GlossaryofEngineTerms

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