Diesel engine

Figure 1 A diagram of an inline four-cylinder cylinder engine. The pistons are in gray, the camshaft is in green, and the block is transparent

A diesel engine is a type of internal combustion heat engine, powered by diesel. These engines run small electricity generators called diesel generators often in remote areas as well as the engines of cars and trucks (both large and small).

Processes

Fuel ignition

Diesel engines ignite their fuel through compression. Temperature of gas molecules rises when the volume decreases because of the ideal gas law (unless the gas is cooled at the same time). Diesel engines rely on this. A piston compresses the air in the cylinder (see figure 1), making it extremely hot. The diesel is then atomized in the injectors, and a mist is sprayed into the hot air. The hot air immediately ignites the fuel, providing ignition.

This ignition makes the diesel burn with oxygen from the atmosphere, which turns the chemical energy into increased temperature, which allows the gas to push back out on the piston, see figure 1.

When cold, diesel engines use a heated piece of metal called a glow-plug to help ignite the diesel.

Starting up

Starting a diesel engine is harder than starting a gasoline engine because of how diesel engines ignite their fuel. The diesel starter motor must be strong enough to force compression inside the cylinders, allowing for ignition. This means it is attached to the crankshaft, so as to cycle the pistons. This requires higher power draw than a traditional, spark-ignited engine, so diesel engines have more robust batteries.

Parts of a diesel engine

Block

The block is the backbone of the engine. It is a large block of metal, usually aluminum or steel (Le Mans Prototype racers use an iron block{cite}), with holes cut into it for the cylinders.

Cylinders

The cylinders of an engine are where the work is done. Fuel is injected into the cylinders, where it is ignited by the spark plugs, which moves the pistons, doing work.

Pistons

Pistons are devices that slide up and down inside the cylinders. Their job is to slide in and out, connected to the crankshaft, in order to turn the combusting diesel into work.

Camshaft

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A camshaft is a device that manages the timing of the engine. A camshaft's job is to regulate when fuel is let into the engine, and when exhaust is let out. This seemingly simple job can have a great effect on the performance of the engine.

Injectors

The purpose of a fuel injector is to atomize the fuel. This means to turn the liquid fuel into a mist, which drastically increases its surface area. This allows the fuel to combust more quickly, giving greater impulse to the piston. Fuel injectors are an improvement over carburetors because they are lower maintenance, and atomize the fuel better. Fuel injection allows for higher engine efficiency, which can lead to more power, and better gas mileage.

Crankshaft

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The crankshaft is the most important part of the engine because it connects the parts together, and allows the engine to create power. Its purpose is to turn the linear (up and down) motion of the pistons into rotational motion. One end of the crankshaft is attached to the camshaft, via a timing belt. The other end is connected to the flywheel, which regulates the power coming out of the engine, sort of like a surge protector for your computer.

Starter motor

This is one of the biggest differences between a diesel engine and a gasoline one. Because diesel engines ignite their fuel through compression, the starter motor must be able to cause that compression, so the engine will begin to move. This means the battery on a diesel-engined car must be more powerful than the one on a gasoline-engined car.