Introduction carburetor and types of carburetors:

Carburetor and types of carburetors:

The carburetor is the most important item in the fuel system of spark

ignition engines. carburetor is attached between the fuel filter and the
induction manifold. If supplies the air-fuel mixture of varying proportions to suit
engine operating conditions.

The liquid fuel enters the float chamber of the carburetor. And the air enters the air
horn of the carburetor. Mixing of the fuel and air takes place when both pass
through the venturi in the mixing chamber of the carburetor. This air and fuel
mixture then goes to the intake manifold.

Carburetor:
A carburetor is a device for atomizing and vaporizing the fuel and mixing it with
the air in varying proportions to suit the changing condition of spark ignition
engines.
The air-fuel mixture so obtained from the carburetor known as the combustible
mixture.The process of mixing the gasoline the fuel with air to get the combustible

mixture known as carburetor.

Understanding the terms vaporization and atomization.

1. Vaporization- It is the change of state of the fuel from liquid to vapour.
2. Atomization- It is the mechanical breaking-up of the liquid fuel into small
particles so that every particle of the fuel is surrounded by air.

To produce quick vaporization of the liquid fuel, it is sprayed into the air passing
through the carburetor. Spraying of the liquid turns it into many fine particles so
that the vaporization occurs almost instantly.

A carburetor supplies the air-fuel mixture of varying proportions to suit the

changing conditions of the engine. The mixture must be rich (have a higher
percentage of fuel) for starting, acceleration, and high-speed operation.

The mixtures should be mean (have a lower percentage of fuel) for operation at
intermediate speed with a warm engine.

The theoretically perfect mixture of air and gasoline contains 15 parts of air and 1
part fo gasoline by weight.

An ideal carburetor passes the mixture of completely vaporized fuel and air, in the
proper proportion to the intake manifold and cylinder.
But in the present-day carburetors, the complete vaporization of fuel is not
achieved, due to the heavy nature of the fuel and other limitations. The heated
intake manifold and hot-spots in the manifold vaporise part of atomized fuel.

Even until the end of the compression stroke in the cylinder, the gasoline does not
vaporize completely. Although the heat and pressure during the compression stroke
are applied to it.

Types of Carburetors
The different types of carburetors are classified on the following basis:

1. According to the arrangement of the float chamber:

1. Eccentric
2. Concentric
2. According to the direction of air flow:
1. Downdraft.
2. Side draft.
3. Up draft.
4. Semi-down draft.
3. According to the number of units:
1. Single
2. Dual
3. Four-barrel.
4. According to the type of metering system:
1. Air-bleed jet.
2. Metering rod type.
5. According to the types of venturi:
1. Plain venturi.
2. Double venturi
3. Vane venturi
4. Nozzle-bar venturi
5. Triple venturi.
6. According to the pressure above the fuel in the float chamber:
1. Unbalanced.
2. Balanced.
7. According to the type of power system:
1. Manually operated
2. Vacuum controlled.
8. According to the method of varying the mixture strength:
1. Constant choke carburetor.
 2. Constant vacuum carburetor.

Types of typical Carburetor:

1. SU Carburetor
2. Solex Carburetor
3. Zenith Carburetor
4. Carter Carburetor

A Carburetor According to The Arrangement of Float

Chamber:
In eccentric float chamber types of carburetors, the float chamber is placed at a
side of the venturi tube.

In concentric float chamber types of carburetors, the float chamber is paced

around the venturi tube.The eccentric float chamber type carburetor does not
provide correct air-fuel mixture when the vehicle is ascending a grade.

When the vehicle is running on a horizontal road, the level of the gasoline in the
float chamber and the discharge jet is normal, as at (A). The carburetor correct air-
fuel mixture to the engine.

When the vehicle is ascending or descending a grade, the carburetor is tilted and
the level of the gasoline changes in the discharge jet as at (b) and (c). This causes
too much or too little gasoline to be supplied by the jet giving incorrect mixtures.
The concentric float chamber type carburetors does not have this difficulty.

The level of the gasoline in the discharge jet remains approximately constant,
which provides the correct air-fuel mixture to the engine in all positions of the level.

The Carburetor According to the direction of Air-Flow:

In downdraft carburetor types of carburetors, the air enters the top of the
carburetor rettor and leaves at the bottom, as in the figure.
A side-draft carburetor types of carburetors, the air enters the top of the carburetor
and leaves at the side, as at (b).

In updraft carburetor types of carburetors, the air enters the bottom or side of the
carburetor and leaves at the top.

The semi-downdraft carburetor types of carburetors, the direction of air flow is

inclined from top to bottom, as at (d).

In most passenger cars, the downdraft carburetor is used. This type of carburetor,
The gravity assists the flow of the mixture. Thus, the engine sucks it better at
lower speeds under load. the higher volumetric efficiency of the engine is achieved.
The location of the carburetor above the engine is more accessible for inspection
change or repair. A air entering the carburetor is cooler.
Carburetor According to The Number of Units:
Single barrel carburetor has only one barrel.

Dual barrel carburetor has two barrels, each containing a fuel jet, venturi tube
idling system, choke and throttle. It may have a single air inlet, choke and float
chamber, although it frequently has two floats one for each jet. It has only an
accelerating pump.Usually, the passenger car engines of eight or more cylinders
are provided with of the dual carburetor having the dual intake manifold. Each
barrel of the dual carburetor feeds one branch of the intake manifold. This
arrangement provides uniform distribution of the fuel mixture to the cylinders.

Four the barrel, the carburetor is made up of two dual carburetor in one unit. The
primary side to a complete dual carburetor containing a choke, an accelerating
pump, a power valve and a complete main metering and idle system. The secondary
unit has its one float bowl and a dual carburetor main metering system and idle
system.

Carburetor According to The Type of Metering System:

In the air bleed jet types of carburetors, the fuel is supplied to the main discharge
nozzle through the main metering jet at low speeds.The air bleeds are connected to
a vent tube located inside the main discharge nozzle so that air is mixed with fuel

as it is drawn into the carburetor venturi.

As the suction of the main discharge nozzle increases at higher speeds, more air is
drawn through the main air bleed and the correct air-fuel mixture is maintained.

In the metering rod types of carburetors, the amount of fuel is controlled by a rod

which extends into the jet. The metering rod has three steps of different diameter.
Which opens the space in the jet through which the fuel passes .

The metering rod is connected to the throttle shaft by the suitable linkage. so that
it is raised when the throttle valve is opened and lowered when the throttle valve is
closed.When the rod is raised up, it provides more area between the jet and the rod
and more fuel passes to match the flow of air at high speeds.

Carburetor According to the type of Venturi:

Different types and number of venturies are used in the carburetor design,
according to which the carburetors are classified. The carburetor may have plain,
double, vane, nozzle-bar and triple venturi. Each type of the venturi is designed to
provide the decreased pressure of air flow so that it may draw fuel from the
discharge jet.Multiple venturies help to keep the fuel away from the carburetor
walls to reduce condensation.

Carburetors According to the Pressure above the Fuel

in the float chamber
 If the pressure above the fuel in the float chamber is atmospheric pressure,
the carburetor is said to be unbalanced.
 If the pressure above the fuel in the float chamber is equal to the air intake in
the air horn, the carburetor is said to be balanced.

The balanced carburetor contains a balance tube and passages that connect the
air-horn with the top of the float chamber so that the pressure in the air horn and
the float chamber remains the same.In the case, if the air intake is restricted by a
clogged air cleaner, the mixture ratio of the carburetor is not affected. Also, it
prevents discharge of the fuel through the pump discharges jet at high speeds .

Carburetor According to the Types of Power System:

According to the type of power system, the carburetor may be either manually
operated or vacuum controlled.

 In the manually operated carburetor. the power jets for enriching the mixture
are operated by mechanical linkage to the throttle sahft.
 In vacuum controlled carburetor a vacuum controlled power jet (called a step
up system) is used for enriching the mixture.

When the engine is operating normally at cruising speed, no load, a high vacuum is
produced in the vacuum passages connected to the intake manifold. It pulls the
vacuum piston down against the spring so that it holds the step up the rod in the
step-up (power) jet to keep it closed.When the engine is operating on load the
intake manifold vacuum falls off, and the spring pushes the piston up which raises
the step up the rod out of the jet to allow extra fuel to flow from the float chamber
to the discharge nozzle. The extra fuel supplements the normal supply furnished by
the main metering jet. Thus enriching the mixture.

Carburetor According to the method of Varying the

Mixture Strength:
In the constant choke carburetor, the mixture strength is determined by the
varying depression of a fixed tube or venturi.

 Solex and zenith carburettor are of this type.

 In the constant vacuum carburetor, depression in the choke tube is
reasonably constant. And the size of the jet is varied to provide the correct
mixture for all engine operating conditions.

 S.U. the carburetor is an example of a constant vacuum carburetor.