The scientific and technological revolution that took place at the end of the 19th century, together with many brilliant discoveries, led to the invention of such a useful device as an internal combustion engine. Thanks to this, mankind was able to radically change the world and take a significant step in the development of civilization. Today, such engines are widely used not only in the automotive industry, but also in the industry, where they are an essential part of the entire technological chain of production. All factories, plants, combines and other industrial facilities are directly dependent on internal combustion units, which make it possible to carry out all the necessary work.
An internal combustion engine is a type of heat engine motor in which the energy of liquid or gaseous carbon fuel is converted into mechanical work. Due to the instant combustion of fuel in the working area of the cylinder, a rotational-translational movement is provided , which drives the crankshaft. This is the essence of the operation of a fuel-powered engine.
As a rule, an internal combustion engine, as well as its main characteristics, are familiar to an ordinary person by the example of a car engine. Everyone knows that engine power directly depends on the volume of its cylinders, because the larger they are, the more fuel mixture can flow, as a result of which the impact on the crankshaft will be stronger. If we talk about industrial engines that are installed in power plants, industrial plants, refrigeration plants and other structures, then their power is measured by many hundreds of horsepower.
The system of operation of any fuel engine necessarily includes a cooling and lubrication system. Since a significant amount of thermal energy is released during the process, a special cooling jacket is made in it to prevent overheating of the engine . Thanks to it, the cylinders are cooled, and the internal combustion engine has the ability to work for a long time without interruption. In addition, an integral part of any motor is the lubrication system, which allows to reduce the wear coefficient of all rubbing parts. A lot depends on the quality of engine oil, therefore various oils are produced for different types of engines, which can be synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral. A new engine, as a rule, is refilled with mineral oil, since it provides a better abrasion of new parts among themselves. Subsequently, it is replaced with a synthetic or semi-synthetic, depending on the requirements of the manufacturer.
All engines of this type are divided into two large groups:
- Two stroke internal combustion engine. It is installed, as a rule, on light vehicles like motorcycles, scooters, scooters and mopeds. Such a motor consists of a crankcase in which a crankshaft with cylinders is installed on both sides through bearings. In each of these cylinders there is a piston, which is a metal cup surrounded by special rings embedded in grooves. They are necessary so that the exhaust gases do not fall into the gap between the machine tools of the cylinder and the piston. The latter is connected to the connecting rod through a special sleeve (finger), which, in turn, transmits a rectilinear movement to the crankshaft.
- Four stroke internal combustion engine. It has a more complex design, due to which all rotational-translational motion is carried out in 4 cycles. It is with such engines that all cars are equipped, since such a system provides the maximum power that is necessary for the movement of a heavy vehicle.
Modern internal combustion engines are constantly being improved, as a result of which their efficiency level increases and power increases. Despite the fact that from an environmental point of view, they harm the environment, they still occupy first place in terms of application among all other types of motors. Electric motors cannot yet compete with them, since their power is an order of magnitude lower.