Increasing Efficiency by Decreasing Air Temperature

Combustion is a chemically explosive process that involves hydrocarbon fuel and air. With the aid of the high voltage electrical discharge of the sparkplugs, molecular bonds are broken and new ones are created. The covalent bonds of the hydrocarbon molecules are broken, releasing the hydrogen and carbon molecules. In this manner, the oxygen molecules in the air combine freely with hydrogen molecules and carbon molecules to form water vapor and carbon dioxide, respectively. The efficiency of combustion is largely dependent on the proportion of air that enters the combustion chambers. A cold air intake system increases the volume of air that enters the combustion chambers.

As the name implies, a cold air intake system lowers the temperature of the air that enters the combustion chamber. In this manner, greater volume of air is compressed. This means that greater amount of oxygen will be available for combustion. A cold air intake system works based on the scientific laws of gases. According to these laws, the gaseous volume is directly proportional to temperature. Consequently, low temperature means lower volume. In terms of mass, greater amount of air can be accommodated in the combustion chambers. Thus, greater density of oxygen becomes available for fuel combustion.

A cold air intake system is not as sophisticated as it may seem. Installing this system to your vehicle does not necessarily involve overhauling the entire engine compartment. This system can be installed by simply snapping it onto the existing air intake system. In some cases, you can even use improvised parts. Basically, a cold air intake system is comprised of air filters and intake tubes. By simply increasing the intake space, air flow and volume can be improved. Faster airflow means cooler temperature. Cooler temperature means greater density and greater amount of oxygen. Cold air intake system is really just a simple system.

Strut: Basic Suspension Component

The strut is the basic and most important component of the suspension system. Struts are present in virtually all types of automobiles, either exclusively or in combination with leaf springs. These components are typically connected to the front wheels. However, there are also other automobile models that feature struts both in the front and rear portions of the automobile. Most of these vehicles are small street cars such as sedans and coupes. On the other hand, struts are typically used in combination with leaf springs when it comes to bigger automobiles such as SUV’s, pickup trucks and jeeps. By combining struts with leaf springs, the maneuverability and ride comfort of these heavier vehicles are maintained.

Unlike leaf springs or fork-type shock absorbers, struts are simpler and more compact. Hence, they are easier to install and to maintain. They are also relatively more affordable. Since they are installed on individual wheels, they allow the independent suspension of these wheels. This simply means that the individual wheels can separately compensate for the unpredictable terrain contours of the ground. In this manner, traction and vehicular stability are effectively maintained. This makes struts ideal for off-road driving. Struts allow greater maneuverability of an automobile.

A strut is actually a composite structure. It is comprised of a shock absorber and a spring. The spring can either be a pneumatic spring or a coil spring. In most cases, coil springs are used. On the other hand, the shock absorber is a hydraulic mechanism that is comprised of a cylinder and a piston. The hydraulic fluid is contained within the cylinder. This fluid serves as the cushion for the piston. Hence, the main purpose of the shock absorber is to cushion the downward or compressive force of vibrations. Meanwhile, the spring stores the energy of vibrations and releases it afterward to counteract the vertical oscillations.