Design and Development of V8 Solenoid Engine

 1. INTRODUCTION

The production and development of electric vehicles is increasing day by day and continuous research is going on in this field to increase the efficiency and to find alternatives to the existing concept. Currently, all the electric cars are driven by one or more electric motors, using the energy stored in rechargeable batteries. The aim is to design a V8 Solenoid Engine which works on the principle of electro-magnetism. The piston in the conventional IC engine is replaced by the solenoid and it converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. This energy produced is used to power the wheels and run the car. Electric energy is a clean source of energy which replaces the conventional fossil fuels usage and it strives towards attaining increased range and reduced emissions.

2. COMPONENT

1. Crankshaft 

2. Gears 

3. L-Bracket 

4. Solenoid Piston 

5. Camshaft 

6. Flywheel

3. MATERIALS USED

3.1 Stainless Steel: 

 This medium carbon alloy provides high tensile strength and hardness. It has high resistance to bending and excellent weldability.  Thus, Crankshaft, L-Bracket, Nut and bolt are made of SS.

3.2 Mild Steel: 

 Due to low carbon content, mild steel has high tensile and impact strength and thus high resistance to breakage. 

 Thus, flywheel and piston are made of mild steel.

Unalloyed medium carbon steel has high strength compared to normal mild steel due to thermomechanical rolling. 

 It has good Tensile Strength and is readily machinable. 

 Thus, Spur Gears are made using this grade of steel because they undergo high levels of Stress and also to reduce the chances of Fatigue.

Solid Iron:

 It has high conductivity and it is malleable, ductile and strong. 

 Thus, it is used to make the cylindrical solenoid.

Copper: 

 It is ductile and a good conductor of electricity. 

 Thus, it is used to make the wires which are wound around the iron conductor

WORKING PRINCIPLE 

 POWER GENERATION: 

i. A solenoid is a conductor around which copper wires are wound and when it is supplied with current, it generates a magnetic field. 

ii. When current is passed through the wire, it produces magnetic flux which attracts any metal put inside the hollow pipe, towards it. 

iii. Spark distributor is used to actuate electromagnet according to position of piston in cylinder rather than sensors and microcontrollers.

iv. Once the electrical supply is stopped, the solenoid loses its magnetism and the metal falls in its original position and if the supply is given again, the metal rises. 

v. This TO and FRO motion of the metal is used to produce the mechanical energy required to run the engine. 

vi. It is like the conventional IC Engine in which there is TO and FRO motion of the piston inside the cylinder. 

vii. The firing order of the piston is 1-7-4-5-3-8-2-6

viii. The reciprocating motion of the plunger is converted into rotating motion of the crankshaft.

ACCELERATION AND BRAKING:

i. Battery is used to give electrical supply to induction coil and as main power source and it can be charged with an Alternator.

ii. There is a switch between solenoid coil and battery for connecting and disconnecting the supply to the coil.

iii. The main function of a spark distributor is to provide speed variation. It actually provides power to actuate the solenoids and control the movement.

iv. A rheostat is placed between the distributor with number of studs and it works as an accelerator.

v. When the value of resistance is decreased, more amount of current runs through the distributor and speed of movement increases. Thus, the rheostat acts as a variable resistor which can be used to control the current supply to the spark distributor.