Combustion chamber (redirected from combustion chambers)

Combustion chamber

The space at the head end of an internal combustion engine cylinder where most of the combustion takes place. See Combustion

In the spark-ignition engine, combustion is initiated in the mixture of fuel and air by an electrical discharge. The resulting reaction moves radially across the combustion space as a zone of active burning, known as the flame front. The velocity of the flame increases nearly in proportion to engine speed so that the distance the engine shaft turns during the burning process is not seriously affected by changes in speed. See Internal combustion engine, Spark plug

Occasionally a high burning rate, or too rapid change in burning rate, gives rise to unusual noise and vibration called engine roughness. Roughness may be reduced by using less squish or by shaping the combustion chamber to control the area of the flame front. A short burning time is helpful in eliminating knock because the last part of the charge is burned by the flame before it has time to ignite spontaneously.

In compression-ignition (diesel) engines, the fuel is injected late in the compression stroke into highly compressed air. Mixing must take place quickly, especially in smaller high-speed engines, if the fuel is to find oxygen and burn while the piston remains near top center. After a short delay, the injected fuel ignites from contact with the hot air in the cylinder. There is no flame front travel to limit the combustion rate.

If mixing of fuel and air is too thorough by the end of the delay period, high rates of pressure rise result, and the operation of the engine is rough and noisy. To avoid this condition, the auxiliary chamber is most compression-ignition engines operates at high temperature so that the fuel ignites soon after injection begins. This reduces the amount of fuel present and the degree of mixing at the time that ignition takes place. High rates of pressure rise can also be reduced by keeping most of the fuel separated from the chamber air until the end of the delay period. Rapid mixing must then take place to ensure efficient burning of the fuel while the piston is near top center. See Diesel engine