1. Intake Stroke:
- The piston moves down within the cylinder, creating a low-pressure area.
- A mixture of fuel and air (in gasoline engines) or air (in diesel engines) is drawn into the cylinder through an intake valve.
2. Compression Stroke:
- The piston moves up in the cylinder, compressing the air-fuel mixture or air, significantly increasing its pressure and temperature.
3. Power Stroke:
- At the top of the compression stroke, a spark plug (in gasoline engines) ignites the compressed air-fuel mixture, creating a controlled explosion.
- This rapid expansion of gases generates high pressure, forcing the piston down with tremendous force.
- The downward motion of the piston creates mechanical energy.
4. Exhaust Stroke:
- As the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder, an exhaust valve opens.
- The piston moves up again, pushing the exhaust gases out of the cylinder and through the exhaust system.
5. Repeating the Cycle:
- The engine continuously repeats these four strokes in sequence - intake, compression, power, and exhaust.
- The crankshaft converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into rotational motion, which is then transmitted to the propeller or other mechanisms to generate thrust and propel the aircraft forward.
Additional components and systems play crucial roles in the functioning of an aircraft reciprocating engine, such as fuel injection systems, ignition systems, cooling systems, and lubrication systems, among others. Efficient engine design, material selection, and precise engineering ensure that these engines deliver reliable performance and power for various types of aircraft.
