S.I.

Engine
Mixture Preparation
Carburetion

Mixture Requirements
Engine induction and fuel system must prepare a fuel-air
mixture that satisfies the requirements of the engine over
its entire operating regime.
Optimum air-fuel ratio for an SI engine is that which gives
1. required power output
2. with lowest fuel consumption
3. consistent with smooth and reliable operation
In Practice
1. The constraints of emission control may dictate a different
air/ fuel ratio
2. The recycling of a fraction of the exhaust gases(EGR) into
the intake system
Relative proportions of fuel and air that give the above
requirements depend on engine speed and load.

Mixture requirements for various conditions

Steady running condition Continuous operation at a given
speed and power output with normal engine temperatures
Transient operation starting, warm-up and acceleration
The evaporation of the fuel may be incomplete, the
quantity of liquid fuel in the inlet manifold may be
increasing or decreasing
The distribution of fuel to various cylinders may be
different

Steady state condition

Idling condition : A/F 7:1 ( Mixture must be enriched)
To prevent the dilution of fresh charge
The richening of mixture increases the probability of contact
between fuel and air particles
Cruising range : A/ F ratio 16:1
Exhaust gas dilution problem is insignificant
Power range: A/F 12:1
To prevent the overheating of exhaust valves & the area near
it

Transient condition
Starting & warm up requirements: A/F 5:1
The ratio of evaporated fuel in the air may be too lean to
ignite (much of fuel in liquid form)
As the engine warm up the amount of evaporated fuel
increases and hence the mixture ratio progressively made
leaner to avoid too rich evaporated fuel air ratio
Too high or too low volatility, both create difficulties in
operation
Acceleration: mixture must be enriched
Liquid fuel lags behind
Temporary lean mixture causing the engine to misfire and
a temporary reduction in power output

CARBURETION
The process of formation of a combustible fuel-air mixture
by mixing the proper amount of fuel with air before it is
admitted into the engine cylinder.
The carburetor is a device which atomizes the fuel and
mixes it with air

Factors affecting Carburetion

Engine speed. In a 4-stroke engine running at 3000

rev/min, the intake will take about 10 ms during which
the fuel has to evaporate, mix with air and be inducted
into the engine.
Vaporization characteristics of the fuel. Will require a
volatile fuel for quick evaporation and mixing with air.
The temperature of the in coming air. Must be high
enough to be able to evaporate the fuel and yet not too
high as to reduce mass of fresh charge.
Design of the carburetor. This will help in proper
introduction of fuel into the air stream and provide proper
distribution of the mixture to the various cylinders.

Air-fuel ratio neglecting compressibility of air

Air fuel ratio provided by a simple carburetor

If (p1- p2 )is less than gzf No fuel flow

As the air flow increases (p1- p2 ) increases and when (p1p2 ) > gzf fuel flow begins

At low loads the mixture becomes leaner : the engine

requires the mixture to be enriched at low loads

At intermediate loads, the mixture becomes slightly rich

as the air flow increases.

As the air flow approaches the max wide open throttle

value, mixture becomes progressively rich

Fuel flow rate increases more rapidly than the air flow rate

At high altitudes, the density of air is low mixture

becomes richer

Deficiencies of Elementary Carburetor

Thus, the elementary carburetor cannot provide the
variation in mixture ratio which the engine requires over
the complete load range at any given speed.
The elementary carburetor cannot compensate for transient
phenomena in the intake manifold.
It also cannot provide a rich mixture during engine starting
and warm-up.
It cannot adjust to changes in ambient air density due to
changes in altitude.

Modern Carburetor Design

The Main metering system: Constant lean or

stoichiometric mixture over 20 to 80% of the air flow range
An Idle system: To meter the fuel flow at idle and light
loads to provide a rich mixture
An enrichment system: The engine can get a rich mixture
as WOT conditions is approached and maximum power
can be obtained
An accelerator pump : Additional fuel can be introduced
into the engine only when the throttle is suddenly opened
A choke : To enrich the mixture during cold starting and
warm-up to ensure that a combustible mixture is provided
to each cylinder at the time of ignition
Altitude compensation: To adjust the fuel flow which
makes the mixture rich when air density is lowered

Main metering system

Air bleed jet Use of compensating jet increasing flow of air through
fuel passage
Use of emulsion tube air bleeding alone
Back suction control or pressure reduction in float chamber
Use of an auxiliary air valve or port admits additional air

Compensating Jet

Acceleration Pump System

Power Enrichment System

Fig. Choke system

Fig. Idling system

Some manufacturers make the choke operate automatically by

means of a thermostat such that when the engine is cold the choke
is closed by a bimetallic element

Boost Venturi
The discharge edge of the boost venturi is located at the throat of
the main venturi
To reduce the pressure loss across the total venturi system, without
increasing the height of the carburetor
High depression in the region of fuel nozzle
Fuel is introduced at boost venturi throat
Fuel is better atomized in the smaller boost venturi with its higher
air velocity
Velocity of air is as high as 200 m/s

Multiple Barrel Carburettor

Each of multiple barrel contains a fuel jet, a venturi tube , an
idling system, a choke and a throttle
Common float chamber and accelerating pump
Cars with six or more cylinders each venturi supplies the airfuel mixture to half of the cylinder
Charge of air-fuel mixture distributed in a uniform manner
In some designs, half of the multi barrel carburetor operates as a
unit during light load and cruising speeds. (Primary unit)
The other half of the carburetor acts a supplementary unit during
top speed and full throttle operation. (Secondary unit)
The throttle of secondary unit remains closed at lower engine
speeds.
No idle and choke systems in secondary unit
The secondary barrel larger cross sectional area

Multiple Barrel Carburettor

Dual Barrel carburettor

Carter 4 barrel
Chevrolet 4 barrel

Altitude compensation

Carburettor Types
Downdraught - High engine speed
Updraught It must lift the sprayed fuel droplet by air
friction
Designed for small mixing tubes and throat

Cross draught Low resistance to flow

Types of carburetors
Constant choke carburetor Constant air and fuel flow areas
Need compensating devices
Depression being varied as per the demand
Solex, Carter and Zenith carburetors
Constant vacuum carburetor or Variable choke carburetor
S.U carburetors (Jeeps)
Air and fuel passage are varied with different engine
speeds

Constant vacuum carburetor

Anti Dieseling system

Dieseling : A SI engine sometimes continuous to run for a
very small period after the ignition is switched off.
Engine idling speed set to high
Engine overheating
Too high spark plug heat range
Increase in compression ratio due to carbon deposits
Anti-dieseling system: Has a solenoid valve operated idling
circuit

Carburetor Icing

At 5C & High Humidity

At throttle valve, idle port & venturi
Add additives like alcohol
Preheat the intake air

Carburettor size
Carburetor size must be matched to flow for displacement
and rpms that engine is used. Changing either will require
an adjustment to the carburetor to match.
Size of venturi throat 30 to 35 mm
Jet diameter 1/16 of venturi
Pr drop 50mm of Hg

Carburettor Throttle Bore Diameter

D = K x SQRT( C x N )
D is throttle bore diameter, in millimeters
K is a constant ( approx. 0.65 to 0.9, derive from
existing carburetor bore)
C is cylinder displacement, in liters
N is RPM at peak power

FEEDBACK CONTOL CARBURETOR