C175-16 Locomotive Engine Caterpillar


Air Inlet and Exhaust System Operation

Usage:

C175-16 3A9
The components of the air inlet and exhaust system control the quality and the amount of air that is available for combustion. There are four separate turbochargers. The exhaust manifolds are in the vee of the engine. There is one camshaft in the block. The camshaft controls the movement of the valve system components.


Illustration 1g01287164

(1) Exhaust manifold

(2) Exhaust outlet

(3) Turbocharger turbine wheel

(4) Turbocharger compressor wheel

(5) Air inlet

(6) Air line

(7) Aftercooler

Clean inlet air from the air cleaners is pulled through the air inlet (5) into the turbocharger compressor by the turbocharger compressor wheel (4). The rotation of the turbocharger compressor wheel then forces the air through a tube to aftercooler (7). The aftercooler lowers the temperature of the compressed air before the air flows into the inlet chambers in each cylinder head. This cooled and compressed air fills the inlet chambers in the cylinder heads. Air flow from the inlet chamber into the cylinder heads is controlled by the inlet valves.

There are two inlet valves and two exhaust valves for each cylinder. Refer to Systems Operation, "Valve Mechanism". The inlet valves open when the piston moves down on the inlet stroke. The cooled, compressed air is pulled into the cylinder from the inlet chamber.

The inlet valves close and the piston starts to move up on the compression stroke. When the piston is near the top of the compression stroke, fuel is injected into the cylinder. The fuel mixes with the air and combustion starts. The force of the combustion pushes the piston downward on the power stroke. When the piston moves upward again, the piston is on the exhaust stroke. The exhaust valves open and the exhaust gases are pushed through the exhaust port into exhaust manifold (1). After the piston makes the exhaust stroke, the exhaust valves close and the cycle starts again.

Exhaust gases from exhaust manifold (1) go into the turbine side of the turbocharger. The exhaust gases cause turbine wheel (3) to turn. The turbine wheel is connected to the shaft that drives the turbocharger compressor wheel (4). The exhaust gases exit through the exhaust outlet (2).

Caterpillar Information System:

Back to top
The names Caterpillar, John Deere, JD, JCB, Hyundai or any other original equipment manufacturers are registered trademarks of the respective original equipment manufacturers. All names, descriptions, numbers and symbols are used for reference purposes only.
CH-Part.com is in no way associated with any of the manufacturers we have listed. All manufacturer's names and descriptions are for reference only.