Hydrolock

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Bent connecting rod after Hydrolock Bent connecting rod 1.JPG
Bent connecting rod after Hydrolock
Same connecting rod, turned 90deg Bent connecting rod 2.JPG
Same connecting rod, turned 90°

Hydrolock (a shorthand notation for hydrostatic lock or hydraulic lock) is an abnormal condition of any device which is designed to compress a gas by mechanically restraining it; most commonly the reciprocating internal combustion engine, the case this article refers to unless otherwise noted. Hydrolock occurs when a volume of liquid greater than the volume of the cylinder at its minimum (end of the piston's stroke) enters the cylinder. Since liquids are nearly incompressible the piston cannot complete its travel; either the engine must stop rotating or a mechanical failure must occur.

Contents

Symptoms and damage

If an engine hydrolocks while at speed, a mechanical failure is likely. Common damage modes include bent or broken connecting rods, a fractured crank, a fractured head, a fractured block, crankcase damage, damaged bearings, or any combination of these. Forces absorbed by other interconnected components may cause additional damage. Physical damage to metal parts can manifest as a "crashing" or "screeching" sound and usually requires replacement of the engine or a substantial rebuild of its major components.

If an internal combustion engine hydrolocks while idling or under low power conditions, the engine may stop suddenly with no immediate damage. In this case the engine can often be purged by unscrewing the spark plugs or injectors and turning the engine over to expel the liquid from the combustion chambers after which a restart may be attempted. Depending on how the liquid was introduced to the engine, it possibly can be restarted and dried out with normal combustion heat, or it may require more work, such as flushing out contaminated operating fluids and replacing damaged gaskets.

If a cylinder fills with liquid while the engine is turned off, the engine will refuse to turn when a starting cycle is attempted. Since the starter mechanism's torque is normally much lower than the engine's operating torque, this will usually not damage the engine but may burn out the starter. The engine can be drained as above and restarted. If a corrosive substance such as water has been in the engine long enough to cause rusting, more extensive repairs will be required.

Amounts of water significant enough to cause hydrolock tend to upset the air/fuel mixture in gasoline engines. If water is introduced slowly enough, this effect can cut power and speed in an engine to a point that when hydrolock actually occurs it does not cause catastrophic engine damage.

Causes and special cases

Automotive

Hydrolock most commonly occurs in automobiles when driving through floods, either where the water is above the level of the air intake or the vehicle's speed is excessive, creating a tall bow wave. A vehicle fitted with a cold air intake mounted low on the vehicle will be especially vulnerable to hydrolocking when being driven through standing water or heavy precipitation. Engine coolant entering the cylinders through various means (such as a blown head gasket) is another common cause. Excessive fuel entering (flooding) one or more cylinders in liquid form due to abnormal operating conditions can also cause hydrolock.

Marine

Small boats with outboard engines and personal water crafts (PWC) tend to ingest water simply because they run in and around it. During a rollover, or when a wave washes over the craft, its engine can hydrolock, though severe damage is rare due to the special air intakes and low rotating inertia of small marine engines. Inboard marine engines have a different vulnerability as these often have their cooling water mixed with the exhaust gases in the header to quiet the engine. Rusted out exhaust headers or lengthy periods of turning the starter can cause water to build up in the exhaust line to the point it back-flows through the exhaust manifold and fills the cylinders. [1] On turbocharged engines the intercooler is normally cooled by sea water; if this rusts through, water will be ingested by the engine.

Diesel engines

Diesel engines are more susceptible to hydrolock than gasoline engines. Due to their higher compression ratios, diesel engines have a much smaller final combustion chamber volume, requiring much less liquid to hydrolock. Diesel engines also tend to have higher torque, rotating inertia, and stronger starter motors than gasoline engines. The result is that a diesel engine is more likely to suffer catastrophic damage.

Radial and inverted engines

Hydrolock is common on radial and inverted engines (cylinders pointing downwards) when the engine sits for a long period. Engine oil seeps down under gravity into the cylinder through various means (through the rings, valve guides, etc.) and can fill a cylinder with enough oil to hydrolock it. The seepage effect can be observed by the blue-white smoke commonly seen when a radial engine starts up. In order to prevent engine damage, it is universal practice for the ground crew or pilot to check for hydrolock during pre-flight inspection of the aircraft, typically by slowly cranking the propeller for several turns, either by hand or using the starter motor, to make sure the crankshaft cycles normally through all cylinders.

Steam engines

A hydraulic lock can occur in steam engines due to steam condensing back into water. In most steam engine designs there is a short time at the end of the return stroke of the piston when all the valves are shut and it is compressing any remaining steam. Water can be introduced from the boiler or in a cold engine, steam will condense to water on the cool walls of the cylinders and can potentially hydrolock an engine.

This is just as damaging as it is to internal combustion engines and in the case of a steam locomotive can be very dangerous as a broken connecting rod could puncture the firebox or boiler and cause a steam explosion. Steam engines (with the exception of small model and toy machines) are always fitted with cylinder drain cocks which are opened to allow excess water and steam to escape during warm up. [2]

Cylinder drain cocks can be manual or automatic. One type of automatic drain cock contains a rolling ball which allows water to pass, but blocks the flow of steam. [3] The ball occupies a horizontal cylinder slightly larger than the ball, allowing liquid water to flow past the ball. However, fast moving steam forces the ball to the end of the cylinder, where the ball blocks a discharge opening.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reciprocating engine</span> Engine utilising one or more reciprocating pistons

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-stroke engine</span> Internal combustion engine type

A two-strokeengine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes of the piston in one revolution of the crankshaft. In a two-stroke engine, the end of the combustion stroke and the beginning of the compression stroke happen simultaneously, with the intake and exhaust functions occurring at the same time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exhaust gas recirculation</span> NOx reduction technique used in gasoline and diesel engines

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four-stroke engine</span> Internal combustion engine type

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  1. Intake: Also known as induction or suction. This stroke of the piston begins at top dead center (T.D.C.) and ends at bottom dead center (B.D.C.). In this stroke the intake valve must be in the open position while the piston pulls an air-fuel mixture into the cylinder by producing a partial vacuum in the cylinder through its downward motion.
  2. Compression: This stroke begins at B.D.C, or just at the end of the suction stroke, and ends at T.D.C. In this stroke the piston compresses the air-fuel mixture in preparation for ignition during the power stroke (below). Both the intake and exhaust valves are closed during this stage.
  3. Combustion: Also known as power or ignition. This is the start of the second revolution of the four stroke cycle. At this point the crankshaft has completed a full 360 degree revolution. While the piston is at T.D.C. the compressed air-fuel mixture is ignited by a spark plug or by heat generated by high compression, forcefully returning the piston to B.D.C. This stroke produces mechanical work from the engine to turn the crankshaft.
  4. Exhaust: Also known as outlet. During the exhaust stroke, the piston, once again, returns from B.D.C. to T.D.C. while the exhaust valve is open. This action expels the spent air-fuel mixture through the exhaust port.

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A combustion chamber is part of an internal combustion engine in which the fuel/air mix is burned. For steam engines, the term has also been used for an extension of the firebox which is used to allow a more complete combustion process.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head gasket</span> Gasket that sits between the engine block and cylinder head(s) in an internal combustion engine

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The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to automobiles:

Internal combustion engines come in a wide variety of types, but have certain family resemblances, and thus share many common types of components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal combustion engine</span> Engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber

An internal combustion engine is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high-pressure gases produced by combustion applies direct force to some component of the engine. The force is typically applied to pistons, turbine blades, a rotor, or a nozzle. This force moves the component over a distance. This process transforms chemical energy into kinetic energy which is used to propel, move or power whatever the engine is attached to.

References

  1. ↑ "Exhaust Risers - Marine Engines : Boats and Yachts Maintenance, Repairs and Troubleshooting".
  2. ↑ R. Sennett and H.J. Oram (1899). The Marine Steam Engine, Longman Green and Co
  3. ↑ "Automatic Drain Cock 1/4" x40". Kennions. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Rolling ball allows condensate out but shuts off under steam pressure
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