Internal combustion engines and their classifications

Internal combustion engines produce useful mechanical energy by converting chemical energy into thermal energy. In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber is an integral component of the working fluid circuit.

Classifications of internal combustion engines

Internal combustion engines can be classified into a large number of types, based on several criteria, which are:

ACCORDING TO FUEL USED

• Diesel engine: These engines make use of diesel as fuel. They are used in trucks, buses, cars etc.
• Petrol engine: These engines use petrol as fuel. They are used in bikes, sports cars, luxury cars etc.
• Gas engine: These use CNG and LPG as fuel. They are used in some light motor vehicles

BASED ON TYPE OF CYCLE

• Otto cycle engine
• Diesel cycle engine
• Dual cycle engine

BASED ON NUMBER OF STROKES PER CYCLE

• Two-stroke Engine e.g. motorcycles and lawnmowers
• Four-stroke Engine e.g. cars and trucks

BASED ON NUMBER OF CYLINDERS

• Single cylinder engine: Motorcycles and motor scooters
• Multi-cylinder engine
• Twin cylinder engine
• Four cylinder engine
• Six cylinder engine
• Eight cylinder engine
• Twelve cylinder engine
• Sixteen cylinder engine

  

BASED ON TYPE OF IGNITION

• Compressed ignition engine: Burning of fuel starts due to a rise in temperature during compression of air. This involves no spark plug.
• Spark ignition engine: This engine involves a spark plug which generates a spark to ignite the fuel inside the cylinder

BASED ON TYPE OF LUBRICATION

• Dry sump lubricated engine: Examples include race cars and aerobatic aircraft
• Wet sump lubricated engine

BASED ON COOLING SYSTEM USED

• Air-cooled engine
• Water-cooled engine

BASED ON ARRANGEMENT OF VALVES

• L-head engine
• I-head engine
• T-head engine
• F-head engine

BASED ON POSITION OF CYLINDERS

• Radial engine
• V engine
• W engine
• Horizontal engine
• Vertical engine
• Inline engine
• Opposed Piston engine
• Opposed Cylinder engine

BASED ON PRESSURE BOOST GIVEN TO THE INLET OR AIR-FUEL MIXTURE

• Naturally aspired engine
• Supercharged engine
• Turbocharged engine
• Crankcase compressed engine

BASED ON APPLICATION

• Automobile engine
• Aircraft engine
• Locomotive engine
• Marine engine
• Stationary engine

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