TWO STROKE CYCLE

• The two stroke cycle is so called because it

takes two strokes of the piston to complete
the processes needed to convert the energy
in the fuel into work. Because the engine is
reciprocating, this means that the piston
must move up and down the cylinder, and
therefore the crankshaft must revolve once.
• The two stroke cycle is completed in two strokes
of the piston or one revolution of the crankshaft.
• In order to operate this cycle successfully, special
arrangements are required such as:-
- The fresh air must be forced in under pressure
and useful to cleared out exhaust gases.
- Instead of valve holes, known as ‘ports’, are
used which are opened and closed by the
sides of the piston as its moves .
 The crankshaft is revolving
clockwise and the piston is
moving up the cylinder,
compressing the charge of air.
Because energy is being
transferred into the air, its
pressure and temperature
increase. By the time the piston
is approaching the top of the
cylinder (known as Top Dead
Center or TDC) the pressure is
over 100 bar and the temperature
over 500°C
Just before TDC fuel is injected
into the cylinder by the fuel
injector. The fuel is "atomised"
into tiny droplets. Because they
are very small these droplets heat
up very quickly and start to burn
as the piston passes over TDC.
The expanding gas from the fuel
burning in the oxygen forces the
piston down the cylinder, turning
the crankshaft. It is during this
stroke that work energy is being
put into the engine; during the
upward stroke of the piston, the
engine is having to do the work.
As the piston moves down the
cylinder, the useful energy
from the burning fuel is
expended. At about 110° after
TDC the exhaust valve opens
and the hot exhaust
gas (consisting mostly of
nitrogen, carbon dioxide,
water vapour and unused
oxygen) begin to leave the
cylinder.
At about 140º after TDC the
piston uncovers a set of ports
known as scavenge ports.
Pressurised air enters the
cylinder via these ports and
pushes the remaining exhaust gas
from the cylinder in a process
known as "scavenging".
The piston now goes past
Bottom Dead Centre and starts
moving up the cylinder, closing
off the scavenge ports. The
exhaust valve then closes and
compression begins.
The two stroke cycle can also be illustrated on a timing
diagram.

1 -2 Compression
2 - 3 Fuel Injection
3 - 4 Power
4 - 5 Exhaust Blowdown
5 - 6 Scavenging
6 - 1 Post Scavenging

1. approx 110º BTDC

2. approx 10º BTDC
3. approx 12º ATDC
4. approx 110º ATDC
5. approx 140º ATDC
6. approx 140º BTDC
 4 5 5
6 4

PISTON POSITION
6

7 3 7
3
2 8
8
2

1 1 PRESSURE
• 1-2 Scavenging period, both exhaust and inlet ports opened.
• 2-3 Scavenge stroke ends. Exhaust port remain opens to ensure only
• fresh air remain in the cylinder.
• 3-4 Compression stroke take place. Both ports were closed. The air
• then be compressed by the movement of the piston upward.
• 4-5-6 Fuel injector in operational to supply fuel oil.
• 6-7 Due to expansion of gasses piston moved downward. ( Power
• stroke)
• 7-8 When piston crown passed exhaust port, exhaust stroke begin and
• expelling exhaust gases from the cylinder
• 8-1 When the piston passed inlet ports, Scavenge stroke begin and let
• fresh air fulfill the cylinder. Thus pushing the remaining exhaust
• gases out
 Fuel Fuel
injection injection
begins ends

Rotation

Scavenge Scavenge
ports ports
close open

Exhaust Exhaust
SCAVENGE
ports ports
close open

EXHAUST

TWO STROKE TIMING DIAGRAM

In the 2 stroke trunk piston engine, the side thrust caused by the
angularity of the connecting rod is transmitted to the liner by the
piston skirt or trunk. It is therefore known as a 2 Stroke Trunk
Piston Engine. The skirt of the piston also acts to seal the
scavenge air ports when the engine is at TDC. This prevents the
scavenge air from pressurising the crankcase.
Herein lies the disadvantage of this type of engine: although it
has a low overall height, lubricating oil splashed up from the
crankcase to lubricate the liner can find its way into the scavenge
space, causing fouling and a risk of fire. There is also the
likelihood of liner and piston skirt wear, allowing air into the
crankcase. This can supply the required oxygen for an explosion
should a hot spot develop. The crankcase oil must have additives
which can cope with contamination from products of
combustion, and the acids formed during combustion due to the
sulphur in the fuel.
This design of two stroke is generally only used for the smaller
lower powered 2 stroke engines - up to about 5000kW for a V16
engine with a 280mm bore and 320mm stroke.
Detroit diesels manufacture 2 stroke trunk piston engines as do
Wichmann and General Motors. Sulzer used to produce a model
which is sometimes found at sea as did Brons. A cross sectional
drawing of their type GV engine is shown below.
 The 2 stroke crosshead
engine works on exactly
the same principle and
cycle as the 2 stroke
trunk piston engine.
The disadvantages of the two stroke
trunk piston engine are that although it
has a low overall height, lubricating oil
splashed up from the crankcase to
lubricate the liner can find its way into
the scavenge space, causing fouling
and a risk of fire. There is also the
likelihood of liner and piston skirt
wear, allowing air into the crankcase.
This can supply the required oxygen
for an explosion should a hot spot
develop. The crankcase oil must have
additives which can cope with
contamination from products of
combustion, and the acids formed
during combustion due to the sulphur
in the fuel.
The majority of 2 stroke engines encountered at sea are of the "crosshead" type. In
this type of engine the combustion space (formed by the cylinder liner, piston and
cylinder head), and the scavenge space are separated from the crankcase by the
diaphragm plate.
The piston rod is bolted to the piston and passes through a stuffing box mounted in
the diaphragm plate. The stuffing box provides a seal between the two spaces,
stopping oil from being carried up to the scavenge space, and scavenge air leaking
into the crankcase.
The foot of the piston rod is bolted to the crosshead pin. The top end of the
connecting rod swings about the cosshead pin, as the downward load from the
expanding gas applies a turning force to the crankshaft.
To ensure that the crosshead reciprocates in alignment with the piston in the
cylinder, guide shoes are attached either side of the crosshead pin. These shoes are
lined with white metal, a bearing material and they reciprocate against the
crosshead guides, which are bolted to the frame of the engine. The crosshead
guides are located inbetween each cylinder.
Using the crosshead design of engine allows engines to be built with very long
strokes - which means the engine can burn a greater quantity of fuel/stroke and
develop more power. The fuel used can be of a lower grade than that used in a
trunk piston engine, with a higher sulphur content, whilst high alkalinity cylinder
oils with a different specification to that of the crankcase oil are used to lubricate
the cylinder liner and piston rings and combat the effects of acid attack.
The most powerful diesel engines in the world are two stroke crosshead
engines. Some of these engines have cylinder bores approaching 1metre with
a stroke of over 2.5 metres. The crankshaft can weigh over 300 tons, with the
engine weighing in excess of 2000 tons
 SCAVENGING PERIOD
It can be defined as inlet ports and exhaust ports
were opened at the same time where:-
• Remaining exhaust gas will be expelled from the
cylinder through exhaust ports or exhaust valve (if
fitted).
• Fresh air which have been collected in the
scavenge manifold rushing entered the cylinder
• Scavenging period normally occur when the piston
at BDC or as per maker or engine design or the
location of the ports itself.
• Thus creating completed combustion
 SCAVENGING METHODS
• CROSS/DIRECT – FLOW SCAVENGING

• LOOP SCAVENGING

• UNIFLOW SCAVENGING
Some 2 stroke engines do not have exhaust
valves; As well as scavenge ports in the
cylinder liner, they are fitted with exhaust
ports located just above the scavenge ports.
As the piston uncovers the exhaust ports on
the power stroke, the exhaust gas starts to
leave the cylinder. When the scavenge ports
are uncovered, scavenge air loops around the
cylinder and pushes the remaining exhaust gas
out of the cylinder. This type of engine is
known as a loop scavenged engine. Note that
the piston skirt is much longer than that for a
uniflow scavenged engine. This is because the
skirt has to seal the scavenge and exhaust
ports when the piston is at TDC.
SULZER RLA Loop Scavenged Engine
2 stroke engines with an exhaust
valve mounted in the cylinder head
are known as uniflow scavenged
engines. This is because the flow of
scavenging air is in one (uni)
direction.
MAN B&W MC series uniflow scavenged engine
 SCAVENGING
• To ensure a sufficient supply of fresh air for combustion
by removing all remaining exhaust gases by blowing with
these fresh air.
• Supercharging is a large mass of air is supplied to the
cylinder by blowing it in under pressure either by
electrically driven auxiliary blower or exhaust gas driven
turbocharger.
• The flow path of the scavenge air is decided by the engine
port shape and design and the exhaust arrangements.
 Exhaust Gas turbocharger
arrangement

Inlet to
scavenge
manifold

Air filter