Scavenging

Scavenging is the process whereby air

at pressure higher than atmospheric is
used to push out the exhaust gases
from the cylinder. Unlike the four stroke
engine, the piston does not push out
the exhaust gases from the cylinder.
Instead inlet air at pressure higher than
the remaining exhaust gas pressure
enters the cylinder around BDC and
sweeps or scavenges the exhaust
gases from the cylinder.
Two stroke engine with exhaust
valve in the cylinder head are
known as uniflow scavenged
engines. This is because the flow
of air is one (uni) direction.
Some two stroke engines do not have
exhaust valves. As well as scavenge ports
in the cylinder liners, they are fitted with
exhaust ports just above the scavenge
ports. As the piston uncovers the exhaust
ports during power stroke, the exhaust
gases start leaving the cylinder. After
sometime, when the scavenge ports are
uncovered, the scavenge air loops around
the cylinder and pushes out the remaining
exhaust gases out of the cylinder.
This type of engine is known as
loop scavenged engine. In these
engines, the piston skirt is much
longer than uniflow scavenged
engines because the piston skirt
has to seal the scavenge air and
exhaust gases from mixing, when
the piston is at TDC.
Loop scavenged engines are simpler in
construction with less moving parts but
they are less efficient than uniflow
scavenged engines as scavenging is less
than 100% efficient and less fuel can be
burnt per stroke. Also, as the stroke of
engines are increased, scavenging
efficiency keeps falling down. All modern
two stroke crosshead engines are being
built today as uniflow scavenged engines.