Air-cooled engine

Air Cooled Engine

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Air-cooled engine

Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over hot parts of the engine

Engine

An engine is a mechanical device that produces some form of output from a given input.An engine whose purpose is to produce kinetic energy output from a fuel is called a Wiktionary:prime mover; alternatively, a motor is a device which produces kinetic energy from a preprocessed "fuel" ....
to cool them.

Introduction
Most modern internal combustion engine

Internal combustion engine

The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs in a combustion chamber inside and integral to the engine. In an internal combustion engine it is always the expansion of the high temperature and pressure gases that are produced by the combustion which apply force to the movable component of the engine, such as...
s are cooled by a closed circuit carrying liquid coolant through channels in the engine block, where the coolant absorbs heat, to a heat exchanger

Heat exchanger

A heat exchanger is a device built for efficient heat transfer from one medium to another, whether the media are separated by a solid wall so that they never mix, or the media are in direct contact....
or radiator

Radiator

Discussion

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Introduction

Most modern internal combustion engine

Internal combustion engine

Heat exchanger

Radiator

Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics....
where the coolant releases heat into the air. Thus, while they are ultimately cooled by air, because of the liquid-coolant circuit they are known as water-cooled. In contrast, heat generated by an air-cooled engine is released directly into the air. Typically this is facilitated with metal fins

Fin (extended surface)

In the study of heat transfer, a fin is a surface that extends from an object to increase the rate of heat transfer to or from the environment by increasing convection....
covering the outside of the cylinder

Cylinder (engine)

A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically casting from aluminum or cast iron before precision features are machined into it....
s which increase the surface area that air can act on.

In all combustion engines, a great percentage of the heat generated (around 44%) escapes through the exhaust, not through either a liquid cooling system nor through the metal fins of an air-cooled engine (12%). About 8% of the heat energy finds its way into the oil

Motor oil

Motor oil, or engine oil, is an oil used for lubrication of various internal combustion engines. While the main function is to lubricate moving parts, motor oil also cleans, inhibits corrosion, improves sealing and engine cooling by carrying heat away from the moving parts....
, which although primarily meant for lubrication

Lubrication

Lubrication is the process, or technique employed to reduce wear of one or both surfaces in close proximity, and moving relative to each another, by interposing a substance called lubricant between the surfaces to carry or to help carry the load between the opposing surfaces....
, also plays a role in heat dissipation via a cooler.

Applications

Road vehicles

Many motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a Single track, two-wheeled motor vehicle powered by an Motorcycle engine. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as Touring motorcycle travel, navigating Naked bike, Cruiser , Motorcycle sport and Motorbike racing, or off-road conditions....
s use air-cooling for the sake of reducing weight and complexity. Few current production automobiles have air-cooled engines, but historically it was common for many high-volume vehicles. Examples of past air cooled road vehicles include:

Franklin
Franklin (automobile)

File:Bliven Franklin automobile.jpgThe H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company was a maker of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York....
Porsche 356
Porsche 356

The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile. It was a lightweight and nimble handling rear-engine rear-wheel-drive 2 door sports car available in hardtop and convertible configurations....
(1948-1965)
VW-Porsche 914
Porsche 914

The Porsche 914 was a Mid-engine design sports car built and sold collaboratively by Volkswagen and Porsche from 1969 through 1976....
(1969-1976)
Porsche 911
Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche Aktiengesellschaft of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive, and durable design is notable for being rear engined like the Porsche-designed Volkswagen Beetle it had been based on....
(1964-1998) (While the 911 and the 914 are classified as air-cooled, they are in fact oil-cooled vehicles, with hot oil circulated to an external oil cooler for cooling. This may be true of other air-cooled automobiles)
The Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Type 1 is an economy car produced by the Germany auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003. The car was originally known as K?fer, the German language word for "beetle," from which the popular English nickname originates....
, Type 2
Volkswagen Type 2

The Volkswagen Type 2 was the second automotive line introduced by Germany automaker Volkswagen. It was a van introduced in 1950, initially based on Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1, also known as the "Volkswagen Beetle"....
, SP2
Volkswagen SP2

The SP2 was a sports car developed by Volkswagen do Brasil for that market, from 1972 to 1976; the name is an acronym for "S?o Paulo"....
, Karmann Ghia
Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

The Karmann Ghia was marketed from 1955 to 1974 by Volkswagen as a 2+2 coupe and as a convertible — both incorporating the commonplace chassis and mechanicals of the Volkswagen Beetle, evocative styling by the Italian carrozzeria Carrozzeria Ghia, and hand-built bodywork by German coachbuilding Karmann....
, and Type 3
Volkswagen Type 3

The Volkswagen Type 3, also referred to as the Volkswagen 1500 and later the Volkswagen 1600, was a range of small cars from Germany manufacturer Volkswagen ....
all utilized the same air cooled engine
Volkswagen air cooled engine

The Volkswagen air cooled engine is one of the most widely used and versatile internal combustion engines in the world. Variations of this engine were produced by Volkswagen plants around the world from 1936 until 2006....
(1938-2003) with various displacements.
Volkswagen Type 4
Volkswagen Type 4

The Volkswagen Type 4 was a mid-sized 2 or 4-door sedan or 2-door station wagon built by Volkswagen of Germany. It was produced between 1968 and 1974....
(1968-1974)
Chevrolet Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair

The Chevrolet Corvair is a automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1959 to 1969, for the 1960–1969 model years....
(1960-1969)
Citroën 2CV
Citroën 2CV

The Citro?n 2CV is an economy car produced by the France automaker Citro?n from 1949 to 1990. It is considered one of their most cultural icon cars....
(1948-1990) (Featured a high pressure oil cooling system, and used a fan that was both axial and radial).
Citroën GS and GSA
Some early Honda
Honda

is a multinational corporation headquartered in Japan.The company manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, scooter , robots, jet aircrafts and jet engines, all-terrain vehicle, water craft, electrical generators, marine engines, lawn and garden equipment, and aeronautical and other mobile technologies....
kei cars
Kei car

Kei car, K-car, or , is a Japanese category of small automobiles, including automobiles, microvan, and kei truck. They are designed to exploit local tax and insurance relaxations, and in more rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is available for the vehicle....
The East German Trabant
Trabant

The Trabant is an automobile produced by former East Germany auto maker HQM Sachsenring GmbH in Zwickau, Sachsen-Anhalt. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc....
(1957-1991)
Tatra T97
Tatra T97

The Type 97 is a mid-class saloon car from Czechoslovakian car-maker Tatra . It was produced for a short time in the pre-war period, from 1936 to 1939....
NSU Prinz
NSU Prinz

The NSU Prinz was an automobile produced in West Germany by the NSU Motorenwerke AG. The car was built from 1957 to 1973, and received a model change in 1961 ....
Tatra (company) all wheel drive military trucks.
Tatra 603

Aviation

Most aviation piston engines are air-cooled, including most of the engines currently (2005) manufactured by Lycoming and Continental

Continental Motors

Teledyne Continental Motors is an engine manufacturer located in Mobile, Alabama. The company is part of the Teledyne conglomerate. Although Continental is most well known for its light aviation engines, they were also contracted to produce the air-cooled V12 engine Continental AV1790-5B gasoline engine for the U.S....
and used by major manufacturers of light aircraft Cirrus

Cirrus Design

File:ILA-Cirrus.jpgThe Cirrus Design Corporation is an aircraft manufacturer that was founded in 1984 by Alan and Dale Klapmeier to produce the Cirrus VK-30 homebuilt aircraft aircraft....
, Cessna

Cessna

The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft....
and so on. Notable exceptions have included the Allison V-1710

Allison V-1710

The Allison V-1710 aircraft engine was the only indigenous United States-developed V-12 liquid-cooled engine to see service during World War II....
and Rolls-Royce series

Rolls-Royce Merlin

The Rolls-Royce Merlin was a liquid cooled 27 litre 60? V12 internal combustion engine aircraft engine which became famous in World War II. Several versions of the Merlin were built by Rolls-Royce Limited , by Ford of Britain and in the United States as the Packard V-1650....
of (most well known, the Merlin V-1650) liquid-cooled V12 engines which powered P-51 Mustang

P-51 Mustang

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was a long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that entered service with Allies of World War II air forces in the middle years of World War II....
s, Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster was a United Kingdom four-engine World War II bomber aircraft made initially by Avro for the British Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley-Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force and squadrons from other Commonwealth of Nations...
s, Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft. Some production of the Hurricane was carried out in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry....
s and Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allies of World War II countries through the Second World War and on into the 1950s as a frontline fighter and in secondary roles....
s.

Other engine manufactures using air-cooled engine technology are ULPower

ULPower

ULPower Aero Engines is Belgium engineering company which manufactures engines specifically designed for light aircraft/rotorcraft use....
and Jabiru

Jabiru Aircraft

The Jabiru Aircraft Pty Ltd produces a range of small civil utility aircraftdesigned and manufactured in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. They also design and manufacture a range of engines, specifically designed for light aircraft use....
, more active in the Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA

Light-sport Aircraft

Light-sport aircraft, or LSA, is a classification of aircraft specific to the United States.The Federal Aviation Administration defines a light-sport aircraft as an aircraft with a maximum gross takeoff weight of not more than 1320 pounds for aircraft not intended for operation on water; or 1,430 pounds for aircraft intended for ope...
) and ultralight aircraft market. Rotax

Rotax

BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG, commonly known simply as Rotax, is an Austrian engine manufacturer. In addition it is an international market leader in the development and production of 4-stroke and advanced 2-stroke engines for BRP products as well as for motorcycles, karts, ultra light and light aircraft....
uses a combination of air-cooled cylinders and liquid cooled cylinder heads.

Diesel engines

Some small diesel engines, e.g. those made by Deutz AG

Deutz AG

Deutz AG is a Germany engine manufacturer....
and Lister Petter

Lister Petter

Lister-Petter is a United Kingdom company that manufactures internal combustion engines for industry.It was formed in 1986 from the merger of Petters Limited and R A Lister and Company....
are air-cooled.

Air-cooled engine

Introduction

Applications

Road vehicles

Aviation

Diesel engines

See also