Internal Combustion Engine

While the invention of the internal combustion engine revolutionized transportation in the 20th century, it also brought with it many inherent problems, including a dependence on natural resources (oil) and air pollution, both of which have spurred research in recent years to find an alternative power source to run public and private forms of transportation. The best alternative is the battery-powered electric vehicle, but the limits of current technology severely restrict its practicality in terms of range, performance, cost, and flexibility (Siuru, 1998).

High fuel efficiency and performance, lower emissions of greenhouse gases, and reasonable maintenance requirements are sought after features for engineers working to develop electric power generation systems for a free-piston internal combustion engine and fuel cell-powered vehicles (DeGaspari, 2000; Heldref, 1999). A free-piston engine incorporates a linear alternator and uses an unconventional combustion approach known as homogeneous charge compression ignition in which fuel and air are premixed and compressed until the heat of compression makes them react. In this type of engine, the piston moves in a two-stroke cycle between combustion chambers in a double-sided cylinder. The free-piston configuration generates electric power and controls the compression ratio by varying the rate of electrical generation. The compression ratio can be varied by how much energy is taken from the alternator.

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Category: Science - I