#15 Car Engines – The 4 Stroke Cycle

A car’s engine basically functions as the brain behind all the mechanics. It enable the power generated by the engine’s cylinders to be transferred to the car’s rear wheels. Here, we take a closer look at one of the cylinder in the engine compartment and learn how it works in the famous 4 Stroke Cycle.

1) Intake Stroke

ü  The piston located in the cylinder descends, enable air into the cylinder through an open intake valve.

ü  The fuel is injected into the cylinder from fuel injector.

ü  The image below demonstrates how the intake stroke work.

2) Compression Stroke

ü  Now, all the valves are closed, the piston comes up.

ü  In the process, the fuel and air mixture is compressed.

ü  The compression of the mixture creates power and efficiency that run the car.

ü  The image below demonstrates how the compression work.

3) Power Stroke

ü  The spark plug located at the top of the piston ignites a spark.

ü  The spark creates a downward force for the piston to go to the bottom of the cylinder again.

ü  Generally, the smaller the cylinder, the smoother the explosion produced by the spark.

ü  The image below demonstrates how the power work.

4) Exhaust Stroke

ü  The piston return to the top again.

ü  This time force the spent fuel-air mixture (wastes) out through the open exhaust valve.

ü  The image below demonstrates how the exhaust work.

 The Full Model

After looking at how one cylinder works in the engine systems, we now take a closer look at a basic 4 cylinders engine configurations.

The Engine Full Scale Model

The moment the piston in the cylinder moves up and down, it turns the crank beneath it so that the crank will produce a continuous rotation about the crankshaft (see picture). The car’s power is delivered from the crankshaft and eventually to the wheels. Note that the crank for each cylinder does not rotate at the same feat; it has to be counterweights to produce a balanced spin.

The timing belt helps to synchronize the rotation of the crankshaft and the camshafts. This is to ensure the engine’s valves open and close at proper times during each cylinder’s intake and exhaust strokes. (One full crankshaft revolution is equivalent to the complete 4 Stroke Cycle)

Basic and Common Engine Configurations

1) V-Twin

ü  Two-cylinder arrangement.

ü  Mostly used in vehicles that utilize smaller horsepower.

ü  For instance, most Harley-Davidson motorcycles have this type of configuration.

A spotted V-Twin in a Harley-Davidson

2) Flat Four

ü  Known as inline-4 cylinder as four cylinders are arranged in flat, opposing configuration.

ü  Neat and require less space compared to the V-shaped arrangements.

Flat Four Engine Arrangement

3) V6

ü  Have six opposing cylinders arranged in a ‘‘V’’ shape.

ü  Suitable for performance cars; commonly the SUVs, MPVs and sport cars.

ü  Believed to be able to deliver more power from the car’s engine.

The V6 Engine

4) V8

ü  Have eight opposing cylinders arranged in a ‘‘V’’ shape.

ü  Suitable for super-performance cars; commonly the muscle-car applications or heavy duty engines.

The V8 Engine Model

After discussing the working principle of the cylinders in a car’s engine, we see the variables that capable to bring the most out of the engine’s package. In other words, the horsepower output.

Increase displacement. More displacement in the engine increases the overall power output. For each revolution, more gas (fuel) is burnt. The increase of combustion release more power to the wheels.

Increase the compression ratio. Higher compression ratios in a car will produce more power. This indicates a more complete fuel-air mixture compression. Higher-octane gasolines are designed for cars with high compression ratios.

Maximize the fuel-air mixture in each cylinder. For any given size of cylinder, the maximum of fuel-air mixture would generate more power just like how you increase the cylinder’s size. This application is commonly seen in turbochargers and superchargers. ( I will discuss about the turbochargers and superchargers’ applications in future post)

Cool the air in the engine. The compression process raise the air’s temperature. A hotter air expands less for combustion to take place, hence, rob the engine of its power. An intercooler helps compressed air that passes through it to cool before entering the cylinder.

Summary

The Camshaft

To sum it up, a car engine consists of multiple cylinders to produce power for the wheels. The intake, compression, power and exhaust strokes constitute the basic principle of The 4 Stroke Cycle we discussed today. In addition, the most common types of engine configurations are being discussed and compared. Lastly, ways and methods to improve the engine’s power output are examined.

In the next automotive article, we will look at another part of the car’s engine which is closely related to The 4 Stroke Cycle – The camshafts. Stay tuned!

Sources: www.auto.howstuffworks.com

               www.animagraffs.com

By: Vincent Ti 

#14 Under Wraps

     Secrets. Lies. They are the inner voices that hide within our conscious minds. They are the words that represent our feeling. In reality, why do we seem to have all the mess and bewildering approach in dealing with them?

Do we really have something more important than the fried chicken's
 recipes to conceal?

When facing with adversity, we have fear. It is the fear of how the whole world will look upon us in the event of complete failure, the fear of losing, the fear of fall from grace, just to name a few. At this stage, our brain will stimulate a response either to face the anxiety by sharing the stories with our loved ones or simply put a sock on it.

I remembered when I was a kid, I lied to my mother that I need more pocket money because the price for the food in my school canteen was too expensive. 

Feeling for the welfare of her son, my mother hastily agreed to raise my daily expenses without much deliberation. At the end of the month, I would use the extra collections to purchase my favourite miniature. Look. Everybody have lies and we seem to understand that these falsehoods are generally not confined to the gender, age, or the type of any person.

All in all, an adult’s every action and behavior will certainly carry an impact over the person around them. Specifically, a person’s age has nothing to do with spreading lies in that person. But, the age appropriateness has something to do with a liar.

For example, look at the situation I enlisted above. A kid would lie primarily to taste the little reward of his deceit. We have a sense of forgiving towards them considering their age and innocence. A grown-up person who cheats could possibly spell trouble to the environment, or, in worse case, the people who care about them the most. This is inexcusable for most people.

As an adult, people expect the words that come out from our mouth are true and believable. We do not simply create a public misconception on us until we are deemed untrustworthy by the society. The moment we find our friend have doubt in our words, it could possibly indicate that we do not possess that kind of impression whom people find they can trust upon.

In writing this article, it gave me plenty of headache as to muster all my experiences in my life from meeting with the different type of people who spread all kind of lies into this blog entry. No offense intended.

There are moments where we did something extremely bad, embarrassing, and therefore, we feel obliged to hide the facts from the people concerned. Although it sounds incredibly unfair to the people we cheated if we remain silent, we realize the act of divulging would end up with a greater backlash. As a result, we keep everything under wraps for as long as we can, and, if possible, for the whole lifetime! Anyway, it also sounds tad indecent to discern the right from wrong from the situation mentioned, or, vice versa.

The main point is if we choose to discuss the problems at the first place, perhaps we would gain a chance to repent after our past actions. We can make mistakes and as long we are determined enough to turn over a new leaf, so why not? On the other hand, the unintentional leaks of some undesirable secrets in the future may carry a way more serious repercussion to the culprits.

In a conversation with my mother on a particular day, we both came to a point and agreed that our family members are lucky enough indeed in the sense we have each other’s support and companion when things turn wrong.

We realized it is utterly important to have someone for us to turn to when we entangled with obstacles in our lives. ‘‘There are dozens of people around us who could not find someone whom they find reliable to share their thoughts’’, my mother observed.

So, the next time you find someone trustable who offers assistance to share your problems, don’t neglect them. They can be your family members, relatives, or close friends. In the end, feeling comfortable when talking to that person is what matters most. Since we have the courage to err, why we do not have the courage to admit them?

By: Vincent Ti 

#13 Formula OneTM Half-term Report (Part 2)

The previous part of this article features several key themes of the 2014 Formula 1 season. Meanwhile, in this part we will see how the abolishment of the Front-Rear Interconnected Suspensions (FRIC) system will impact teams in terms of performance, the unsuccessful attempt to turn up F1 volumes and Pirelli’s new 18-inch concept tyres.

The cartoon figures of F1 drivers

Ø  Measures to increase the sounds and its setback

With the move from V8 to V6 engines, the volume produced by the engines will be significantly reduced, by around 11dB. That is quite something. 

The unsuccessful vuvuzela style exhaust bolted on to the Mercedes W05 Hybrid during a testing this year

As a result, Mercedes have tested a vuvuzela style megaphone exhaust (as shown in picture below) in attempt to make the quieter new cars sound louder during the in-season testing in Barcelona, earlier of the season. However, it was not a great solution as the move did not make the sound much louder.

Ø  Removal of FRIC

People concerned with Formula 1 would know the FRIC suspensions have been around for many years and are not something new. To keep it simple, FRIC are used to help generate more underbody downforce by adjusting the car’s ride height when it is braking.

Theoretically, without the FRIC in a car will add to its instability when the car brakes and during corner entry. If you have something like FRIC, you can possibly lower the car’s overall ride height when the car changes attitude. As a result, engineers are able to have a more aggressive front wing aero-map that in turn increases the car’s overall downforce and therefore grip.

The figure shows how the hydraulic actuators are connected in the Mercedes W05

However, FIA deemed the FRIC have contravened with certain technical regulations and imposed the abolishment with immediate effect, starting at the German Grand Prix.

The pecking orders remained more or less the same after the removal. As we can see in the German Grand Prix, a race still won by Mercedes, did not produce significant overall performance differences between teams. With not much low-speed corners, the removal of FRIC did not produce much difference.

A closer look at the complicated suspension detail

Teams expected a smaller performance gap in Hungary, a tight and twisty circuit which requires a lot of braking. In such conditions, the removal of the systems will impact certain teams more than others. Again, the overall order in the grid did not changed much in the final classifications. Anyway, the effects of the removal remained to be seen in coming races.

Ø  New 18-inch concept tyres

F1 cars currently use 13-inch tyres, Pirelli has suggested that running with the larger wheels and tyres would lead to greater technology transfer between F1 tyres and road car rubber. A move away from the existing 13-inch rubber would not be without its problems, as the tyre forms an important part of an Formula One car’s suspension and damping, hence any change would necessitate a significant re-think of suspension geometry.

The different compounds supplied by Pirelli in Formula 1

However, the new tyres are believed to have stiffer sidewall that helps maintain the tyre’s structural rigidity and make it easier for the tyre to maintain a constant pressure. The diameter of the concept 18-inch tyres is bigger by 30 mm but the weight is approximately the same as the 13-inch tyre due to a smaller sidewall. It is interesting to note how great the impact of the usage would lead to technology transfers to road car tyres in near future.

Ø  Summary

As the second half of the season just two weeks away, be well prepared to see how the teams fared after the summer break. A message to all Formula 1 or automotive fans, I hope I do have enough time to make analysis on something like this or any car-related subjects again in near future.

Although the information in these articles came from several resources from the net, it swallowed up plenty of time to re-think, adjusting and compiling everything into a single simple report, and not just adapting to the ‘copy and paste’ method. Hopefully there will be more ideas exchange for us automotive enthusiast. Excuse me for any inappropriate words used or any misinterpretion that are deemed misleading.

Sources: http:// en.m.wikipedia.org

               http:// www.skysportsf1.com

               http:// www.grandprix247.com

               http:// www.formula1.com

               http:// www.f1zone.net

By: Vincent Ti

#12 Formula One TM Half-term Report (Part 1)

With the Formula 1 season approaches the summer break, some teams are looking forward to the break more than others while some cannot wait for the next race to come. It is cruel but true all the time because in Formula 1, when your progress or rate of development are slower than others, then you are taking a step backward relative to your competitors, and, vice versa.

Formula One heading for the beach

As the compulsory break for teams get underway, we take a brief analysis over the key themes of the first half of the FIA Formula One 2014 season.

Ø  The dominance of Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid

The team has enjoyed a flying start to their campaign; claiming every pole, led every lap and most importantly, won every race up to the Monaco Grand Prix. The winning streaks only came to a halt at the Canadian Grand Prix where Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull Racing beat Nico Rosberg to the win, after the car’s motor generator unit for MGU-K failed.

As the season progresses, Mercedes went on to win a few more races up to the German Grand Prix by their drivers. However, the last race before the summer break was the Hungarian Grand Prix. With chaotic conditions between the rain and safety car interventions, Daniel Ricciardo, once again took initiatives and pounced on the chances with perfect strategies to win his second race of the season and also in his Formula1 career.

The Mercedes W05 Hybrid

The F1 W05 Hybrid is said to be so dominant because of an innovative design feature on the PU106A, the car’s engine. It is reportedly that the compressor and turbine of the turbo are packaged at the opposite ends of the internal combustion engine, which gives them the edge in packaging, aerodynamic efficiency and battery usage. (For more detailed explanation on the engine’s configurations, see #7 Understanding 2014 Formula One Engines - Technical Specifications and Configuration

To sum it up, Mercedes has won 9 races out of 11 in the first half of the season, with the remaining two won by Red Bull Racing. In the constructor stakes, Mercedes lead the table with 393 points after 11 races, followed by Red Bull Racing with 219 points in second. Only 7 points separate the third and fourth-placed teams of Ferrari and Williams at 142 points and 135 points respectively.

Ø  The Championships fight getting more intense as the season evolves

The fight for the driver’s championship looks increasingly likely to be the affairs between the Mercedes drivers – Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Given the superiority of their cars on the tracks in terms of efficiency and performance, few would have bet their money against any one of the Mercedes drivers claiming away the most coveted prizes in Formula 1 this year.

Nico Rosberg (left) and Lewis Hamilton (right) in happier times

Nico Rosberg has 4 wins under his belt to his Briton team-mate Lewis Hamilton, 5 wins. Owing to more finish in the points, the German leads his team-mate by 11 points. The following is a synopsis detailing the duo’s key battles for the title that we have witnessed so far this season.

Australia

ü  Hamilton took pole position but retired from the race due to an engine problem.

ü  Rosberg won the race.

The start of Australian Grand Prix 2014

Malaysia

ü  Hamilton won from pole.

ü  Rosberg finished second to complete a Mercedes 1-2.

The Malaysian Grand Prix podium

Bahrain

ü  Rosberg took pole but lost place to his team-mate to finish second.

ü  Hamilton won the race.

Playful fisticuffs between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg may just get serious

China

ü  Hamilton won from pole.

ü  Rosberg finished second.

The Chinese Grand Prix 2014 podium; Rosberg (far left), Hamilton (second from right), Alonso (far right)

Spain

ü  Hamilton won from pole.

ü  Rosberg finished second behind his team-mate for the fourth consecutive time.

Monaco

ü  Rosberg stopped and skidded his car down an escape road at Turn 5, Mirabeau during the dying period of qualifying, bringing out the yellow flags.

An aerial view of the glamorous Monaco Grand Prix

ü  This prevent Hamilton from setting his own pace and the relationship between the two became severely strained as a result.

ü  Rosberg won, Hamilton finished second.

Canada

ü  Rosberg took pole, finished second due to a MGU-K failure.

ü  Hamilton retired with a rear brake problem.

Daniel Ricciardo claims his maiden F1 win in Canada

Austria

ü  Rosberg qualified third, won the race.

ü  Hamilton does the damage limitation, started ninth and finished second.

Britain

ü  Hamilton won after qualified sixth.

ü  Rosberg suffered his first race retirement of the year.

Germany

ü  Rosberg won from pole.

ü  Hamilton finished third after suffering brake disc failure in his car during qualifying that left him starting in 20^th place.

Lewis Hamilton crashed into the barriers during the qualifying session of the German Grand Prix

Hungary

ü  Hamilton’s car caught fire in qualifying, require a change of gearbox and chassis; started the race from pitlane. Rosberg on pole.

This guy is hot on fire!

ü  Hamilton was told not to hold his team-mate up with one-third of the race still remaining due to different strategies employed between the drivers.

ü  Hamilton ignored the team orders and the relationship between the two may have subsequently worsened as a result.

ü  Hamilton finished third, Rosberg fourth.

ü  The Formula 1 season approaches the annual compulsory break before the next race in Belgium.

Ø  Dwindling worldwide TV audience

Unlike in seasons past, Formula 1 have suffered big decline in global TV ratings in recent years. According to reports, a number of factors are apparently responsible for the alarming drop in the ratings.

In the Latin American zones alone, the decline in ratings has been a staggering 50 per cent. In Italy, the number of audience depends on the successes of Ferrari, the drop is 20 per cent based on the data from the first five races of 2014. In Spain, the decline is around 15 per cent.

Sebastian Vettel

According to analysis, the ratings decline began with Sebastian Vettel’s utter dominance a few years ago, when the global audience fell from 515 million in 2011, to 500 million in 2012. 

A further drop of 50 million viewers was recorded last year, ending with a nine-race winning streak by Vettel.




The major market in China and France did not help ease the situation, whereas Germany’s ratings decline was reportedly 10 per cent last year, but it has continued to drop a further 3 per cent in 2014, despite the prominence of Mercedes.

When conducting a survey across the globe to receive the feedback from fans about the new Formula 1, many were unconvinced with the quieter V6 engines. Most agreed that drivers are starting to save fuel and do not race their heart out during the race.

Ø  Summary

What is FRIC?

Have we had enough? Definitely not. In the first part of the article, we take a brief look at how the championships fight evolve as the season wear on as well as global audience’s perceptions concerning the V6 eras.

The sequel to this article will feature more technical aspects that set the difference between teams as well as the regulation changes which occurred in mid-season – abolishment of the Front-Rear Interconnected Suspensions (FRIC) system (pic)

Besides that, further improvements aimed to bring back those glitter days of Formula 1 will be discussed. So, stay tuned for the next part of this article to keep yourself abreast with the latest mind-blowing technical changes analysis!

Sources: http:// en.m.wikipedia.org

               http:// www.skysportsf1.com

               http:// www.grandprix247.com

               http:// www.formula1.com
By: Vincent Ti