Module 1: An Overview of Engine Emissions and Air Pollution
  Lecture 1: Introduction to IC Engines and Air Pollution
 

Historical Overview of IC Engine Development

The modern reciprocating internal combustion engines have their origin in the Otto and Diesel Engines invented in the later part of 19th century. The main engine components comprising of piston, cylinder, crank-slider crankshaft, connecting road, valves and valve train, intake and exhaust system remain functionally overall similar since those in the early engines although great advancements in their design and materials have taken place during the last 100 years or so. An historical overview of IC engine development with important milestones since their first production models were built, is presented in Table 1.1

Table 1.1

Historical Overview and Milestones in IC Engine Development

Year

Milestone
1860-1867 J. E. E. Lenoir and  Nikolaus Otto developed atmospheric engine wherein  combustion of fuel-air charge during  first half of  outward stroke of a free piston accelerating the piston which was connected to a rack assembly. The free piston would produce work during second half of the stroke creating vacuum in the cylinder and the atmospheric pressure then would push back the piston.

1876

Nikolaus Otto developed 4-stroke SI engine where in the  fuel-air charge was compressed before being ignited.
1878 Dougald Clerk developed the first 2-stroke engine
1882 Atkinson develops an engine having lower expansion stroke than the compression stroke for improvement in engine thermal efficiency at cost of specific engine power. The Atkinson cycle is finding application in the modern hybrid electric vehicles (HEV)
1892 Rudolf Diesel  takes patent on engine having combustion by direct injection of fuel in the cylinder air heated solely by  compression , the process now known as compression ignition (CI)
1896 Henry Ford develops first automobile powered by the IC engine
1897 Rudolph Diesel  developed  CI engine  prototype, also called as the Diesel engine
1923 Antiknock additive tetra ethyl lead discovered by the General Motors became commercially available which provided boost to development of high compression ratio SI engines
1957 Felix Wankel developed  rotary internal combustion engine
1981 Multipoint port fuel injection introduced on production gasoline cars
1988 Variable valve timing and lift control introduced on gasoline cars
1989-1990 Electronic fuel injection on heavy duty diesel introduced
1990 Carburettor was replaced by port fuel injection on all US production cars
1994 Direct injection stratified charge (DISC) engine powered cars came in production by Mitsubishi and Toyota