As mentioned earlier, this fuel ignition process and the combustion of an IC occur inside an engine. Combustion, also known as burning, is a basic process for releasing energy from an air-energy mixture. An engine then uses some of this combustion energy to produce work.
An internal combustion engine comprises a moving piston and fixed cylinder, and the expanding gases push the piston, which then rotates the crankshaft. The spark ignites a fuel-air combination after a piston compresses it, resulting in combustion. Also, during the power stroke, the piston is propelled by the expanding combustion gases. This motion ultimately propels the wheels of a car through the powertrain's gearing system.
Moreover, there are two types of functioning in internal combustion engines as per the following classification–
- Spark ignition gasoline engine
- Compression ignition diesel engine.
The only difference between these two is how they ignite and deliver fuel. In spark ignition gasoline engine, during the intake process, air and fuel are combined before being drawn into the cylinder. This spark ignites after the fuel-air mixture is compressed by a piston, and then it sources combustion. Furthermore, during a power stroke, the piston is pushed by the expansion of combustion gases.
On the other hand, the air is taken into an engine before being compressed in the case of a diesel engine. For ignition, fuel is then sprayed into the heated compressed air by diesel engines in a precise proportion.