Forced Air Induction- How It works - By: Felicity Lightbody

Internal combustion engines in automobiles provide power by mixing fuel with air and then igniting the mixture. Gasoline only burns when combined with air in a proper ratio. It is, of course, the oxygen in the air which contributes to the ignition process. Other particles commonly found in air, such as nitrogen, are converted to by-products. The ideal ratio of air to fuel (in a gasoline engine) is 17.1 to 1. This is referred to as the stoichiometric ratio, the ideal mixture of air to gasoline in an automobile engine. Automobiles could be said to mostly run on air.

However, the efficiency of this process can even be improved upon by the use of a forced air induction kit. Forced air induction literally stuffs the combustion chamber with more air than it would normally draw by it's own aspiration in regular atmosphere. The combustion chamber is the area in an internal combustion engine where the fuel and air mixture is ignited between the cylinder walls, the top of the piston, and the bottom, or valve surface of the head or heads of the engine. A V- 8 engine will have eight combustion chambers, and two heads.(Two heads since it is a 'V' type configuration. An inline engine typically requires only one head casting. 'V' configurations are used in automobile engines due to restricted space considerations.)

A forced air induction kit most commonly refers to either a turbo- or a supercharger. A turbo- charger is installed on the engine itself, while a turbo- charger is attached to the exhaust system. A turbo- type forced air induction kit is the most green, since it reuses the otherwise wasted power of exhaust emission flow to power the turbine which then forces extra air into the combustion chamber. This 'over- stuffs' the combustion chamber with air, which is compensated for by various sensors to maintain the stoichiometric ratio. This process results in more power per combustion stroke.

As a side effect, a more complete ignition is also achieved within the combustion chamber. This results in less fuel going out the tailpipe wasted. Many more automobile manufacturers are now including turbo- chargers as factory- installed equipment to improve power, and also greatly improve fuel mileage. With the use of a turbo- charger, a smaller engine can produce the same power as a much larger engine. This enhances performance by reducing weight, fuel burn, and materials.

About the Author

Felicity is a avid car enthusiast. Felicity works for a car performance specialist who offer a forced air induction kit in Yorkshire, UK. Spitfire Performance also offer jabbasport induction kits and engine performance tuning services. For more information, please visit their site, Spitfire Performance

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Felicity-Lightbody/39388

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