Carburetor and Its Types

Carburetor and Types of Carburetors

A carburetor is a device for atomizing and vaporizing the fuel and mixing it with the air in varying
proportions to suit the changing condition of spark ignition engines. The air-fuel mixture so obtained
from the carburetor known as the combustible mixture.

The carburetor is the most important part of the fuel system of spark ignition engines. the
carburetor is attached between the fuel filter and the induction manifold. If supplies the air-fuel
mixture of varying proportions to suit engine operating conditions.

The liquid fuel enters the float chamber of the carburetor. And the air enters the air horn of the
carburetor. Mixing of the fuel and air takes place when both pass through the venturi in the mixing
chamber of the carburetor. This air and fuel mixture then goes to the intake manifold.

Carburetor

The process of mixing the gasoline the fuel with air to get the combustible mixture known as
carburetor.

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Understanding The Terms Vaporization and Atomization

1. Vaporization- It is the change of state of the fuel from liquid to vapour.

2. Atomization- It is the mechanical breaking-up of the liquid fuel into small particles so that
every particle of the fuel is surrounded by air.

To produce quick vaporization of the liquid fuel, it is sprayed into the air passing through the
carburetor. Spraying of the liquid turns it into many fine particles so that the vaporization occurs
almost instantly.

A carburetor supplies the air-fuel mixture of varying proportions to suit the changing conditions of
the engine. The mixture must be rich (have a higher percentage of fuel) for starting, acceleration,
and high-speed operation.

The mixtures should be mean (have a lower percentage of fuel) for operation at intermediate speed
with a warm engine. The theoretically perfect mixture of air and gasoline contains 15 parts of air and
1 part fo gasoline by weight. An ideal carburetor passes the mixture off completely vaporized fuel
and air, in the proper proportion to the intake manifold and cylinder.

But in the present-day carburetors, the complete vaporization of fuel is not achieved, due to the
heavy nature of the fuel and other limitations. The heated intake manifold and hot-spots in the
manifold vaporise part of atomized fuel.

Even until the end of the compression stroke in the cylinder, the gasoline does not vaporize
completely. Although the heat and pressure during the compression stroke are applied to it.

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Types of Carburetors
The different types of carburetors are classified on the following basis:

1. According to the arrangement of the float chamber:

1. Eccentric
2. Concentric
2. According to the direction of air flow:
1. Downdraft.
2. Side draft.
3. Up draft.
4. Semi-down draft.
3. According to the number of units:
1. Single
2. Dual
3. Four-barrel.
4. According to the type of metering system:
1. Air-bleed jet.
2. Metering rod type.
5. According to the types of venturi:
1. Plain venturi.
2. Double venturi

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 Carburetor and Its Types

3. Vane venturi
4. Nozzle-bar venturi
5. Triple venturi.
6. According to the pressure above the fuel in the float chamber:
1. Unbalanced.
2. Balanced.
7. According to the type of power system:
1. Manually operated
2. Vacuum controlled
8. According to the method of varying the mixture strength:
1. Constant choke carburetor.
2. Constant vacuum carburetor.

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Types of typical Carburetor:

1. SU Carburetor
2. Solex Carburetor
3. Zenith Carburetor
4. Carter Carburetor

1. A Carburetor According to The Arrangement of Float Chamber

1. Eccentric
2. Concentric

 In eccentric float chamber types of carburetors, the float chamber is placed at a side of the
venturi tube.
 In concentric float chamber types of carburetors, the float chamber is paced around the
venturi tube.
 The eccentric float chamber type carburetor does not provide correct air-fuel mixture when
the vehicle is ascending a grade.
 When the vehicle is running on a horizontal road, the level of the gasoline in the float
chamber and the discharge jet is normal, as at (A). The carburetor correct air-fuel mixture to
the engine.

 When the vehicle is ascending or descending a grade, the carburetor is tilted and the level
of the gasoline changes in the discharge jet as at (b) and (c). This causes too much or too
little gasoline to be supplied by the jet giving incorrect mixtures. The concentric float
chamber type carburetors do not have this difficulty.

The level of the gasoline in the discharge jet remains approximately constant, which provides the
correct air-fuel mixture to the engine in all positions of the level.

2. The Carburetor According to the direction of Air-Flow:

1. Downdraft.
2. Side draft.
3. Up draft.

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 Carburetor and Its Types

4. Semi-down draft.

 In downdraft carburetor types of carburetors, the air enters the top of the carburetor rettor
and leaves at the bottom, as in the figure.

 A side-draft carburetor types of carburetors, the air enters the top of the carburetor and
leaves at the side, as at (b).

 In updraft carburetor types of carburetors, the air enters the bottom or side of the
carburetor and leaves at the top, as in the figure.

 The semi-downdraft carburetor types of carburetors, the direction of air flow is inclined
from top to bottom, as at (d).

In most passenger cars, the downdraft carburetor is used. This type of carburetor, The gravity assists
the flow of the mixture. Thus, the engine sucks it better at lower speeds under load. the higher
volumetric efficiency of the engine is achieved.

The location of the carburetor above the engine is more accessible for inspection change or repair.
An air entering the carburetor is cooler.

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3. Carburetor According to The Number of Units:

1. Single
2. Dual
3. Four-barrel.

 Single barrel carburetor has only one barrel.

 Dual barrel carburetor has two barrels, each containing a fuel jet, venturi tube idling system,
choke and throttle. It may have a single air inlet, choke and float chamber, although it
frequently has two floats one for each jet. It has only an accelerating pump.

Usually, the passenger car engines of eight or more cylinders are provided with of the dual
carburetor having the dual intake manifold. Each barrel of the dual carburetor feeds one branch of
the intake manifold. This arrangement provides uniform distribution of the fuel mixture to the
cylinders.

 Four the barrel, the carburetor is made up of two dual carburetor in one unit. The primary
side to a complete dual carburetor containing a choke, an accelerating pump, a power valve
and a complete main metering and idle system. The secondary unit has its one float bowl
and a dual carburetor main metering system and idle system.

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4. Carburetor According to The Type of Metering System:

1. Air-bleed jet.
2. Metering rod type.

 In the air bleed jet types of carburetors, the fuel is supplied to the main discharge nozzle
through the main metering jet at low speeds.

The air bleeds are connected to a vent tube located inside the main discharge nozzle so that air is
mixed with fuel as it is drawn into the carburetor venturi.

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As the suction of the main discharge nozzle increases at higher speeds, more air is drawn through
the main air bleed and the correct air-fuel mixture is maintained.

Metering type carburetor

In the metering rod types of carburetors, the amount of fuel is controlled by a rod which extends
into the jet. The metering rod has three steps of different diameter. Which opens the space in the jet
through which the fuel passes.

The metering rod is connected to the throttle shaft by the suitable linkage. so that it is raised when
the throttle valve is opened and lowered when the throttle valve is closed.

When the rod is raised up, it provides more area between the jet and the rod and more fuel passes
to match the flow of ait at high speeds.

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5. Carburetor According to the type of Venturi

1. Plain venturi.
2. Double venturi
3. Vane venturi
4. Nozzle-bar venturi
5. Triple venturi.

 Different types and number of venturies are used in the carburetor design, according to
which the carburetors are classified.
 The carburetor may have plain, double, vane, nozzle-bar and triple venturi.
 Each type of the venturi is designed to provide the decreased pressure of air flow so that it
may draw fuel from the discharge jet.
 Multiple venturies help to keep the fuel away from the carburetor walls to reduce
condensation.

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6. Carburetors According to the Pressure above the Fuel in the float chamber:

1. Unbalanced.
2. Balanced.

 If the pressure above the fuel in the float chamber is atmospheric pressure, the carburetor is
said to be unbalanced.
 If the pressure above the fuel in the float chamber is equal to the air intake in the air horn,
the carburetor is said to be balanced.

The balanced carburetor contains a balance tube and passages that connect the air-horn with the
top of the float chamber so that the pressure in the air horn and the float chamber remains the
same.

In the case, if the air intake is restricted by a clogged air cleaner, the mixture ratio of the carburetor
is not affected. Also, it prevents discharge of the fuel through the pump discharges jet at high
speeds.

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7. Carburetor According to the Types of Power System:

1. Manually operated
2. Vacuum controlled.

According to the type of power system, the carburetor may be either manually operated or vacuum
controlled.

 In the manually operated carburetor. the power jets for enriching the mixture are operated
by mechanical linkage to the throttle shaft.
 In vacuum controlled carburetor a vacuum controlled power jet (called a step-up system) is
used for enriching the mixture.

When the engine is operating normally at cruising speed, no-load, a high vacuum is produced in the
vacuum passages connected to the intake manifold.

It pulls the vacuum piston down against the spring so that it holds the step up the rod in the step-up
(power) jet to keep it closed.

When the engine is operating on load the intake manifold vacuum falls off, and the spring pushes
the piston up which raises the step up the rod out of the jet to allow extra fuel to flow from the float
chamber to the discharge nozzle. The extra fuel supplements the normal supply furnished by the
main metering jet. Thus enriching the mixture.

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8. Carburetor According to the method of Varying the Mixture Strength:

1. Constant choke carburetor.

2. Constant vacuum carburetor.

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In the constant choke carburetor, the mixture strength is determined by the varying depression of a
fixed tube or venturi.

 Solex and zenith carburettor are of this type.

In the constant vacuum carburetor, depression in the choke tube is reasonably constant. And the
size of the jet is varied to provide the correct mixture for all engine operating conditions.

 S.U. the carburetor is an example of a constant vacuum carburetor.

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