Spark-ignition engine
A spark-ignition engine (SI engine) is an internal combustion engine, generally a petrol engine, where the combustion process of the air-fuel mixture is ignited by a spark from a spark plug. This is in contrast to compression-ignition engines, typically diesel engines, where the heat generated from compression together with the injection of fuel is enough to initiate the combustion process, without needing any external spark.
Fuels[edit]
Spark-ignition engines are commonly referred to as "gasoline engines" in North America, and "petrol engines" in Britain and the rest of the world.[1] Spark-ignition engines can (and increasingly are) run on fuels other than petrol/gasoline, such as autogas (LPG), methanol, ethanol, bioethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen, and (in drag racing) nitromethane.[2]
Working cycle[edit]
The working cycle of both spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines may be either two-stroke or four-stroke.
A four-stroke spark-ignition engine is an Otto cycle engine. It consists of following four strokes: suction or intake stroke, compression stroke, expansion or power stroke, exhaust stroke. Each stroke consists of 180 degree rotation of crankshaft rotation and hence a four-stroke cycle is completed through 720 degree of crank rotation. Thus for one complete cycle there is only one power stroke while the crankshaft turns by two revolutions.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Dabelstein, Werner; Reglitzky, Arno; Schütze, Andrea; Reders, Klaus; Brunner, Andreas (2016). "Automotive Fuels". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. pp. 1–41. doi:10.1002/14356007.a16_719.pub3. ISBN 978-3527306732.
- ^ Naijar, Yousef S.H. (2009). "Alternative Fuels for Spark Ignition Engines". The Open Fuels & Energy Science Journal. 2 (2): 1–9. doi:10.2174/1876973X01002010001.
