Question

Describe how the diesel engine works

Answer 1

An internal combustion diesel engine works on diesel cycle.Diesel engine convert Diesel's chemical energy into mechanical energy. This process happens in four steps.

1. Cycle starts with the piston extended, the cylinder volume is at its maximum and is filled with air
2. The piston pushes into the cylinder, compressing the air (~20 times), and increasing the temperature dramatically (~1,000° F)
3. Diesel fuel is sprayed into the chamber, and ignited by the high temperature of the air trapped in the cylinder; the pressure in the cylinder increases due to the fuel ignition, and pushes the piston out; this is where the engine is doing work for you
4. When the piston is fully extended at it original position (1), the gas in the cylinder is let out; the piston pushes one more time into the cylinder, this time with the gas in the cylinder allowed to escape as exhaust
5. The piston pulls out of the cylinder, sucking new air into the cylinder (oxygen is needed to get the fuel burn in step (3)); the cycle repeats