C27 and C32 Industrial and Petroleum Engines Caterpillar


Air Inlet and Exhaust System

Usage:

C32 B2C
The air inlet and the exhaust system includes the following components:

  • Turbocharger

  • Exhaust manifold

  • Exhaust valves

  • Inlet valves

  • Cylinder head

  • Valve system components


Illustration 1g01155724
Typical Example
(1) Turbochargers
(2) Exhaust outlets
(3) Inlet manifolds
(4) Exhaust manifolds
(5) Exhaust valves
(6) Inlet valves

The engine is set up for an air-to-air aftercooled arrangement. In an air-to-air aftercooled arrangement, clean inlet air from an air cleaner is pulled through the air inlet of the turbochargers by the turning of compressor wheel. The compressor wheel causes a compression of the air. The turbochargers compress the inlet air so that a larger volume of air can be drawn into the cylinders. This compressing of the inlet air is referred to as boost. The compression of the inlet air causes the temperature of the air to increase. The air then flows to an aftercooler. An aftercooler will cool the inlet air. Cooling of the inlet air causes the air to become more dense. This increases the combustion efficiency and the horsepower output of the engine. The air then flows from the aftercooler to the inlet manifolds of the engine. When the inlet valves open, the air flows into the engine cylinders. The air is mixed with the fuel for combustion. When the exhaust valves open, the exhaust gases go out of the engine cylinders and into exhaust manifolds. From the exhaust manifolds, the exhaust gases flow through the blades of the turbine wheel in the turbochargers. This causes the turbine wheel to spin. The exhaust gases then flow out of the exhaust outlet of the turbocharger.

Turbocharger



Illustration 2g01388253
Turbocharger
(7) Air inlet
(8) Compressor housing
(9) Compressor wheel
(10) Bearing
(11) Oil Inlet port
(12) Bearing
(13) Turbine housing
(14) Turbine wheel
(15) Exhaust outlet
(16) Oil outlet port
(17) Exhaust inlet

All of the air that enters the engine passes through the turbocharger. All of the exhaust gases from the engine pass through the turbocharger.

The exhaust gases enter turbine housing (13) through exhaust inlet (17). The exhaust gas pushes on the blades of the turbine wheel (14). The turbine wheel is connected by a shaft to the compressor wheel (9).

Air that passes through the air filters enters the compressor housing air inlet (7) by the rotation of compressor wheel (9). The compressor wheel causes the inlet air to be pushed into the inlet side of the engine. Boost pressure is caused when the compressor wheel pushes more air into the inlet side of the engine. This results in an inlet manifold pressure that exceeds atmospheric pressure. This allows the engine to burn more fuel. When the engine burns more fuel the engine produces more power.

When the throttle is opened, more fuel is injected into the cylinders. The combustion of this additional fuel produces greater exhaust temperature. The additional exhaust temperature causes the turbine and the compressor wheels of the turbocharger to turn faster. As the compressor wheel turns faster, more air is forced into the cylinders. The increased flow of air gives the engine more power by allowing the engine to burn the additional fuel with greater efficiency.

Bearings (10) and (12) for the turbocharger use engine oil under pressure for lubrication and cooling. The oil comes in through oil inlet port (11). The oil then goes through passages in the center section in order to lubricate the bearings. This oil also cools the bearings. Oil from the turbocharger goes out through oil outlet port (16) in the bottom of the center section. The oil then goes back to the engine oil pan.

Valve System Components



Illustration 3g01388254
Valve system components
(18) Rocker arm
(19) Locknut
(20) Rocker arm shaft
(21) Camshaft
(22) Valve bridge

The valve train controls the flow of inlet air and exhaust gases into the cylinders and out of the cylinders during engine operation. The camshaft (21) controls the timing of the valves during engine operation.

The crankshaft gear drives the camshaft gear through an idler gear. The camshaft must be timed to the crankshaft in order to get the correct relation between the piston position and the valve position.

The camshaft has three camshaft lobes for each cylinder. One camshaft lobe operates the inlet valves. One camshaft lobe operates the exhaust valves. One camshaft lobe operates the unit injector. The camshaft lobes cause the follower on the rocker arm to actuate the valves and the unit injector.

Each cylinder has two inlet valves and two exhaust valves. Valve springs hold the valves closed and the valve springs resist the opening of the valves. This ensures that the valves will close at high rpm and under high boost pressures. Valve rotators cause the valves to rotate while the engine is running. The rotation of the valves prevents the valves from burning by constantly changing the contact area of the valve face and the valve seat. This rotation gives the valves longer service life.

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