How a Four-stroke cycle diesel engine works

Marine diesel engine guideline

: The four-stroke cycle is completed in four strokes of the piston, or two
revolutions of the crankshaft. In order to operate this cycle the engine
requires a mechanism to open and close the inlet and exhaust valves.

A cross-section of a four-stroke cycle engine is shown diagram. The

engine is made up of a piston which moves up and down in a cylinder
which is covered at the top by a cylinder head. The fuel injector,
through which fuel enters the cylinder, is located in the cylinder head.
The inlet and exhaust valves are also housed in the cylinder head and
held shut by springs. The piston is joined to the connecting rod by a
gudgeon pin.

The bottom end or big end of the connecting rod is joined to the
crankpin which forms part of the crankshaft. With this assembly the
linear up-and-down movement of the piston is converted into rotary
movement of the crankshaft.
The crankshaft is arranged to drive through gears the camshaft, which
either directly or through pushrods operates rocker arms which open the
inlet and exhaust valves. The camshaft is 'timed' to open the valves at
the correct point in the cycle. The crankshaft is surrounded by the
crankcase and the engine framework which supports the cylinders and
houses the crankshaft bearings. The cylinder and cylinder head are
arranged with water-cooling passages around them.

Comparison between two stroke cycle diesel engine and a four

stroke engine
: The main difference between the two cycles is the power developed.
The two-stroke cycle engine, with one working or power stroke every
revolution, will, theoretically, develop twice the power of a four-stroke
engine of the same swept volume. Inefficient scavenging however and
other losses, reduce the power advantage .

For a particular engine power the two-stroke engine will be considerably

lighter—an important consideration for ships. Nor does the two-stroke
engine require the complicated valve operating mechanism of the four-
stroke. The four-stroke engine however can operate efficiently at high
speeds which offsets its power disadvantage; it also consumes less
lubricating oil.

Each type of engine has its applications which on board ship have
resulted in the slow speed (i.e. 80— 100 rev/min) main propulsion
diesel operating on the two-stroke cycle. At this low speed the engine
requires no reduction gearbox between it and the propeller.

The four-stroke engine (usually rotating at medium speed, between 250

and 750 rev/ min) is used for auxiliaries such as alternators and
sometimes for main propulsion with a gearbox to provide a propeller
speed of between 80 and 100 rev/min.
Fig: Connecting rod
Fig: Two stroke engine

Fig: Crankshaft
Fig: Four stroke engine

Main components
1. Engine block

The engine block is made of nodular cast iron in one piece for all
cylinder numbers. The main bearing caps are fixed from below by two
hydraulically tensioned screws. They are guided sideways by the engine
block at the top as well as at the bottom. Hydraulically tensioned
horizontal side screws support the main bearing caps.

2. Crankshaft: The crankshaft is forged in one piece. Counterweights

are fitted on every web. High degree of balancing results in an even and
thick oil film for all bearings.

3. Connecting rod : The connecting rod of alloy steel is forged and

machined with round sections. The lower end is split horizontally to
allow removal of piston and connecting rod through the cylinder liner. All
connecting rod bolts are hydraulically tightened. The gudgeon pin
bearing is of tri-metal type. Oil is led to the gudgeon pin bearing and to
the piston through a bore in the connecting rod.

4. Main bearings and big end bearings : The big end bearings are of
tri-metal type with steel back, lead bronze lining and a soft and thick
running layer. Both tri-metal and bi-metal bearings are used as main
bearings.

5. Cylinder liner : The centrifugally cast cylinder liner has a high and
rigid collar to minimise deformations. The liner material is a special grey
cast iron alloy developed for excellent wear resistance and high
strength. Accurate temperature control is achieved with precisely
positioned longitudinal cooling water bores. To eliminate the risk of bore
polishing, the liner is equipped with an anti-polishing ring. The cooling
water space between block and liner is sealed off by double O-rings. In
the upper end the liner is equipped with an anti-polishing ring to
eliminate bore polishing and reduce lube oil consumption.
Fig: Cylinder liner & piston