What is An Automotive Engine?
Automotive engines are simply the engines used in cars. A vehicle's engine is its core, without which the car would not perform any of its functions. While the rest of the car's body is just a metal skeleton, the engine is the heart and soul of the car.
Automotive engineers are related to the construction of car engines. They try to develop an ideal engine design that could be as energy-efficient as possible. Furthermore, their goal is to power the cars with environmentally-friendly engines.
Types of Engines
There are two types of engines; internal combustion and external combustion engines. The different car engine parts and their different mechanisms make these engines different.
These days internal combustion engines are used for vehicles due to their numerous advantages. External combustion engines have been used in trains and other heavy vehicles. The basic principle shared by different engines is that each engine uses a particular kind of fuel to create motion.
How Do These Engines Work?
Both the engines work differently from each other. While the internal combustion engine burns its fuel type inside its premises, external combustion does the same outside its environment.
So let's first discuss the functioning of the Internal Combustion Engine.
Internal Combustion Engine
The burning of a high-density fuel within the engine is called combustion. This combustion produces enough energy to move the whole vehicle.
The important parts of the engine are the piston, crankshaft, and fixed cylinder. A car uses more than one fixed cylinder. The piston moves up and down in the cylinder. These cylinders are arranged in different alignments within the engine. Different car engines have different specifications. There could be a car engine with cylinders fixed horizontally, while others may be sorted in inline or in V alignment.
Another important constituent that helps provide a start to engine functioning is the spark plug. It allows for the ignition to take place. The piston is moved by the energy produced through the combustion of the gases that occur due to ignition. As a result of these movements, the different gears within the car help the tires rotate, and the car begins its motion.
Some valves help secure the combustion chamber. These valves are the intake and exhaust valves that regulate the airflow as per the need.
Within the internal combustion engines, there are various subtypes. All of these use the four-stroke cycle as a principle of car mechanism. The four strokes of the cycle are intake stroke, compression stroke, power stroke, and exhaust stroke.
External Combustion Engine
The fuel combustion in the external engine releases a whole load of thermal energy. Thermal energy is used to heat the water, which produces steam. Steam pressure is the driving cause of heavy trains or steamboats.
The pressure of the steam is so high that it moves the piston. As with anything moving, kinetic energy is generated. Similarly, the kinetic energy helps in turning the wheels and helping to move any mechanical device.
Final Words
Despite the highly technological advancements, automotive engineers are still trying to develop internal combustion engines that could be eco-friendly. Although electric cars are thought of as a solution, making such cars is expensive, and n0ot a lot of people would be able to afford such cars. Hence, much work is needed to be done on the engines to reduce pollution levels.
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