunmovingtowardthecrankshaft
Turbocharger
Aircompressorusedforforcedinductionofaninternalcombustionengine.Likeasupercharger,itserves
toincreasethemassofairenteringtheenginetocreatemorepower.However,aturbochargerdiffersin
thatthecompressorispoweredbyaturbinedrivenbytheengine'sownexhaustgases
Volumetricefficiency
Ratiooffuelandairenteringthecylindertothecapacityofthecylinderunderstaticconditions