A throttle is a mechanism by which fluid flow is managed by construction or obstruction.
106-437: An engine 's power can be increased or decreased by the restriction of inlet gases (by the use of a throttle), but usually decreased. The term throttle has come to refer, informally, to any mechanism by which the power or speed of an engine is regulated, such as a car's accelerator pedal. What is often termed a throttle (in an aviation context) is also called a thrust lever , particularly for jet engine powered aircraft. For
212-407: A bi-metallic spring which changed tension according to the heat in the manifold. Today's fuel-injected engines do not require such devices. A variable-length intake manifold ( VLIM ) is an internal combustion engine manifold technology. Four common implementations exist. First, two discrete intake runners with different length are employed, and a butterfly valve can close the short path. Second
318-517: A diesel engine is controlled by regulating the quantity of fuel that is injected into the cylinder. Because diesel engines do not need to control air volumes, they usually lack a butterfly valve in the intake tract. An exception to this generalization is newer diesel engines meeting stricter emissions standards, where such a valve is used to generate intake manifold vacuum, thereby allowing the introduction of exhaust gas (see EGR ) to lower combustion temperatures and thereby minimize NOx production. In
424-447: A fuel cell without side production of NO x , but this is an electrochemical engine not a heat engine. The word engine derives from Old French engin , from the Latin ingenium –the root of the word ingenious . Pre-industrial weapons of war, such as catapults , trebuchets and battering rams , were called siege engines , and knowledge of how to construct them
530-412: A reciprocating engine aircraft, the throttle control is usually a hand-operated lever or knob. It controls the engine power output, which may or may not reflect in a change of RPM, depending on the propeller installation (fixed-pitch or constant speed ). Some modern internal combustion engines do not use a traditional throttle, instead relying on their variable intake valve timing system to regulate
636-465: A rocket engine means varying the thrust level in-flight. This is not always a requirement; in fact, the thrust of a solid-fuel rocket is not controllable after ignition. However, liquid-propellant rockets can be throttled by means of valves which regulate the flow of fuel and oxidizer to the combustion chamber. Hybrid rocket engines, such as the one used in Space Ship One , use solid fuel with
742-432: A steam locomotive , the valve which controls the steam is known as the regulator . In an internal combustion engine , the throttle is a means of controlling an engine's power by regulating the amount of fuel or air entering the engine. In a motor vehicle the control used by the driver to regulate power is sometimes called the throttle, accelerator, or gas pedal . For a gasoline engine, the throttle most commonly regulates
848-420: A carburettor, the smaller throttle opening also allowed for more precise and fast carburettor response, as well as better atomization of the fuel when running at low engine speeds. Steam locomotives normally have the throttle (North American English) or regulator (British English) in a characteristic steam dome at the top of the boiler (although not all boilers feature these). The additional height afforded by
954-482: A chemical reaction, but are not heat engines. Examples include: An electric motor uses electrical energy to produce mechanical energy , usually through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors . The reverse process, producing electrical energy from mechanical energy, is accomplished by a generator or dynamo . Traction motors used on vehicles often perform both tasks. Electric motors can be run as generators and vice versa, although this
1060-454: A cold cylinder, which are attached to reciprocating pistons 90° out of phase. The gas receives heat at the hot cylinder and expands, driving the piston that turns the crankshaft . After expanding and flowing through the recuperator, the gas rejects heat at the cold cylinder and the ensuing pressure drop leads to its compression by the other (displacement) piston, which forces it back to the hot cylinder. Non-thermal motors usually are powered by
1166-544: A few limited-production battery-powered electric vehicles have appeared, they have not proved competitive owing to costs and operating characteristics. In the 21st century the diesel engine has been increasing in popularity with automobile owners. However, the gasoline engine and the Diesel engine, with their new emission-control devices to improve emission performance, have not yet been significantly challenged. A number of manufacturers have introduced hybrid engines, mainly involving
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#17328558095331272-412: A gas as in a Stirling engine , or steam as in a steam engine or an organic liquid such as n-pentane in an Organic Rankine cycle . The fluid can be of any composition; gas is by far the most common, although even single-phase liquid is sometimes used. In the case of the steam engine, the fluid changes phases between liquid and gas. Air-breathing combustion engines are combustion engines that use
1378-459: A heat difference to induce high-amplitude sound waves. In general, thermoacoustic engines can be divided into standing wave and travelling wave devices. Stirling engines can be another form of non-combustive heat engine. They use the Stirling thermodynamic cycle to convert heat into work. An example is the alpha type Stirling engine, whereby gas flows, via a recuperator , between a hot cylinder and
1484-425: A heat engine). Chemical heat engines which employ air (ambient atmospheric gas) as a part of the fuel reaction are regarded as airbreathing engines. Chemical heat engines designed to operate outside of Earth's atmosphere (e.g. rockets , deeply submerged submarines ) need to carry an additional fuel component called the oxidizer (although there exist super-oxidizers suitable for use in rockets, such as fluorine ,
1590-460: A large scale required efficient electrical generators and electrical distribution networks. To reduce the electric energy consumption from motors and their associated carbon footprints , various regulatory authorities in many countries have introduced and implemented legislation to encourage the manufacture and use of higher efficiency electric motors. A well-designed motor can convert over 90% of its input energy into useful power for decades. When
1696-562: A liquid oxidizer, and therefore can be throttled. Throttling tends to be required more for powered landings, and launch into space using a single main stage (such as the Space Shuttle ), than for launch with multistage rockets . They are also useful in situations where the airspeed of the vehicle must be limited due to aerodynamic stress in the denser atmosphere at lower levels (e.g. the Space Shuttle). Rockets characteristically become lighter
1802-489: A majority of the models. Several three-cylinder, two-stroke-cycle models were built while most engines had straight or in-line cylinders. There were several V-type models and horizontally opposed two- and four-cylinder makes too. Overhead camshafts were frequently employed. The smaller engines were commonly air-cooled and located at the rear of the vehicle; compression ratios were relatively low. The 1970s and 1980s saw an increased interest in improved fuel economy , which caused
1908-416: A mechanical device to meter the fuel flow, since that duty is taken over by injectors in the intake pathways (for multipoint fuel injection systems ) or cylinders (for direct injection systems ) coupled with electronic sensors and computers which precisely calculate how long should a certain injector stay open and therefore how much fuel should be injected by each injection pulse. However, they do still need
2014-438: A more powerful oxidant than oxygen itself); or the application needs to obtain heat by non-chemical means, such as by means of nuclear reactions . All chemically fueled heat engines emit exhaust gases. The cleanest engines emit water only. Strict zero-emissions generally means zero emissions other than water and water vapour. Only heat engines which combust pure hydrogen (fuel) and pure oxygen (oxidizer) achieve zero-emission by
2120-560: A nuclear power plant uses the heat from the nuclear reaction to produce steam and drive a steam engine, or a gas turbine in a rocket engine may be driven by decomposing hydrogen peroxide . Apart from the different energy source, the engine is often engineered much the same as an internal or external combustion engine. Another group of noncombustive engines includes thermoacoustic heat engines (sometimes called "TA engines") which are thermoacoustic devices that use high-amplitude sound waves to pump heat from one place to another, or conversely use
2226-559: A pressure just above atmospheric to drive the piston helped by a partial vacuum. Improving on the design of the 1712 Newcomen steam engine , the Watt steam engine, developed sporadically from 1763 to 1775, was a great step in the development of the steam engine. Offering a dramatic increase in fuel efficiency , James Watt 's design became synonymous with steam engines, due in no small part to his business partner, Matthew Boulton . It enabled rapid development of efficient semi-automated factories on
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#17328558095332332-556: A previously unimaginable scale in places where waterpower was not available. Later development led to steam locomotives and great expansion of railway transportation . As for internal combustion piston engines , these were tested in France in 1807 by de Rivaz and independently, by the Niépce brothers . They were theoretically advanced by Carnot in 1824. In 1853–57 Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci invented and patented an engine using
2438-608: A railroad electric locomotive , rather than an electric motor. Some motors are powered by potential or kinetic energy, for example some funiculars , gravity plane and ropeway conveyors have used the energy from moving water or rocks, and some clocks have a weight that falls under gravity. Other forms of potential energy include compressed gases (such as pneumatic motors ), springs ( clockwork motors ) and elastic bands . Historic military siege engines included large catapults , trebuchets , and (to some extent) battering rams were powered by potential energy. A pneumatic motor
2544-555: A return to smaller V-6 and four-cylinder layouts, with as many as five valves per cylinder to improve efficiency. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 operates with a W16 engine , meaning that two V8 cylinder layouts are positioned next to each other to create the W ;shape sharing the same crankshaft. The largest internal combustion engine ever built is the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C , a 14-cylinder, 2-stroke turbocharged diesel engine that
2650-456: A separate throttle body for each cylinder, often called " individual throttle bodies " or ITBs. Although rare in production vehicles, these are common equipment on many racing cars and modified street vehicles. This practice harks back to the days when many high performance cars were given one, small, single-venturi carburettor for each cylinder or pair of cylinders (i.e. Weber, SU carburettors), each one with their own small throttle plate inside. In
2756-451: A signal proportional to the current pedal position and sends it to the ECU . The ECU then determines the throttle opening based on the accelerator pedal's position and inputs from other engine sensors such as the engine coolant temperature sensor. When the driver presses on the accelerator pedal, the throttle plate rotates within the throttle body, opening the throttle passage to allow more air into
2862-453: A single venturi carburetor, but with two small openings instead of one. A 4-venturi carburetor has two pairs of venturis, each pair regulated by a single oval or rectangular throttle plate. Under normal operation, only one throttle plate (the "primary") opens when the accelerator pedal is pressed, allowing more air into the engine, but keeping overall airflow velocity through the carburetor high (thus improving efficiency). The "secondary" throttle
2968-724: A small gasoline engine coupled with an electric motor and with a large battery bank, these are starting to become a popular option because of their environment awareness. Exhaust gas from a spark ignition engine consists of the following: nitrogen 70 to 75% (by volume), water vapor 10 to 12%, carbon dioxide 10 to 13.5%, hydrogen 0.5 to 2%, oxygen 0.2 to 2%, carbon monoxide : 0.1 to 6%, unburnt hydrocarbons and partial oxidation products (e.g. aldehydes ) 0.5 to 1%, nitrogen monoxide 0.01 to 0.4%, nitrous oxide <100 ppm, sulfur dioxide 15 to 60 ppm, traces of other compounds such as fuel additives and lubricants, also halogen and metallic compounds, and other particles. Carbon monoxide
3074-453: A source of water power to provide additional power to watermills and water-raising machines. In the medieval Islamic world , such advances made it possible to mechanize many industrial tasks previously carried out by manual labour . In 1206, al-Jazari employed a crank - conrod system for two of his water-raising machines. A rudimentary steam turbine device was described by Taqi al-Din in 1551 and by Giovanni Branca in 1629. In
3180-414: A spring. This arm is usually directly linked to the accelerator cable, and operates in accordance with the driver, who hits it. The further the pedal is pushed, the wider the throttle valve opens. Modern engines of both types (gas and diesel) are commonly drive-by-wire systems where sensors monitor the driver controls and in response a computerized system controls the flow of fuel and air. This means that
3286-429: A strict definition (in practice, one type of rocket engine). If hydrogen is burnt in combination with air (all airbreathing engines), a side reaction occurs between atmospheric oxygen and atmospheric nitrogen resulting in small emissions of NO x . If a hydrocarbon (such as alcohol or gasoline) is burnt as fuel, CO 2 , a greenhouse gas , is emitted. Hydrogen and oxygen from air can be reacted into water by
Throttle - Misplaced Pages Continue
3392-659: A throttle to control the airflow into the engine, together with a sensor that detects its current opening angle, so that the correct air/fuel ratio can be met at any RPM and engine load combination. The simplest way to do this is to simply remove the carburetor unit, and bolt a simple unit containing a throttle body and fuel injectors on instead. This is known as single-port injection , also known by different marketing names (such as "throttle-body injection" by General Motors and "central fuel injection" by Ford , among others), and it allows an older engine design to be converted from carburetor to fuel injection without significantly altering
3498-431: A torque include the familiar automobile gasoline and diesel engines, as well as turboshafts . Examples of engines which produce thrust include turbofans and rockets . When the internal combustion engine was invented, the term motor was initially used to distinguish it from the steam engine—which was in wide use at the time, powering locomotives and other vehicles such as steam rollers . The term motor derives from
3604-417: A volumetric efficiency above 100%: the air pressure in the combustion chamber before the compression stroke is greater than the atmospheric pressure. In combination with this intake manifold design feature, the exhaust manifold design, as well as the exhaust valve opening time can be so calibrated as to achieve greater evacuation of the cylinder. The exhaust manifolds achieve a vacuum in the cylinder just before
3710-550: A water-powered mill was built in Kaberia of the kingdom of Mithridates during the 1st century BC. Use of water wheels in mills spread throughout the Roman Empire over the next few centuries. Some were quite complex, with aqueducts , dams , and sluices to maintain and channel the water, along with systems of gears , or toothed-wheels made of wood and metal to regulate the speed of rotation. More sophisticated small devices, such as
3816-416: Is a machine that converts potential energy in the form of compressed air into mechanical work . Pneumatic motors generally convert the compressed air to mechanical work through either linear or rotary motion. Linear motion can come from either a diaphragm or piston actuator, while rotary motion is supplied by either a vane type air motor or piston air motor. Pneumatic motors have found widespread success in
3922-534: Is highly toxic, and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning , so it is important to avoid any build-up of the gas in a confined space. Catalytic converters can reduce toxic emissions, but not eliminate them. Also, resulting greenhouse gas emissions, chiefly carbon dioxide , from the widespread use of engines in the modern industrialized world is contributing to the global greenhouse effect – a primary concern regarding global warming . Some engines convert heat from noncombustive processes into mechanical work, for example
4028-517: Is in the idle position, wide-open throttle (WOT) position, or somewhere in between these extremes. Throttle bodies may also contain valves and adjustments to control the minimum airflow during idle . Even in those units that are not " drive-by-wire ", there will often be a small solenoid driven valve , the Idle Air Control Valve (IACV), that the ECU uses to control the amount of air that can bypass
4134-710: Is not always practical. Electric motors are ubiquitous, being found in applications as diverse as industrial fans, blowers and pumps, machine tools, household appliances, power tools , and disk drives . They may be powered by direct current (for example a battery powered portable device or motor vehicle), or by alternating current from a central electrical distribution grid. The smallest motors may be found in electric wristwatches. Medium-size motors of highly standardized dimensions and characteristics provide convenient mechanical power for industrial uses. The very largest electric motors are used for propulsion of large ships, and for such purposes as pipeline compressors, with ratings in
4240-426: Is operated either mechanically when the primary plate is opened past a certain amount, or via engine vacuum, influenced by the position of the accelerator pedal and engine load, allowing for greater air flow into the engine at high RPM and load and better efficiency at low RPM. Multiple 2-venturi or 4-venturi carburetors can be used simultaneously in situations where maximum engine power is of priority. A throttle body
4346-428: Is reached with a coolant temperature of around 110 °C (230 °F). Earlier automobile engine development produced a much larger range of engines than is in common use today. Engines have ranged from 1- to 16-cylinder designs with corresponding differences in overall size, weight, engine displacement , and cylinder bores . Four cylinders and power ratings from 19 to 120 hp (14 to 90 kW) were followed in
Throttle - Misplaced Pages Continue
4452-534: Is somewhat analogous to the carburetor in a non-injected engine, although it is important to remember that a throttle body is not the same thing as a throttle , and that carbureted engines have throttles as well. A throttle body simply supplies a convenient place to mount a throttle in the absence of a carburetor venturi. Carburetors are an older technology, which mechanically modulate the amount of air flow (with an internal throttle plate) and combine air and fuel together ( venturi ). Cars with fuel injection don't need
4558-580: Is the part of an internal combustion engine that supplies the fuel / air mixture to the cylinders . The word manifold comes from the Old English word manigfeald (from the Anglo-Saxon manig [many] and feald [repeatedly]) and refers to the multiplying of one (pipe) into many. In contrast, an exhaust manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders into a smaller number of pipes – often down to one pipe. The primary function of
4664-534: Is then cooled, compressed and reused (closed cycle), or (less commonly) dumped, and cool fluid pulled in (open cycle air engine). " Combustion " refers to burning fuel with an oxidizer , to supply the heat. Engines of similar (or even identical) configuration and operation may use a supply of heat from other sources such as nuclear, solar, geothermal or exothermic reactions not involving combustion; but are not then strictly classed as external combustion engines, but as external thermal engines. The working fluid can be
4770-454: Is typically a butterfly valve . In a fuel-injected engine, the throttle valve is placed on the entrance of the intake manifold , or housed in the throttle body . In a carbureted engine, it is found in the carburetor. When a throttle is wide open , the intake manifold is usually at ambient atmospheric pressure. When the throttle is partially closed, a manifold vacuum develops as the intake drops below ambient pressure. The power output of
4876-421: Is usually attached to, or near, the mass airflow sensor . Often, an engine coolant line also runs through it in order for the engine to draw intake air at a certain temperature (the engine's current coolant temperature, which the ECU senses through the relevant sensor ) and therefore with a known density. The largest piece inside the throttle body is the throttle plate, which is a butterfly valve that regulates
4982-693: The Antikythera Mechanism used complex trains of gears and dials to act as calendars or predict astronomical events. In a poem by Ausonius in the 4th century AD, he mentions a stone-cutting saw powered by water. Hero of Alexandria is credited with many such wind and steam powered machines in the 1st century AD, including the Aeolipile and the vending machine , often these machines were associated with worship, such as animated altars and automated temple doors. Medieval Muslim engineers employed gears in mills and water-raising machines, and used dams as
5088-649: The Volkswagen Beetle , the Citroën 2CV , some Porsche and Subaru cars, many BMW and Honda motorcycles . Opposed four- and six-cylinder engines continue to be used as a power source in small, propeller-driven aircraft . The continued use of internal combustion engines in automobiles is partly due to the improvement of engine control systems, such as on-board computers providing engine management processes, and electronically controlled fuel injection. Forced air induction by turbocharging and supercharging have increased
5194-407: The club and oar (examples of the lever ), are prehistoric . More complex engines using human power , animal power , water power , wind power and even steam power date back to antiquity. Human power was focused by the use of simple engines, such as the capstan , windlass or treadmill , and with ropes , pulleys , and block and tackle arrangements; this power was transmitted usually with
5300-733: The combustion of a fuel causes rapid pressurisation of the gaseous combustion products in the combustion chamber, causing them to expand and drive a piston , which turns a crankshaft . Unlike internal combustion engines, a reaction engine (such as a jet engine ) produces thrust by expelling reaction mass , in accordance with Newton's third law of motion . Apart from heat engines, electric motors convert electrical energy into mechanical motion, pneumatic motors use compressed air , and clockwork motors in wind-up toys use elastic energy . In biological systems, molecular motors , like myosins in muscles , use chemical energy to create forces and ultimately motion (a chemical engine, but not
5406-421: The fuel injectors spray fuel droplets into the air in the manifold. Due to electrostatic forces and condensation from the boundary layer, some of the fuel will form into pools along the walls of the manifold, and due to surface tension of the fuel, small droplets may combine into larger droplets in the airstream. Both actions are undesirable because they create inconsistencies in the air-fuel ratio . Turbulence in
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#17328558095335512-414: The intake manifold design. More complex later designs use intake manifolds, and even cylinder heads , specially designed for the inclusion of injectors. Most fuel injected cars have a single throttle, contained in a throttle body . Vehicles can sometimes employ more than one throttle body, connected by linkages to operate simultaneously, which improves throttle response and allows a straighter path for
5618-399: The oxygen in atmospheric air to oxidise ('burn') the fuel, rather than carrying an oxidiser , as in a rocket . Theoretically, this should result in a better specific impulse than for rocket engines. A continuous stream of air flows through the air-breathing engine. This air is compressed, mixed with fuel, ignited and expelled as the exhaust gas . In reaction engines , the majority of
5724-429: The pistons or turbine blades or a nozzle , and by moving it over a distance, generates mechanical work . An external combustion engine (EC engine) is a heat engine where an internal working fluid is heated by combustion of an external source, through the engine wall or a heat exchanger . The fluid then, by expanding and acting on the mechanism of the engine produces motion and usable work . The fluid
5830-467: The 13th century, the solid rocket motor was invented in China. Driven by gunpowder, this simplest form of internal combustion engine was unable to deliver sustained power, but was useful for propelling weaponry at high speeds towards enemies in battle and for fireworks . After invention, this innovation spread throughout Europe. The Watt steam engine was the first type of steam engine to make use of steam at
5936-496: The Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power generation ), heat energy (e.g. geothermal ), chemical energy , electric potential and nuclear energy (from nuclear fission or nuclear fusion ). Many of these processes generate heat as an intermediate energy form; thus heat engines have special importance. Some natural processes, such as atmospheric convection cells convert environmental heat into motion (e.g. in
6042-517: The Latin verb moto which means 'to set in motion', or 'maintain motion'. Thus a motor is a device that imparts motion. Motor and engine are interchangeable in standard English. In some engineering jargons, the two words have different meanings, in which engine is a device that burns or otherwise consumes fuel, changing its chemical composition, and a motor is a device driven by electricity , air , or hydraulic pressure, which does not change
6148-402: The air intake are connected to an Y (sort of main plenum). The air oscillates between both sub-plenums, with a large pressure oscillation there, but a constant pressure at the main plenum. Each runner from a sub plenum to the main plenum can be changed in length. For V engines this can be implemented by parting a single large plenum at high engine speed by means of sliding valves into it when speed
6254-404: The airflow into the cylinders, although the result is the same, albeit with less pumping losses. In fuel injected engines , the throttle body is the part of the air intake system that controls the amount of air flowing into the engine, in response to driver accelerator pedal input in the main. The throttle body is usually located between the air filter box and the intake manifold , and it
6360-511: The airflow to the cylinder head, as well as for equal-distance intake runners of short length, difficult to achieve when all the runners have to travel to certain location to connect to a single throttle body, at the cost of greater complexity and packaging issues. At the extreme, higher-performance cars like the E92 BMW M3 and Ferraris , and high-performance motorcycles like the Yamaha R6 , can use
6466-420: The airflow. On many cars, the accelerator pedal motion is communicated via the throttle cable, which is mechanically connected to the throttle linkages, which, in turn, rotate the throttle plate. In cars with electronic throttle control (also known as "drive-by-wire"), an electric actuator controls the throttle linkages and the accelerator pedal connects not to the throttle body, but to a sensor, which outputs
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#17328558095336572-429: The amount of air and fuel allowed to enter the engine. However, in a gasoline direct injection engine, the throttle regulates only the amount of air allowed to enter the engine. The throttle of a diesel, when present, regulates the air flow into the engine. Historically, the throttle pedal or lever acts via a direct mechanical linkage . The butterfly valve of the throttle is operated by means of an arm piece, loaded by
6678-436: The chemical composition of its energy source. However, rocketry uses the term rocket motor , even though they consume fuel. A heat engine may also serve as a prime mover —a component that transforms the flow or changes in pressure of a fluid into mechanical energy . An automobile powered by an internal combustion engine may make use of various motors and pumps, but ultimately all such devices derive their power from
6784-447: The combustion energy (heat) exits the engine as exhaust gas, which provides thrust directly. Typical air-breathing engines include: The operation of engines typically has a negative impact upon air quality and ambient sound levels . There has been a growing emphasis on the pollution producing features of automotive power systems. This has created new interest in alternate power sources and internal-combustion engine refinements. Though
6890-465: The cross-sectional area of the runner, the higher the pressure changes on resonance for a given airflow. This aspect of Helmholtz resonance reproduces one result of the Venturi effect . When the piston accelerates downwards, the pressure at the output of the intake runner is reduced. This low pressure pulse runs to the input end, where it is converted into an over-pressure pulse. This pulse travels back through
6996-522: The cylinder head which emanate from a central volume or "plenum" beneath the carburetor. The purpose of the runner is to take advantage of the Helmholtz resonance property of air. Air flows at considerable speed through the open valve. When the valve closes, the air that has not yet entered the valve still has a lot of momentum and compresses against the valve, creating a pocket of high pressure. This high-pressure air begins to equalize with lower-pressure air in
7102-427: The dome helps to avoid any liquid (e.g. from bubbles on the surface of the boiler water) being drawn into the throttle valve, which could damage it, or lead to priming . The throttle is basically a poppet valve , or series of poppet valves which open in sequence to regulate the amount of steam admitted to the steam chests over the pistons. It is used in conjunction with the reversing lever to start, stop and to control
7208-489: The efficiency of a motor is raised by even a few percentage points, the savings, in kilowatt hours (and therefore in cost), are enormous. The electrical energy efficiency of a typical industrial induction motor can be improved by: 1) reducing the electrical losses in the stator windings (e.g., by increasing the cross-sectional area of the conductor , improving the winding technique, and using materials with higher electrical conductivities , such as copper ), 2) reducing
7314-496: The electrical losses in the rotor coil or casting (e.g., by using materials with higher electrical conductivities, such as copper), 3) reducing magnetic losses by using better quality magnetic steel , 4) improving the aerodynamics of motors to reduce mechanical windage losses, 5) improving bearings to reduce friction losses , and 6) minimizing manufacturing tolerances . For further discussion on this subject, see Premium efficiency ). By convention, electric engine refers to
7420-432: The engine can idle when the throttle is closed), or some intermediate position. Since air velocity is crucial to the functioning of a carburetor, to keep average air velocity up, larger engines require more complex carburetors with multiple small venturis, typically two or four (these venturis are commonly called "barrels"). A typical "2-barrel" carburetor uses a single oval or rectangular throttle plate, and works similarly to
7526-412: The engine's crankcase . This is known as a positive crankcase ventilation system , in which the gases are burned with the fuel/air mixture. The intake manifold has historically been manufactured from aluminium or cast iron, but use of composite plastic materials is gaining popularity (e.g. most Chrysler 4-cylinders, Ford Zetec 2.0, Duratec 2.0 and 2.3, and GM's Ecotec series). The carburetor or
7632-404: The engine. Another way of looking at it is that a motor receives power from an external source, and then converts it into mechanical energy, while an engine creates power from pressure (derived directly from the explosive force of combustion or other chemical reaction, or secondarily from the action of some such force on other substances such as air, water, or steam). Simple machines , such as
7738-636: The first half of the 20th century, a trend of increasing engine power occurred, particularly in the U.S. models. Design changes incorporated all known methods of increasing engine capacity, including increasing the pressure in the cylinders to improve efficiency, increasing the size of the engine, and increasing the rate at which the engine produces work. The higher forces and pressures created by these changes created engine vibration and size problems that led to stiffer, more compact engines with V and opposed cylinder layouts replacing longer straight-line arrangements. Optimal combustion efficiency in passenger vehicles
7844-674: The forces multiplied and the speed reduced . These were used in cranes and aboard ships in Ancient Greece , as well as in mines , water pumps and siege engines in Ancient Rome . The writers of those times, including Vitruvius , Frontinus and Pliny the Elder , treat these engines as commonplace, so their invention may be more ancient. By the 1st century AD, cattle and horses were used in mills , driving machines similar to those powered by humans in earlier times. According to Strabo ,
7950-403: The form of rising air currents). Mechanical energy is of particular importance in transportation , but also plays a role in many industrial processes such as cutting, grinding, crushing, and mixing. Mechanical heat engines convert heat into work via various thermodynamic processes. The internal combustion engine is perhaps the most common example of a mechanical heat engine in which heat from
8056-524: The free-piston principle that was possibly the first 4-cycle engine. The invention of an internal combustion engine which was later commercially successful was made during 1860 by Etienne Lenoir . In 1877, the Otto cycle was capable of giving a far higher power-to-weight ratio than steam engines and worked much better for many transportation applications such as cars and aircraft. The first commercially successful automobile, created by Karl Benz , added to
8162-542: The hand-held tool industry and continual attempts are being made to expand their use to the transportation industry. However, pneumatic motors must overcome efficiency deficiencies before being seen as a viable option in the transportation industry. A hydraulic motor derives its power from a pressurized liquid . This type of engine is used to move heavy loads and drive machinery. Intake manifold An inlet manifold or intake manifold (in American English )
8268-411: The heat of a combustion process. The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel (generally, fossil fuel ) occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber . In an internal combustion engine the expansion of the high temperature and high pressure gases, which are produced by the combustion, directly applies force to components of the engine, such as
8374-409: The intake helps to break up fuel droplets, improving the degree of atomization. Better atomization allows for a more complete burn of all the fuel and helps reduce engine knock by enlarging the flame front. To achieve this turbulence it is a common practice to leave the surfaces of the intake and intake ports in the cylinder head rough and unpolished. Only a certain degree of turbulence is useful in
8480-414: The intake manifold is to evenly distribute the combustion mixture (or just air in a direct injection engine) to each intake port in the cylinder head(s). Even distribution is important to optimize the efficiency and performance of the engine. It may also serve as a mount for the carburetor, throttle body, fuel injectors and other components of the engine. Due to the downward movement of the pistons and
8586-410: The intake manifold, immediately drawn inside by its vacuum. Usually a mass airflow sensor measures this change and communicates it to the ECU. The ECU then increases the amount of fuel injected by the injectors in order to obtain the required air-fuel ratio . Often a throttle position sensor (TPS) is connected to the shaft of the throttle plate to provide the ECU with information on whether the throttle
8692-455: The intake runner and the speed of sound. The traditional solution has been to tune the length of the intake runner for a specific engine speed where maximum performance is desired. However, modern technology has given rise to a number of solutions involving electronically controlled valve timing (for example Valvetronic ), and dynamic intake geometry (see below). As a result of "resonance tuning", some naturally aspirated intake systems operate at
8798-399: The intake runners can be bent around a common plenum, and a sliding valve separates them from the plenum with a variable length. Straight high-speed runners can receive plugs, which contain small long runner extensions. The plenum of a 6- or 8-cylinder engine can be parted into halves, with the even firing cylinders in one half and the odd firing cylinders in the other part. Both sub-plenums and
8904-570: The intake. Once the fuel is sufficiently atomized, additional turbulence causes unneeded pressure drops and a drop in engine performance. The design and orientation of the intake manifold is a major factor in the volumetric efficiency of an engine. Abrupt contour changes provoke pressure drops, resulting in less air (and/or fuel) entering the combustion chamber; high-performance manifolds have smooth contours and gradual transitions between adjacent segments. Modern intake manifolds usually employ runners , individual tubes extending to each intake port on
9010-518: The interest in light and powerful engines. The lightweight gasoline internal combustion engine, operating on a four-stroke Otto cycle, has been the most successful for light automobiles, while the thermally more-efficient Diesel engine is used for trucks and buses. However, in recent years, turbocharged Diesel engines have become increasingly popular in automobiles, especially outside of the United States, even for quite small cars. In 1896, Karl Benz
9116-449: The latter is the Honda J engine which converts to a single plane manifold around 3500 rpm for greater peak flow and horsepower. Older heat riser manifolds with 'wet runners' for carbureted engines used exhaust gas diversion through the intake manifold to provide vaporizing heat. The amount of exhaust gas flow diversion was controlled by a heat riser valve in the exhaust manifold, and employed
9222-481: The locomotive's power although, during steady-state running of most locomotives, it is preferable to leave the throttle wide open and to control the power by varying the steam cut-off point (which is done with the reversing lever), as this is more efficient. A steam locomotive throttle valve poses a difficult design challenge as it must be opened and closed using hand effort against the considerable pressure (typically 250 psi or 1,700 kPa) of boiler steam. One of
9328-422: The longer they burn, with the changing ratio of thrust:weight resulting in increasing acceleration, so engines are often throttled (or switched off) to limit acceleration forces towards the end of a stage's burn time if it is carrying sensitive cargo (e.g. humans). In a jet engine , thrust is controlled by changing the amount of fuel flowing into the combustion chamber, similar to a diesel engine. The lifespan of
9434-421: The main throttle opening to allow the engine to idle when the throttle is closed. The most basic carbureted engines, such as single cylinder Briggs & Stratton lawn-mower engines, feature a single small throttle plate over a basic carburetor with a single venturi . The throttle is either open or closed (although there is always a small hole or other bypass to allow a small amount of air to flow through so
9540-407: The manifold. Due to the air's inertia, the equalization will tend to oscillate: At first the air in the runner will be at a lower pressure than the manifold. The air in the manifold then tries to equalize back into the runner, and the oscillation repeats. This process occurs at the speed of sound, and in most manifolds travels up and down the runner many times before the valve opens again. The smaller
9646-476: The operator does not have direct control over the flow of fuel and air; the Engine Control Unit (ECU) can achieve better control in order to reduce emissions , maximize performance and adjust the engine idle to make a cold engine warm up faster or to account for eventual additional engine loads such as running air conditioning compressors in order to avoid engine stalls. The throttle on a gasoline engine
9752-419: The piston reaches top dead center. The opening inlet valve can then—at typical compression ratios—fill 10% of the cylinder before beginning downward travel. Instead of achieving higher pressure in the cylinder, the inlet valve can stay open after the piston reaches bottom dead center while the air still flows in. In some engines the intake runners are straight for minimal resistance. In most engines, however,
9858-489: The plenum volume can be smaller. To avoid standing waves within the plenum it is made as compact as possible. The intake runners each use a smaller part of the plenum surface than the inlet, which supplies air to the plenum, for aerodynamic reasons. Each runner is placed to have nearly the same distance to the main inlet. Runners whose cylinders fire close after each other, are not placed as neighbors. In 180-degree intake manifolds , originally designed for carburetor V8 engines,
9964-645: The power output of smaller displacement engines that are lighter in weight and more fuel-efficient at normal cruise power.. Similar changes have been applied to smaller Diesel engines, giving them almost the same performance characteristics as gasoline engines. This is especially evident with the popularity of smaller diesel engine-propelled cars in Europe. Diesel engines produce lower hydrocarbon and CO 2 emissions, but greater particulate and NO x pollution, than gasoline engines. Diesel engines are also 40% more fuel efficient than comparable gasoline engines. In
10070-445: The primary reasons for later multiple-sequential valves: it is far easier to open a small poppet valve against the pressure differential, and open the others once pressure begins to equalize than to open a single large valve, especially as steam pressures eventually exceeded 200 psi (1,400 kPa) or even 300 psi (2,100 kPa). Examples include the balanced " double beat " type used on Gresley A3 Pacifics . Throttling of
10176-544: The restriction caused by the throttle valve, in a reciprocating spark ignition piston engine , a partial vacuum (lower than atmospheric pressure ) exists in the intake manifold. This manifold vacuum can be substantial, and can be used as a source of automobile ancillary power to drive auxiliary systems: power assisted brakes , emission control devices, cruise control , ignition advance, windshield wipers , power windows , ventilation system valves, etc. This vacuum can also be used to draw any piston blow-by gases from
10282-459: The runner and rams air through the valve. The valve then closes. To harness the full power of the Helmholtz resonance effect, the opening of the intake valve must be timed correctly, otherwise the pulse could have a negative effect. This poses a very difficult problem for engines, since valve timing is dynamic and based on engine speed, whereas the pulse timing is static and dependent on the length of
10388-409: The runners have curves, some very convoluted to achieve desired runner length. These turns allow for a more compact manifold, with denser packaging of the whole engine, as a result. Also, these "snaked" runners are needed for some variable length/ split runner designs, and allow the size of the plenum to be reduced. In an engine with at least six cylinders the averaged intake flow is nearly constant and
10494-442: The thousands of kilowatts . Electric motors may be classified by the source of electric power, by their internal construction, and by their application. The physical principle of production of mechanical force by the interactions of an electric current and a magnetic field was known as early as 1821. Electric motors of increasing efficiency were constructed throughout the 19th century, but commercial exploitation of electric motors on
10600-489: The throttle by illuminated check engine symbol. Symptoms of the throttle malfunction could vary from poor idle, decreased engine power, poor mileage, bad acceleration , and so on. The effective way to increase the throttle's lifespan is through regular maintenance and cleaning. Engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy . Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of
10706-465: The throttle is not set since it highly depends on the driving style and specific vehicle. The throttle tends to be quite dirty after 100-150 thousand kilometers, and it is necessary to clean it up. The malfunction of the throttle could be indicated by illuminated EPC warning light. This is usually the case with modern Volkswagen Group vehicles. Vehicles not equipped with the EPC warning light indicate issues with
10812-457: The two plane, the split plenum intake manifold separates the intake pulses which the manifold experiences by 180 degrees in the firing order. This minimizes interference of one cylinder's pressure waves with those of another, giving better torque from smooth mid-range flow. Such manifolds may have been originally designed for either two- or four-barrel carburetors, but now are used with both throttle-body and multi-point fuel injection . An example of
10918-517: Was designed to power the Emma Mærsk , the largest container ship in the world when launched in 2006. This engine has a mass of 2,300 tonnes, and when running at 102 rpm (1.7 Hz) produces over 80 MW, and can use up to 250 tonnes of fuel per day. An engine can be put into a category according to two criteria: the form of energy it accepts in order to create motion, and the type of motion it outputs. Combustion engines are heat engines driven by
11024-436: Was granted a patent for his design of the first engine with horizontally opposed pistons. His design created an engine in which the corresponding pistons move in horizontal cylinders and reach top dead center simultaneously, thus automatically balancing each other with respect to their individual momentum. Engines of this design are often referred to as “flat” or “boxer” engines due to their shape and low profile. They were used in
11130-463: Was merely a water pump, with the engine being transported to the fire by horses. In modern usage, the term engine typically describes devices, like steam engines and internal combustion engines, that burn or otherwise consume fuel to perform mechanical work by exerting a torque or linear force (usually in the form of thrust ). Devices converting heat energy into motion are commonly referred to simply as engines . Examples of engines which exert
11236-464: Was often treated as a military secret. The word gin , as in cotton gin , is short for engine . Most mechanical devices invented during the Industrial Revolution were described as engines—the steam engine being a notable example. However, the original steam engines, such as those by Thomas Savery , were not mechanical engines but pumps. In this manner, a fire engine in its original form
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