Without a doubt, the diesel engine is the most widely used engine in the agricultural sector, with the
four-stroke, direct injection engine proving to be the most favoured.
Nicolaus August Otto, the co-founder of “N.A. Otto & Cie” known as DEUTZ AG today, successfully developed a gaseous fuel, compressed charge four stroke cycle that is currently known as the Otto cycle. This is the principle that still power most engines today. The term ‘four-stroke’ refers to the way the combustion engine produces energy to drive the wheels: intake, compression, power and exhaust strokes.
In the internal combustion engine, pistons turn the crankshaft. They need an energy force to make them do this, which is provided in four separate strokes.
Intake Stroke:
The intake stroke is when the piston moves down within the cylinder creating a vacuum, while the intake valve opens, and a mixture of air and fuel is drawn into the combustion chamber.
Compression Stroke:
The intake valve closes, and the piston moves upwards within the cylinder compressing the air-fuel mixture in preparation for ignition.
Combustion Stroke:
When the piston is near the top of the cylinder the compressed air-fuel mixture is ignited by a spark plug in petrol engines or by heat generated by high compression in diesel engines. The combustion of the fuel-air mixture generates a high-pressure and high-temperature gas which forces the piston downward with immense force. This is the power stroke. It generates energy which is used to power the mechanical workings.
Exhaust Stroke:
The piston then rises again and this time the exhaust valve opens, and the spent air-fuel mixture is expelled.
Direct injection is the use of compressed air instead of spark plugs to generate combustion in the cylinder. Diesel engines use highly compressed hot air which is heated to 1022°C, while the fuel injector sends fuel into the chamber where it is atomised and dispersed evenly.
The benefit of direct injection is that it enables a more precise control over the air-fuel mixture, which optimises ratios and results in a greater efficiency of combustion. Better fuel efficiency in agricultural machinery is highly sought after.
Furthermore, these efficiencies enhance the power and torque, making a direct injection diesel engine more suited to the heavy-duty equipment of the agricultural sector.
Four-stroke, direct injection diesel engines deliver higher thermal energy which provides precise fuel delivery and efficient combustion, in turn leading to greater fuel efficiency, increased power output and reduced emissions — all desirable advantages for the agricultural sector.
The DEUTZ brand is renowned for its premium quality, reliability, and long service life. Our engines are perfectly suited for agricultural applications due to their reliability, robustness, compact design, and fuel efficiency. Moreover, with our expertise in exhaust after-treatment and system integration, DEUTZ engines can be customised according to your equipment’s specific applications.
DEUTZ Australia’s Sales and Technical Support Teams can work with you to customise a diesel engine scope that precisely match your agricultural machinery. Whether you are looking to power tractors, pumps or harvesters, we’ve got you covered!
