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Valve timing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Valve timing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In a piston engine, the valve timing is the precise timing of the opening and closing of the valves. In an internal
combustion engine these are usually poppet valves and in a steam engine they are usually slide valves or piston
valves.

Contents
1 Internal combustion engines
1.1 Camshaft
1.2 Valve overlap
1.3 Variable valve timing
1.4 Ported engines
2 External combustion engines
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

Internal combustion engines

Camshaft
In four-stroke cycle engines and some two-stroke cycle engines, the valve timing is controlled by the camshaft. It
can be varied by modifying the camshaft, or it can be varied during engine operation by variable valve timing. It is
also affected by the adjustment of the valve mechanism, and particularly by the tappet clearance. However, this
variation is normally unwanted.

Valve overlap
With traditional fixed valve timing, an engine will have a period of "valve overlap" at the end of the exhaust stroke,
when both the intake and exhaust valves are open. The intake valve is opened before the exhaust gases have
completely left the cylinder, and their considerable velocity assists in drawing in the fresh charge. Engine designers
aim to close the exhaust valve just as the fresh charge from the intake valve reaches it, to prevent either loss of fresh
charge or unscavenged exhaust gas. In the diagram, the valve overlap periods are indicated by the overlap of the
red and blue arcs. Key:
TDC = Top dead centre
BDC = Bottom dead centre
IO = Inlet valve opens
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Valve timing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

IC = Inlet valve closes

EO = Exhaust valve opens
EC = Exhaust valve closes

Variable valve timing

Engines that always run at a relatively high speed, such as race car engines, will have considerable overlap in their
valve timings for maximum volumetric efficiency. Road car engines are different because they are required to idle at
less than 1000rpm, and excessive valve overlap would make smooth idling impossible because of the mixing of
fresh and exhaust gases. Variable valve timing can give both maximum
power at high rpm and smooth idling at low rpm by making small changes
to the relative angular position of the camshafts and thereby varying the
valve overlap.

Ported engines
Many two-stroke cycle and all wankel engines do not have a camshaft or
valves, and the port timing can only be varied by machining the ports,
and/or modifying the piston skirt (two stroke applications). However,
some supercharged two-stroke diesel engines (such as the Wilksch aeroengine)[1] do have a cylinder head and poppet valves, similar to a fourstroke cycle engine.

External combustion engines

Valve timing diagram for a 2-stroke

engine

In an external combustion engine, such as a steam engine, the control of

the valve timing is by the valve gear. In a typical piston valve arrangement, the
timing of the intake and exhaust events for each cylinder are inextricably related as
they are governed by the movement of a single piston uncovering two ports.
However, the duration of the intake event can be controlled (the "cut-off") using
the reversing gear and this reduces steam usage under cruising conditions.
Caprotti valve gear is more closely related to that of an internal combustion engine,
uses poppet valves, and was developed to allow independent timing of the intake
and exhaust events. It was never used as widely as piston valves or the earlier
slide valves.

References
1. ^ http://wilksch.net

See also
Cylinder head porting
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_timing

Two-Stroke engine showing

ports in the cylinder walls.
The timing cannot be varied
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Valve timing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Valve gear (steam engine)

Walschaerts valve gear
Baker valve gear
Caprotti valve gear
Corliss valve gear

External links
The impact of valve timing on engine performance and emissions (http://www.mechadyne-int.com/vvareference/papers/the-impact-of-variable-valve-actuation-on-engine-performance-and-emissions.pdf).
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