Reciprocating motion moves in a straight line and can pump water, power machinery, and refrigerate food. Internal combustion engines use this motion to convert fuel into power. Other examples include steering systems, well pumps, and compressors. Diaphragm pumps use a solid seal to move fluids.
Reciprocating motion refers to any movement that is repeated in a straight line, which includes up and down, side to side, or in and out. This motion can pump water, power machinery, refrigerate food, and has many other uses. The principle of reciprocating motion drives most internal combustion engines.
A gasoline or diesel powered engine can provide power by igniting the fuel in an air mixture. Combustion energy forces a piston into a linear or straight motion within a cylinder. A piston rod is connected to a drive shaft in an off-center position, and the piston’s motion is converted into rotational motion that can power the vehicle. By alternating up and down in the cylinder, the piston repeatedly compresses the fuel, transferring power to the crankshaft and exhausting the exhaust gases.
The twisting motion can also be used to create a reciprocating motion. The rack-and-pinion steering in many automobiles consists of a circular gear, or pinion, aligned with a straight-gear shaft. When you turn the steering wheel, the pinion rotates, moves the shaft back and forth, and the wheels spin.
The movement can also be up and down. An example is a hand-operated well pump. The pump handle is moved up and down to operate a piston underground at the end of a shaft. Each time you push the handle down, the piston rises and creates suction to draw water from the well. Electrically driven oil well pumps use the same principle, with a rotating electric motor driving a swing arm that powers the pump.
Some steam engines in the 1800s were double-acting machines that delivered power in two directions. A piston was centered in a horizontal cylinder and a shaft was connected from either side of the piston to rotating cams. One side of the piston was pressurized with steam while the other side was vented and the process was reversed. The reciprocating motion of the shaft was converted into rotary motion which could power machinery.
The linear reciprocating motion can be used directly without converting it to rotary action. Impact hammers and pile drivers use a reciprocating piston powered by air or steam. Each power stroke of the piston can be used as energy to drive fasteners or set foundation piles.
Gas compressors can be alternative systems. In these systems, the compressor shaft is driven by a gas or electric motor, which drives the pistons. Many refrigeration compressors and industrial air compressors use reciprocating machines because they can provide more capacity for a given power requirement than a rotary compressor.
Diaphragm pumps are reciprocating machines. A connecting rod from the drive shaft is mounted on one side of a rubber or polymer diaphragm, which is a solid seal. The reciprocating motion of the connecting rod pushes the diaphragm back and forth, which sucks in fluid and discharges it. Diaphragm pumps are commonly used for fluids containing solids, such as sludge or some corrosive chemicals.
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