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Air–fuel ratio
Air–fuel ratio (AFR) is the mass ratio of air to a solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel present in a combustion process. The combustion may take place in a controlled manner such as in an internal combustion engine or industrial furnace, or may result in an explosion (e.g., a dust explosion). The air–fuel ratio determines whether a mixture is combustible at all, how much energy is being released, and how much unwanted pollutants are produced in the reaction. Typically a range of air to fuel ratios exists, outside of which ignition will not occur. These are known as the lower and upper explosive limits.
In an internal combustion engine or industrial furnace, the air–fuel ratio is an important measure for anti-pollution and performance-tuning reasons. If exactly enough air is provided to completely burn all of the fuel (stoichiometric combustion), the ratio is known as the stoichiometric mixture, often abbreviated to stoich. Ratios lower than stoichiometric (where the fuel is in excess) are considered "rich". Rich mixtures are less efficient, but may produce more power and burn cooler. Ratios higher than stoichiometric (where the air is in excess) are considered "lean". Lean mixtures are more efficient but may cause higher temperatures, which can lead to the formation of nitrogen oxides. Some engines are designed with features to allow lean-burn. For precise air–fuel ratio calculations, the oxygen content of combustion air should be specified because of different air density due to different altitude or intake air temperature, possible dilution by ambient water vapor, or enrichment by oxygen additions.
An air-fuel ratio meter monitors the air–fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine. Also called air–fuel ratio gauge, air–fuel meter, or air–fuel gauge, it reads the voltage output of an oxygen sensor, sometimes also called AFR sensor or lambda sensor.
The original narrow-band oxygen sensors became factory installed standard in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In recent years a newer and much more accurate wide-band sensor, though more expensive, has become available.
Most stand-alone narrow-band meters have 10 LEDs and some have more. Also common, narrow band meters in round housings with the standard mounting 52 and 67 mm (2+1⁄16 and 2+5⁄8 in) diameters, as other types of car 'gauges'. These usually have 10 or 20 LEDs. Analogue 'needle' style gauges are also available.
In theory, a stoichiometric mixture has just enough air to completely burn the available fuel. In practice, this is never quite achieved, due primarily to the very short time available in an internal combustion engine for each combustion cycle.
Most of the combustion process is completed in approximately 2 milliseconds at an engine speed of 6,000 revolutions per minute (100 revolutions per second, or 10 milliseconds per revolution of the crankshaft. For a four-stroke engine this would mean 5 milliseconds for each piston stroke, and 20 milliseconds to complete one 720 degree Otto cycle). This is the time that elapses from the spark plug firing until 90% of the fuel–air mix is combusted, typically some 80 degrees of crankshaft rotation later. Catalytic converters are designed to work best when the exhaust gases passing through them are the result of nearly perfect combustion.
A perfectly stoichiometric mixture burns very hot and can damage engine components if the engine is placed under high load at this fuel–air mixture. Due to the high temperatures at this mixture, the detonation of the fuel-air mix while approaching or shortly after maximum cylinder pressure is possible under high load (referred to as knocking or pinging), specifically a "pre-detonation" event in the context of a spark-ignition engine model. Such detonation can cause serious engine damage as the uncontrolled burning of the fuel-air mix can create very high pressures in the cylinder. As a consequence, stoichiometric mixtures are only used under light to low-moderate load conditions. For acceleration and high-load conditions, a richer mixture (lower air–fuel ratio) is used to produce cooler combustion products (thereby utilizing evaporative cooling), and so avoid overheating of the cylinder head, and thus prevent detonation.
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Air–fuel ratio AI simulator
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Air–fuel ratio
Air–fuel ratio (AFR) is the mass ratio of air to a solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel present in a combustion process. The combustion may take place in a controlled manner such as in an internal combustion engine or industrial furnace, or may result in an explosion (e.g., a dust explosion). The air–fuel ratio determines whether a mixture is combustible at all, how much energy is being released, and how much unwanted pollutants are produced in the reaction. Typically a range of air to fuel ratios exists, outside of which ignition will not occur. These are known as the lower and upper explosive limits.
In an internal combustion engine or industrial furnace, the air–fuel ratio is an important measure for anti-pollution and performance-tuning reasons. If exactly enough air is provided to completely burn all of the fuel (stoichiometric combustion), the ratio is known as the stoichiometric mixture, often abbreviated to stoich. Ratios lower than stoichiometric (where the fuel is in excess) are considered "rich". Rich mixtures are less efficient, but may produce more power and burn cooler. Ratios higher than stoichiometric (where the air is in excess) are considered "lean". Lean mixtures are more efficient but may cause higher temperatures, which can lead to the formation of nitrogen oxides. Some engines are designed with features to allow lean-burn. For precise air–fuel ratio calculations, the oxygen content of combustion air should be specified because of different air density due to different altitude or intake air temperature, possible dilution by ambient water vapor, or enrichment by oxygen additions.
An air-fuel ratio meter monitors the air–fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine. Also called air–fuel ratio gauge, air–fuel meter, or air–fuel gauge, it reads the voltage output of an oxygen sensor, sometimes also called AFR sensor or lambda sensor.
The original narrow-band oxygen sensors became factory installed standard in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In recent years a newer and much more accurate wide-band sensor, though more expensive, has become available.
Most stand-alone narrow-band meters have 10 LEDs and some have more. Also common, narrow band meters in round housings with the standard mounting 52 and 67 mm (2+1⁄16 and 2+5⁄8 in) diameters, as other types of car 'gauges'. These usually have 10 or 20 LEDs. Analogue 'needle' style gauges are also available.
In theory, a stoichiometric mixture has just enough air to completely burn the available fuel. In practice, this is never quite achieved, due primarily to the very short time available in an internal combustion engine for each combustion cycle.
Most of the combustion process is completed in approximately 2 milliseconds at an engine speed of 6,000 revolutions per minute (100 revolutions per second, or 10 milliseconds per revolution of the crankshaft. For a four-stroke engine this would mean 5 milliseconds for each piston stroke, and 20 milliseconds to complete one 720 degree Otto cycle). This is the time that elapses from the spark plug firing until 90% of the fuel–air mix is combusted, typically some 80 degrees of crankshaft rotation later. Catalytic converters are designed to work best when the exhaust gases passing through them are the result of nearly perfect combustion.
A perfectly stoichiometric mixture burns very hot and can damage engine components if the engine is placed under high load at this fuel–air mixture. Due to the high temperatures at this mixture, the detonation of the fuel-air mix while approaching or shortly after maximum cylinder pressure is possible under high load (referred to as knocking or pinging), specifically a "pre-detonation" event in the context of a spark-ignition engine model. Such detonation can cause serious engine damage as the uncontrolled burning of the fuel-air mix can create very high pressures in the cylinder. As a consequence, stoichiometric mixtures are only used under light to low-moderate load conditions. For acceleration and high-load conditions, a richer mixture (lower air–fuel ratio) is used to produce cooler combustion products (thereby utilizing evaporative cooling), and so avoid overheating of the cylinder head, and thus prevent detonation.