| What Is the Function of a Cylinder Head? |
| 2017/3/29 |
| |
Internal combustion engines generate power from fossil fuel. This process produces vast amount of heat. The purpose of many components of your auto's engine is to dissipate heat. Such is one of the roles of the cylinder head. Cylinder heads keep a engine from overheating as well as house a few parts that are integral to the combustion that makes your engine power up.
Definition
A cylinder head, or simply a "head," is a crucial part of an internal combustion engine. It is attached to the top of the cylinder block, which contains the pistons and cylinders through which the cylinder heads move. These blocks are sealed with a head gasket in order to form a combustion chamber. The cylinder head allows the inward flow of air and fuel mixture and the outward flow of exhaust gases into the combustion chamber. This is essential in building torque and horsepower. Aside from capping off the cylinder block, the cylinder head also contains essential engine components, such as spark plugs, fuel injectors, and valves. In water cooled-engines, cylinder heads also contain the coolant ducts that facilitate the transfer of excess heat from the engine. The design and complexity of a cylinder head depends on the engine. Most car engines typically use a single cylinder head for all cylinders, while V-engines have two cylinder heads that fit into the two cylinder banks that form the V. Larger vehicles like trucks and tractors usually employ individual cylinder heads for each cylinder for easier maintenance and repair.
Channels
The cylinder head is made up of many channels or passageways. These channels are used as a conduit to enable air and fuel, a fluid mixture vital to efficient engine operation, to reach the combustion chamber. Exhaust fumes also exit the combustion chamber and reach the exhaust valve via these passageways.
Cooling
The cylinder head helps to keep the engine cool. The channels enable coolant to circulate through the cylinder head and flow through the head gasket. This circulation of coolant through these and subsequent other parts of the coolant system keep the engine from overheating. |
|
 |
|
