Figure 1: A four -cylinder four-stroke engine

Project 1:
Reciprocating/internal combustion engines are widely used as a portable electrical generator in many commercial and industrial applications. You are required to describe the operation sequence of different types of available engines and explain their mechanical efficiency.

You have been asked to deliver a detailed technical report and show your approach in solving and discussing the following:

1. By constructing simple sketch, show the properties and characteristics of reciprocating/internal combustion engine of both spark ignition (SI) and compression ignition (CI). You must indicate the following, in case they are existed:

a. Piston-cylinder parts, Top dead centre TDC, Bottom dead centre BDC, and Clarence volume.

b. Intake vale, Exhaust Valve, Spark plug, Stroke displacement, Bore dimeter.

c. Show the complete cycle of ideal Otto and Diesel cycles by means of P-V and T-S diagrams, showing on them the input and output heat and net output work, process type (isentropic, isobaric or isothermal).

2. Describe the operational sequence of four stroke spark ignition (SI) and four stroke compression ignition (CI) engines, plot the P-V and T-S diagrams for each process during the cycle with the aid of sketches to show the mechanical operation of the piston-cylinder at each process as follows:

a. The thermodynamics cycle must indicate the input and output heat and net output work, process type (isentropic, isobaric or isothermal).

b. The piston-cylinder mechanical sketches must indicate the input and output heat.

c. The piston-cylinder mechanical sketches must indicate the movement of piston (upward/downward).

d. The piston-cylinder mechanical sketches must indicate the expansion and compression.

e. The piston-cylinder mechanical sketches must indicate the air-fuel mixture intake and exhaust gasses.

f. The piston-cylinder mechanical sketches must indicate when the spark plug is in its active mode.

3. What parameter would you use to measure the mechanical efficiency of two and four stroke engines and what parameter would you fix to compare between both types. Show your explanation using the appropriate relation, compare the mechanical efficiency of both two and four stroke engines in terms of their power-to-weight and power-to-volume ratios and provide a list showing the advantages and disadvantages of four-stroke (4S) and two stroke (2S) engines.