Air Intake And Exhaust System

The operation of an engine requires air, fuel, and heat. Air intake and exhaust system deals with air that supports combustion in the cylinder of an engine. Air intake system, an essential element for combustion within an engine, delivers oxygenated air into the combustion chambers of an engine, while air exhaust system basically discharges hot exhaust gas produced during the combustion of the air/fuel mixture in the engine. Air intake and exhaust system is composed of many parts. This article will mainly introduce three parts: muffler, air filter, and turbocharger.

Muffler

The process of combustion in an engine will create a lot of noise, so the muffler’s purpose is to provide noise reduction and soundproofing for most engines. Through the process of acoustic quieting, mufflers reduce noise by dampening vibrations that are created by sound pressure emitted from engines. Most mufflers use baffles to bounce the exhaust, dissipating the energy and then reducing the noise. Some mufflers also use fiberglass to absorb the sound energy as the gases flow through to achieve the purpose. As we all know, mufflers are usually used in 6-cylinder diesel engines, because a diesel engine muffler can help to reduce exhaust noise as well as increase fuel economy and engine longevity.

Air filter

An engine requires an exact mixture of fuel and air in order to operate, and all of the air enters the system first through the air filter. The air filter is responsible to filter out dirt, dust, and other particles in the air, preventing them from entering the system and possibly damaging the engine. If it becomes clogged, your engine air filter can start to negatively impact your vehicle's performance. So it’s recommended to change your engine air filter every 30,000-45,000 miles. If you frequently drive on dusty roads or in hot climates, check and replace your filter more often. You can buy air filters in a compressor parts store.

Turbocharger

What is a turbocharger?

A turbocharger, a device fitted to a vehicle’s engine, is designed to improve overall efficiency and increase performance. That's why many auto manufacturers choose turbocharge for their vehicles.

How does a turbocharger work?

A turbocharger consists of two main sections: the turbine and the compressor. The turbine includes the turbine wheel and the turbine housing. The turbine housing guides the exhaust gas into the turbine wheel. The energy from the exhaust gas turns the turbine wheel, and the gas then exits the turbine housing through an exhaust outlet area.

The compressor also consists of two parts: the compressor wheel and the compressor housing.  The compressor wheel is attached to the turbine by a forged steel shaft and as the turbine turns the compressor wheel, the high-velocity spinning draws in air and compresses it. The compressor housing then converts the high-velocity, low-pressure air stream into a high-pressure, low-velocity air stream through a process called diffusion. The compressed air is pushed into the engine, allowing the engine to burn more fuel to produce more power.