Thermal engines - Introduction to reciprocating engines

The reciprocating steam engine was the first applied heat engine. Created on foundations dating back to Denis Papin (1679), it was gradually developed during the 18th century (Thomas Newcomen 1712, James Watt 1784) and made possible the first phase of industrialization during the 19th century. The steam turbine was created towards the end of the 19th century (Charles Parsons 1884 for the reaction turbine, Auguste Rateau 1901 for the multicellular action turbine).

The first realization of an internal combustion engine is due to Étienne Lenoir (gas engine without prior compression 1860). The invention of the principles of the spark-ignition internal combustion engine, as it exists today, can be attributed to Beau de Rochas (1862) and the first realization to Nikolaus Otto (1876); that of the diesel is obviously due to Rudolf Diesel (1892). Early developments (spark ignition), essentially geared to automotive propulsion, were largely inspired by the steam engine (dimensioning, distribution mechanisms), such as that of Delamare-Deboutte ville (1883); later developments diverged fairly rapidly. Pre-industrial automotive applications only materialized in the last decade of the 19th century (forerunners G. Daimler, C. Benz, W. Maybach; in France, R. Panhard et E. Levassor). The only rotary engine to have reached the stage of industrial development was designed by Félix Wankel (1929) and developed with the help of carmaker NSU in the 1960s.

The gas turbine, the principle of which some authors trace back to antiquity, had to wait until the early 20th century for its first applications (Armangeaud and Le Male). The Second World War accelerated the development of jet engines using gas turbines.

The article Heat engines covers all chapters relating to reciprocating or positive-displacement engines. Gas and steam turbines are covered in [B 4 400] .

The sheer variety of aspects of positive displacement engines that can be covered (breadth of basic knowledge, possible designs, sizing, fields of application, etc.) does not allow an exhaustive presentation of the subject within the scope of this section. The chapters have been designed around a plan, drawn up by the late J. Pichard, which favors the most generalizable themes: combustion, air and fuel supply, mechanical aspects (balancing, vibro-acoustics, soundproofing, suspension), cooling, lubrication, pollution control, testing methods, etc. With this in mind, we have often called on specialists or engine manufacturers from the automotive industry, as this is the field that produces the most widespread and diversified engines in a medium-sized range.