ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at two types of combustion engine. These are the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and the gas turbine engine, both engines having been the mainstay of the power plant, automobile and aircraft industries for many years. The ignition point or fuel injection point occurs just before top dead centre, so that there is time for the full combustion of the fuel charge to take place. In practical internal combustion engines there are several well tried and tested methods for determining the equivalent performance of these engines. A four-cylinder spark ignition combustion engine has a cylinder bore of 15 cm and a stroke of 25 cm. The higher calorific value is determined experimentally and is achieved as a result of the steam formed in combustion condensing and thus giving up its latent heat. Combustion occurs at constant pressure with an increase in volume, therefore the peak pressures that occur in the piston engine are avoided.
