Engine Comparison to Human Body
This is very vital to try and understand how an engine air-intake system works which is one of the main unit of the internal combustion engines. The knowledge will become a guide in understanding basic engine working principle. However, to bring the understanding to a novice, we will be comparing the working of the engine to that of the human body operations.
It turns out that oxygen is necessary for the proper functioning of almost anything on the planet, including an engine and the human body. In this article, we will be describing how the engine works in relation to the air-intake system and how such functions look similar to that of the lungs of the human body.
HOW THE LUNGS WORK
Because all the cells of your body require oxygen to create energy, and thus live, the respiratory system constantly works to supply that need.
The diaphragm is a thick muscle spread out just below the lungs. Electrical impulses cause it to move downward and upward constantly. By moving downward, it reduces the pressure in the body which, in turn, causes air to be drawn in through the nose.
The hairs lining the nasal walls serve as a filter for the air, preventing dust and other unwanted particles from coming in. The incoming air contains oxygen as well as other gases and flows through the windpipe, also called trachea.
The trachea splits into two pipeways called Bronchial Tubes and each of these tubes connect to a lung. In the lung, these tubes split into balloon-like passageways called bronchioles which then lead to small air sacs known as Alveoli. The air passes through all the aforementioned channels till it gets to the alveoli.
Remember we mentioned capillaries when we talked about the circulation system? This is where they come into play. Oxygen is exchanged for carbon IV oxide and absorbed into the blood stream through these blood vessels. Once this exchange is complete, the diaphragm moves up, increasing the pressure in the body and expelling the waste carbon IV oxide through the nose.
In the capillaries, oxygen combines with the haemoglobin in the blood and is pumped to the heart via the pulmonary vein. The heart, in turn, pumps this oxygen-rich blood to all the other cells of the body. At each cell, the capillaries exchange oxygen for carbon IV oxide, which the blood carries to be expelled by the lungs.
When the activities of the body is heightened like during exercise or labor, the diaphragm depresses further to allow more air to enter the lungs.
Well, how is this related to an engine? Just hang on a second.
HOW AN ENGINE WORKS
The air-intake system of the car engine actually works a lot like that of the human body.
Firstly, the grille in front of your car serves to let air into the car system. This air goes into the air filter housing where it is purified by the filter. The filter prevents harmful particles from entering the engine.
From the filter housing, the air flows through the mass-flow sensor. This sensor serves to ensure that only accurate amounts of air gets mixed with fuel.
The next stop is the throttle valve. It has an opening that expands once the accelerator is pushed down. This allows more air to enter the combustion chamber, thus leading to more energy production.
From the throttle valve, the air enters into the inlet manifold. Here, the air mixes with the fuel in the required air/fuel ratio before going into the combustion chamber.
After combustion is complete, waste gases are expelled through the exhaust pipes and the whole process repeats itself again.
From these, we can draw the following parallels:
- The human body and engine both have a filtration system that prevents impurities from getting in.
- Both systems respond to increased activity by allowing more air to enter them.
- Both have an exhaust system to take out waste gases.
What other similarities can you spot? Share them with us in the comments section. Until next time!
