Fabrication of Cam less engine

In this modern world where companies are focusing on green energy,cam less engine can become a great alternative.

A cam is a rotating or sliding piece in a mechanical linkage used especially in transforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice-versa. In an engine, it is connected to a shaft (e.g. a cylinder with an irregular shape) that strikes a lever at one or more points on its circular path.

In traditional engine camshaft has a very important role to play while opening and closing of a valve. It was a necessary evil for an engine functioning.Furthermore, because of camshaft, engineers need to choose either efficient engine or power engine but not with both qualities.This is one of the most important factor that makes camless engine a necessity. Though , idea of cam less engine existed from 1899,it has become need of modern world now, when we need power and efficiency both.
A camless engine uses electromagnetic, hydraulic, or pneumatic actuators to open the poppet valves instead. Actuators can be used to both open and close the valves, or an actuator opens the valve while a spring closes it.An actuator is a type of motor for moving or controlling a mechanism or system. It is operated by a source of energy, usually in the form of an electric current, hydraulic fluid pressure or pneumatic pressure, and converts that energy into some kind of motion.

Things required:
Mindstorm lego kit for Camless Engine

Advantages of using cam less engine:
Increase efficiency
Reduce emission
Improve Power

Disadvantage:
High power requirements of the actuator

Uses:
Camless IC Engines
Air Compressors

Related PDF:
Development of a Piezoelectric Controlled Hydraulic Actuator for a Camless Engine
by John Steven Brader
Control of an electromechanical actuator for cam less engines
Camless Engine Control for a Robust Unthrottled Operation

Related Video:

Related Projects :
IC Engines

Stirling Engine mini RC Car

We had discussed both Stirling Engine and Remote control cars in two separate posts.  In this post we will combine these two technologies. Before we start our discussion, I would briefly describe both of them.

Stirling Engine

1.Piston 2. Displacer, Hot gases in the left side of Heat displacer, push it forward to move piston. 

It is an external combustion engine where combustion occurs outside the engine itself. An advantage with this engine is that, it can be used with any type of heating source both renewable and non renewable. Basic form of engine consists of one cylinder, hot at one end and cold at the other, loose fitting displacer, power piston and flywheel.

When we heat at one end, gas starts to expand and push loose displacer forward, which is connected with piston which eventually revolves the flywheel. With its revolution it pushes back the fitting displacer to its original position having cold gas at both ends again. This cycle continues till the heat is supplied from heat source.

RC Cars

These cars are usually powered by electric batteries can be controlled by remote control. It consists of three components, transmitter (our remote), receiver (which receives transmitter signal) and car itself. Transmitter role is not only limited to receiving signals but it also transforms these radio waves into electric signals and controls the components. Most of these cars use Amplitude modulation but some newer once also use Frequency modulation. If you have never heard about modulation, our fm and am radio works with same transmitter, receiver concept. By the way, frequency most often used in mini remote cars is 2.4 GHz.

RC Cars itself is a big concept and out of scope for this post, for this project idea, I would rather recommend you to buy an RC car from toy store and install our engine on it. If it works, then you can shift your focus to build one car by yourself. 

Steam engine Powered bicycle

 We all have heard about steam engines, a big giant engine on train, producing enough power to pull huge boogies attached to it. But today, we are going to discuss about engines opposite to train engines, an engine which is small engine but produce enough torque to move our bicycle forward.

Cycle which is powered by engines is called as motorized bicycle. A motorized bicycle is a bicycle with an attached motor and transmission used either to power the vehicle unassisted, or to assist with pedaling. Since it always retains both pedals and a discrete connected drive for rider-powered propulsion, the motorized bicycle is in technical terms a true bicycle, albeit a power-assisted one.

The history of the steam engine stretches back as far as the first century AD. The first commercially successful engine was the atmospheric engine, invented by Thomas Newcomen around 1712. 

Why this project ?

To understand concept of engines and how they work, you should start with something very historical such as steam engines. This project used with old cycle would not cost much and will be great learning experience for you.

Are Steam engines relevant in modern world?

Despite many people think steam engine as outdated material, however it is important to remember that the power supplied to the electric grid is predominantly generated using steam turbine plant, so that indirectly the world's industry is still dependent on steam power.

Related Projects :

Stirling Engine
Homemade steam engines

Internal Combustion engine Project

IC Engine which is also known as Internal Combustion engine are engines where combustion takes place inside the engine.It is different from external combustion engines such as Stirling engine and Steam Engines where combustion takes place outside the chamber of engine.
Projects :

Stress Analysis and Optimization of Crankshafts :    The main objective of this study was to investigate weight and cost reduction opportunities for a forged steel crankshaft. The need of load history in the FEM analysis necessitates performing a detailed dynamic load analysis. Therefore, this study consists of three major sections: (1) dynamic load analysis, (2) FEM and stress analysis, (3) optimization for weight and cost reduction.

Computer Simulated Engine Performance

Useful Links :

Animation of 4 Stroke ICE
Hydrogen internal combustion engine
IC Engines simulator 
detonation frequency analysis
Engine Modeling of an Internal Combustion Engine
Air Compress Car
Air Bike



Related PDF :

Rotatory Internal combustion Engines ::One of the smallest combustion engine used to power batteries.
Design and Experimental Results of Small-Scale Rotary Engines

Related Video :

Related Projects :
Stirling Engine

Cogeneration Project

Cogeneration (also combined heat and power, CHP) is the use of a heat engine or a power station to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat. We all know that all power plants emit heat while producing electricity, this heat energy can be used for other purposes. Masnedø CHP power station in Denmark(Image shown below)  uses the same concept.In my opinion it is a great project for Mechanical Engineering students.Its use is not only limited to big power plants, it can be used in other places too, good example of that is: implementation of co-generation plant at Carnegie Mellon University about which you can search on internet.

At the time of global warming ,it is vital to improve efficiency of  our power plants,this can be done easily using this method.University of Gaziantep journal about Performance assessment of co-generation plants proves my point.
Coopers' Brewery uses this system to reduce its carbon footprint to 50 percent and at the same time double there production.




How cogeneration works ?





Even though companies started to implement co-generation in their plants , there is still lot to do in this field,for example there can be other ways to use this heat or how many other places this concept can be implemented.

Useful Resources :

Cogeneration for confectioners
MIT Cogeneration Project