FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM IN SI

ENGINE

By. Amit S. Niwalkar

Introduction :Fuel supply system in Spark Ignition Internal

Combustion Engines plays an important role in the output
power of an engine as well as its performance in terms of
fuel consumption.
In a way to further improve the performance of
the SI Engine and better control of pollutants, an improved
fuel injection method called GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection)
has been focused for the development of SI Engines. In the
GDI method, fuel is been directly injected into the cylinder
like in CI Engines.

Parts from fuel supply :Fuel tank :- The fuel tank made be made from pressed steel and
coated inside to prevent corrosion, or a synthetic rubber
compound or flame resistant plastic.
Fuel pipes :- These can be made from steel or plastic and are
secured by clips at several points along the underside of the
vehicle.
Fuel filters :- To prevent dirt and fluff entering the fuel pump a
filter is fitted on the suction side of the pump.
Air filters :- Its most important function is to prevent dust and
abrasive particles from entering the engine and causing rapid
wear.
Fuel pump :- This supplies fuel under high pressure to the fuel
injection system, or under low pressure to a carburettor.
Carburettor :- This device which atomizes the fuel and mixes it
which the correct amount of air.
Float chamber (function) :-

FUEL SUPPLY (Ways)

Fuel injection

Carburettor

Multi point fuel

injection

Port
injection

Gasoline direct
injection

Throttle body
injection

Electronic fuel
injection

Carburettor :Carburetor System is a proven technology for many

years and is adopted is almost all SI Engines until 1990's.
In this method air and fuel are mixed in the
required quantities in a device called carburettor before
supplying to the engine cylinder. Many complex subsystems
are required for the effective working of the engine as the
engine is subjected to various operating conditions in
practice.

Air filter
Air in
Choke valve
Fuel in

Gas and Fuel mixture

Float

Venturi
Throttle valve
Float chamber

fig. Carburettor

Advantages of carburettor :1. It is economical.

2. Its air fuel mixture is easily set by mechanical.
Disadvantages of carburettor :1. The carburettor has many wearing part. After wear it
operates less efficiently.
2. Vapor lock in the fuel systems may result in hot weather.
3. Carburettors, with their choke tubes, jets, throttle valves,
inlet pipe bends, etc., do not give a free flow passage for the
mixture. Thus there is loss of volumetric efficiency on this
account.

Multi Point Fuel Injection :This MPFI system is to supply the proper ratio of
gasoline and air to cylinders.
Air in
Port injection :In the port injection
arrangement the injector is
placed on the side of intake
manifold near the intake
port. The injector sprays
gasoline into the air, inside
intake manifold.

Injector
Fuel spray
fig. Port injection

Throttle body injection :Injector

Air
Throttle body

Air
Fuel spray

Intake manifold

fig. Throttle body injection

In the throttle body injection system an injector
is placed slightly above the throat of the throttle body. The
injector sprays gasoline into the air in the intake manifold.

Advantages of MPFI :1. Increased volumetric efficiency and hence increased

power and torque, due to the absence of any restriction
such as ventures and other metering elements in the air
passage.
2. Better distribution of mixture to each cylinder and hence
lower specific fuel consumption.
3. Even in MPFI Engines there are limits to fuel supply
response and the combustion control because the fuel
mixes with air before entering the cylinder.

Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) :Gasoline engines work by inhaling a mixture of

gasoline and air into a cylinder, compressing it with a piston,
and igniting it with a spark; the resulting explosion drives the
piston downwards, producing power. Traditional (indirect)
fuel injection systems pre-mix the gasoline and air in a
chamber just outside the cylinder called the intake manifold.
In a direct-injection system, the air and gasoline are not premixed; air comes in via the intake manifold, while the
gasoline is injected directly into the cylinder.

The required technical features to incorporate GDI system

are as follows :1. Upright straight intake ports
for optimal airflow control in
the cylinder.
2. Curved-top pistons for better
combustion.
3. High-pressure fuel pump to
feed pressurized fuel into the
injector.

fig. Gasoline direct injection

Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) :A fuel injector (may be

2) located in a throttle body
assembly that sits on top of
the inlet manifold. Fuel is
sprayed into the inlet
manifold from above the
throttle valve, mixing with
incoming air. Fuel quantity,
how much fuel is injected is
controlled by an ECU.

ECU

Air in
Fuel in
TB injector

Inlet manifold

fig. Electronic fuel injection

Electronic Fuel Injector Operation :An injector sprays fuel into the inlet manifold by use of a
solenoid coil.
When the coil is switch on by the ECU, it pulls the armature/needle
valve away from the nozzle, allowing pressurized fuel into the
engine.
When the coil is not switched on, the spring pushes the
armature/needle against the nozzle, no fuel is injected into the inlet
manifold
Injectors are more precise and efficient than carburettors.

Needle valve

Solenoid
coil

Electrical
connector

Fuel in

Nozzle

Armature

Spring

Fuel filter