Single-cylinder engine

The single cylinder engine is a design of the engine. Both petrol engines ( two-stroke and four-stroke ) and diesel engines ( two-stroke and four-stroke ) are executed in the simplest design as single cylinder. The cylinder can be mounted either vertically, horizontally or inclined.

History

The first reciprocating been safely used in pumps, then in steam engines, later in combustion engines. All these uses began with the use of a single cylinder.

Pros and Cons

The advantages over those of a multi-cylinder engine are, inter alia, a simpler construction and a compact design, albeit with stronger vibrations. Balance shafts and sealed to the crankshaft cheeks balance weights must fail as overweight because of the large mass or piston movements.

The single cylinder engine can be compared to a multi-cylinder engine of the same displacement expect a higher efficiency, especially at low speeds. Reasons for this are less friction losses in bearings and piston rings, as well as lower thermal losses due to the lower cylinder inner surface relative to the displacement. At very high speeds, however, single-cylinder engines have drawbacks, as compared to a multi-cylinder engine, the average piston speed is higher, the moving masses are larger and in relation to the displacement of small cross- sectional areas of the valves increase the flow losses.

A disadvantage is the non-circular motor run with greater speed variations, caused by only one stroke per 360 ° ( two-stroke ) or 720 ° crank angle ( four-stroke ). A uniform concentricity is often achieved by a high balance mass, often in the form of an additional flywheel. The engine weight increases thereby disproportionately. In single-cylinder applications which require low weight (eg motorcycles off-road sport), an improved roundtrip over a relatively high idle speed rather than being targeted through the flywheel.

Use of single-cylinder engines

Some early cars, like the Cadillac Model K and Model 1906 L and M of 1907 used single cylinder. The Indian license of Tempo three-wheeler of the 1950s had from 1978 to the end of production in 2000 a one-cylinder diesel engine. The most common design is certainly the 50 cc two-stroke gasoline engine that is installed in countless bicycles and allows in many countries, the mass motorization until nowadays.

In the commercial vehicle sector - mainly in machinery - motor sport, in sailing and motor boats and aircraft, as well as stationary industrial engine is the single cylinder use. Equally important is the use in enduro and motocross bikes. The largest standard single-cylinder motorcycle with 778 cc was the Suzuki DR 800 S whose production was stopped in 1998. Larger single-cylinder engines were built for various motorcycle prototypes ( to nearly two liters ) and for tractors. Almost all lawnmower engines available on the market are single-cylinder engines. Single cylinder engines are also used in research and development. On these you can very well examine the combustion process and key components. Advantage of this unique assignment. In addition, fewer sample parts are needed. Thereafter, the obtained findings on single-cylinder engine to the planned multi-cylinder engine - called as " motor " in Mechanical Engineering - transferred.

In the inland waterways sooner many single-cylinder diesel engines were to drive capstans, compressors and hydraulically actuated steering systems used ( " rowing machine ").