S.I.

Engine
Mixture Preparation
Carburetion
 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.
 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
• Effect of air-fuel ratio on power output and specific fuel
consumption for a SI engine for full throttle and constant speed
condition
• Max power – 12.5:1(Max energy is released when slightly
excess fuel is introduced so that all the oxygen present in the
cylinder is utilized)
• Max efficiency – 17:1- Excess air requires for complete
combustion of fuel
• Too much lean- low flame speed
• For constant speed, throttle opening & ignition timing
• Point A - Weakest mixture- 22:1- Unsteady operation
• Point B- Max economy – 16:1
• Point D- Max power : 12:1
• Point E- Unsteady operation
 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
 Mixture Requirements
• Relative proportions of fuel and air that give the above
requirements depend on engine speed and load.
• Mixture requirements are different for full load (wide-open
throttle or WOT) and for part-load operation.
• At full load, complete utilization of inducted air to obtain
maximum power for a given displaced volume is the
critical issue.
• At part-load at a given speed, efficient utilization of fuel is
the critical issue.
Steady state condition
• Idling condition : A/F 8:1 ( 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 17:1
• 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 8:1
• 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
• Because of the inertia of the liquid fuel, the fuel flow
does not increase in proportion to the increase in air
flow
• Temporary lean mixture causing the engine to misfire
and a temporary reduction in power output
 .
Applying the continuity equation for the fuel, we can obtain the theoretical mass
m , from .
flow rate,
a ma   a A2 C 2

 A2 2  a  p1  p 2  (31)
where A2 is the venturi in m2. . If Cd,a is the coefficient of discharge of the
venturi given by ma
C d ,a  .
(32)
ma
.

m a  C d ,a A2 2  a  p1  p 2 
.
then (33)
.
Air A ma
Since
  . (34)
Fuel F m
f
 A C d ,a A2  a  p1  p 2 

 f  p1  p 2   f gz 
(35)
F Cd , f A f

A C d ,a A2 a  p1  p2 

F Cd , f A f f p1  p 2   f gz 
(35 A)

If we assume z = 0, then

A C d ,a A2 a
 (36)
F Cd , f A f f
 Air – fuel ratio provided by a simple carburetor
• If (p1- p2 )is less than gzf – No fuel flow
• As the air flow increases (p1- p2 ) increases and when
(p1- p2 ) > gzf fuel flow begins
• At high altitudes, the density of air is low – mixture
becomes richer
• 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 changes required in the elementary carburetor so that it
provides the equivalence ratio required at various air flow rates
are as follows.
1. The main metering system must be compensated to provide a
constant lean or stoichiometric mixture over 20 to 80% of the air
flow range.
2. An idle system must be added to meter the fuel flow at idle and
light loads to provide a rich mixture.
3. An enrichment system must be provided so that the engine can
get a rich mixture as WOT conditions is approached and
maximum power can be obtained.
4. An accelerator pump must be provided so that additional fuel
can be introduced into the engine only when the throttle is
suddenly opened.
5. A choke must be added 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.
6. Altitude compensation is necessary to adjust the fuel flow which
makes the mixture rich when air density is lowered.
7. Increase in the magnitude of the pressure drop available for
controlling the fuel flow is provided by introducing boost
venturis (Venturis in series) or Multiple-barrel carburetors
(Venturis in parallel).
 Main metering system
• 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
 • Fig. Choke system

Some manufacturers make the choke operate automatically by means

of a thermostat
Fig. Idling system
Carburetor Types
 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 5ºC & High Humidity
• At throttle valve, idle port & venturi
• Add additives like alcohol
• Preheat the intake air
Altitude compensation
• Influence the pressure in the float chamber
 Types of carburetors
• Constant choke carburetor– Constant air and
fuel flow areas
• Depression being varied as per the
demand
• Solex and Zenith carburetors
• Constant vacuum carburetor or Variable
choke carburetor
• S.U and Carter carburetors
• Multiple venturi carburetor
• The discharge edge of the boost
venturi is located at the throat of the
main venturi
• High depression in the region of fuel
nozzle
• Velocity of air is as high as 200 m/s
 Constant vacuum carburetor
• Pressure difference controlled by plunger & diaphragm
 Dual barrel carburetor
• Each of dual 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 air-fuel
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
FEEDBACK CONTOL CARBURETOR