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Basics of Engine and Automobile Design

  • 10-07-2011 6:13pm
    #1
    Leavenotrace
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 50 ✭✭


    Hey l'm a Physics student (don't throw me out yet!!!) and even though I love my course I'm also really interested in Engineering. I'd really like to learn about engine and automobile design. I want to learn how cars and such work and why. Can anyone point me towards some online (preferably free) resources?

    Much appreciated


Comments

  • #2
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,266 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    here would be a good free online start

    http://books.google.com/books?id=pkM_NUEL4OcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=automobile+engineering&hl=en&ei=zxEaTsygNdKwhAeS24nNBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

    its a book on automobile engineering thats on google books. the vast majority of the book is free to read.

    wikipedia isnt a bad place either for things like this

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine

    if you are a student go have a look in your college library for books in this area


  • #3
    enda1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,166 ✭✭✭enda1


    How good's your understanding of thermodynamics OP? Start with basic thermodynamic cycles and then look at the impact of the use of superchargers and turbochargers on the cycle. Choose petrol and understand that first, then look at diesel.

    Next I'd say is to move onto gearing. Look at torque diagrams to understand why gearing is necessary. Then how the clutch becomes a requirement to make the gear shifts possible.

    Front and rear wheel drive can be simply understood from looking at the basics of friction and limits of friction. Free-body diagrams can help as well as law-man explanations.

    Lastly suspension. Though this I know little about to be honest so maybe someone can help you to understand this better.

    Are you also interested in body? How torsional stiffness influences NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) performance and driving dynamics? Are you interested in advanced materials i.e. high strength steels, aluminium, carbon fibre reinforced plastics, magnesium? Check out some supplier information (Bentler, Carbon Tech) as well as the concepts of specific strength.

    Interested in aerodynamics?

    At we've only touched mechanical engineering so far, never mind the complex electronic systems, mechatronic and other.

    Its a hugely broad area and one which physicists can definitely get into also on a professional basis I mean.


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