Forklift Engine - Also called a motor, the engine is a tool which could transform energy into a useful mechanical motion. Whenever a motor converts heat energy into motion it is usually referred to as an engine. The engine could be available in several types like for example the internal and external combustion engine. An internal combustion engine typically burns a fuel along with air and the resulting hot gases are used for creating power. Steam engines are an illustration of external combustion engines. They use heat so as to generate motion with a separate working fluid.
The electrical motor takes electrical energy and generates mechanical motion through various electromagnetic fields. This is a typical type of motor. Several types of motors function through non-combustive chemical reactions, other types could utilize springs and be driven through elastic energy. Pneumatic motors function by compressed air. There are various styles depending upon the application required.
ICEs or Internal combustion engines
Internal combustion occurs when the combustion of the fuel mixes with an oxidizer inside the combustion chamber. In the IC engine, higher temperatures will result in direct force to certain engine components like for example the turbine blades, nozzles or pistons. This force generates useful mechanical energy by moving the part over a distance. Usually, an internal combustion engine has intermittent combustion as seen in the popular 2- and 4-stroke piston engines and the Wankel rotary motor. Most gas turbines, rocket engines and jet engines fall into a second class of internal combustion motors called continuous combustion, that happens on the same previous principal described.
External combustion engines like Stirling or steam engines differ very much from internal combustion engines. External combustion engines, wherein the energy is delivered to a working fluid like for example hot water, pressurized water, and liquid sodium or air that are heated in some type of boiler. The working fluid is not combined with, consisting of or contaminated by burning products.
A range of designs of ICEs have been developed and placed on the market along with various strengths and weaknesses. When powered by an energy dense fuel, the internal combustion engine produces an effective power-to-weight ratio. Even if ICEs have been successful in a lot of stationary applications, their actual strength lies in mobile utilization. Internal combustion engines control the power supply intended for vehicles like for instance boats, aircrafts and cars. A few hand-held power equipments make use of either ICE or battery power devices.
External combustion engines
An external combustion engine is comprised of a heat engine where a working fluid, like for instance steam in steam engine or gas in a Stirling engine, is heated through combustion of an external source. This particular combustion happens via a heat exchanger or via the engine wall. The fluid expands and acts upon the engine mechanism which produces motion. After that, the fluid is cooled, and either compressed and reused or thrown, and cool fluid is pulled in.
The act of burning fuel along with an oxidizer in order to supply heat is known as "combustion." External thermal engines could be of similar application and configuration but utilize a heat supply from sources like for example geothermal, solar, nuclear or exothermic reactions not involving combustion.
Working fluid could be of any constitution, even though gas is the most common working fluid. Sometimes a single-phase liquid is occasionally utilized. In Organic Rankine Cycle or in the case of the steam engine, the working fluid changes phases between liquid and gas.
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