Air-Cooled Diesel Engines Operate On The Same Basic Principles As Other Internal Combustion Engines But Employ An Air-Cooling System Instead Of A Liquid Cooling System. Here Is A Simplified Explanation Of How An Air-Cooled Diesel Engine Works:
Intake Stroke: The Piston Moves Downward In The Cylinder, Creating A Partial Vacuum. The Intake Valve Opens, Allowing Fresh Air To Flow Into The Combustion Chamber.
Compression Stroke: The Piston Moves Upward, Compressing The Air Inside The Combustion Chamber. Both The Intake And Exhaust Valves Remain Closed During This Stroke, Sealing The Combustion Chamber.
Fuel Injection: Near The End Of The Compression Stroke, Fuel Is Injected Into The Combustion Chamber At High Pressure. The Heat Generated By The Compressed Air Causes The Fuel To Ignite Spontaneously, Without The Need For A Spark Plug.
Power Stroke: As The Fuel Ignites, It Combusts Rapidly, Producing A High-Pressure Mixture Of Expanding Gases. This Combustion Forces The Piston Downward, Generating Power. The Power Stroke Is The Phase Where The Engine Produces Usable Work.
Exhaust Stroke: After The Power Stroke, The Piston Moves Upward Again, Pushing The Exhaust Gases Out Of The Cylinder Through The Exhaust Valve. The Exhaust Valve Opens, And The Burned Gases Are Expelled From The Combustion Chamber.
Cooling: Unlike Liquid-Cooled Engines That Use A Coolant And Radiator, Air-Cooled Engines Dissipate Heat Through Cooling Fins And Airflow. The Engine's Design Incorporates Cooling Fins On The Cylinder And Sometimes The Cylinder Head. These Fins Increase The Surface Area, Allowing Heat To Transfer To The Surrounding Air. Airflow, Either Generated By A Fan Or Natural Convection, Carries Away The Heat, Keeping The Engine Within Its Optimal Operating Temperature Range.
Repeat Cycle: The Four-Step Cycle (Intake, Compression, Power, And Exhaust) Repeats Continuously As Long As Fuel Is Supplied And The Engine Is Running. Each Revolution Of The Engine Completes One Cycle, Generating Power And Maintaining The Engine's Operation.