Working Principle of Scuderi Split Cycle Engine

 

The Scuderi engine works same as the ordinary split-cycle engine with slight modification in order to overcome the drawback of an ordinary split cycle engine. It consists of two cylinders, compression cylinder, and power cylinder. In suction stroke, as the piston in compression cylinder move from top dead centre (TDC) to bottom dead centre (BDC) air is drawn into the cylinder through the inlet valve. Then the air is compressed to a very high pressure and temperature.


Fig shows a Scuderi engine in which the two pistons are connected to the common crankshaft through different crank that is in phase with each other. The power piston leading the compression piston by 25° of crank angle. i.e., when the power piston is at TDC, the compression piston is moving to TDC or when the compression piston at TDC the power piston moving away from the TDC.

The compressed air is then passed to power cylinder through the crossover passage. The unique design of valves of crossover passage helps to complete transfer of compressed air to the power cylinder. The fuel can be directly injected into the air at the end of crossover passage.  The air-fuel mixture then fired in the power cylinder. The firing of fuel after TDC helps to improve the thermal efficiency.

- Advantages and disadvantages of scuderi split cycle engine

How Scuderi engine achieves a high compression ratio

Because the cylinders of the split-cycle engine independent of each other, the compression ratio cannot be limited by a combustion process. Only air is compressed in the first cylinder (no mixing with fuel), hence no pre-ignition problem in compression cylinder. This allows having the compression ratio of range 75:1 – 100:1.