Introduction of Two-stroke and Four-stroke Engine
The stroke in a combustion engine is defined as the process in which the cylinder’s piston moves up to the top and down. The cycle starts with the intake stroke in which a fresh mixture of air-fuel enters the engine’s cylinder by the downward expanding motion of the piston.
The main difference between a 4-stroke engine and a 2-stroke engine is that a 4-stroke engine goes through four stages, or two complete revolutions, to complete one power stroke, while a 2-stroke engine goes through 2 stages, or one complete revolution, to complete one power stroke.
Here, stroke is the length of the distance travelled by the piston that means it is a factor used in calculating the engine displacement. The phase of the combustion cycle is designated by the sequential strokes of the piston starting from intake, compression, expansion to the exhaust.
What is a Two-Stroke Engine?
The two-stroke engine finishes two-piston movements(one crankshaft revolution) in order to yield power.
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The engine is able to create power after one cycle because the intake of gas inside the cylinder and the exhaust of the residual gases occur simultaneously.
There is a valve for the intake stroke that opens and closes due to varying pressures. However, due to its prevalent contact with moving parts, the fuel is blended with oil to add lubrication, allowing seamless strokes.
What is a Four-Stroke Engine?
A four-stroke engine has four sequential steps starting from intake, compression, power, to exhaust. Each equates to one full stroke of the piston. Therefore, it supplies one power stroke for every two cycles of the piston (or four-piston strokes) and a complete cycle requires two revolutions of the crankshaft.
Working of a Four-stroke Engine
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The 4 stroke engine has the following four steps that describe its functioning:
Step1: Intake Stroke
It draws an air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber. The piston descends in the cylinder bore to empty the combustion chamber. When the inlet valve opens, atmospheric pressure pushes the air-fuel charge into the evacuated chamber.
Step 2: Combustion Stroke
The cylinder is completely filled with the maximum mixture and the intake valve seals the mixture and the piston moves upward. The compression occurs between the piston and the cylinder head.
Step 3: Power Stroke
After the completion of the compression stroke, the spark ignites the air-fuel mixture and forces the piston back down the cylinder bore to generate torque in the crankshaft. The pressure on the piston determines the amount of torque generated.
Step 4: Exhaust Stroke
The exhaust stroke occurs when residual gases expelled from the combustion chamber are liberated into the atmosphere. The exhaust stroke is the concluding stroke and takes place when the exhaust valve is open and the intake valve is closed. Piston movement liberates exhaust gases into the atmosphere.
Applications of Four-stroke Engine
The four-stroke engine is the most commonly used by gasoline or fuel engines at present. Vehicles like cars, trucks, and some motorcycles have four-stroke engines.
Other applications are such as
Small propeller aircraft,
Formula one,
Small motor-powered boats,
Auto-rickshaw,
Water spray systems, etc. they all have a four-stroke engine.
Summarizing the Difference between Two-stroke and Four-stroke Engine
FAQs on Difference Between Two Stroke and Four Stroke Engines for JEE Main 2024
1. Why does oil in a 2 stroke engine need to change?
It is necessary to change the oil because the oil helps cool the piston and cylinder by keeping them evenly lubricated.
Without lubrication, the metals can melt and potentially grate against each other, transferring metal to and from one another and permanently distorting them causing wear and tear of the components due to high friction This could seize the engine.
Therefore, the better option is to keep changing oil for the smooth functioning of the engine.
2. Why don't we have a three stroke engine?
You need to perform four important operations of the suction stroke, compression stroke, expansion stroke, and exhaust stroke to generate work from an engine.
For a 3 stroke engine, you need to choose only three of them leaving any one stroke.
Practically it is not possible to generate power by executing the 4 operations in only 3 strokes.
3. Is 2 stroke or 4 stroke quieter?
At present, four strokes remain up to 50% quieter than most two stroke engines and they are more efficient than two stroke engines.