A V20 engine is a V engine

V engine

A V engine, or Vee engine is a common configuration for an internal combustion engine. The cylinders and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes or 'banks', so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along the axis of the crankshaft...

 with 20 cylinder

Cylinder (engine)

A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...

s.

Engines of this number of cylinders are not common in automobiles, but this configuration is used in some large diesel engine

Diesel engine

A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...

s.

For example, the 1960s vintage EMD SD45

EMD SD45

The EMD SD45 is a six-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between December, 1965, and December, 1971. Power was provided by an EMD 645E3 twenty-cylinder engine which generated 3,600 HP. This locomotive shared the same common frame with the EMD SD38, EMD SD39, EMD...

 diesel-electric locomotive is fitted with a 20-cylinder EMD 645E3

EMD 645

The EMD 645 family of diesel engines was designed and manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. Intended primarily for locomotive, marine and stationary engine use, one 16-cylinder version powered the 33-19 "Titan" prototype haul truck designed by GM's Terex...

 two-stroke engine. The engine name is based on the displacement

Engine displacement

Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...

 of each cylinder in cubic inch

Cubic inch

The cubic inch is a unit of measurement for volume in the Imperial units and United States customary units systems. It is the volume of a cube with each of its 3 sides being one inch long....

es. In this case, it is 645 cubic inches (10.6 L

Litre

pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...

) for each of 20 cylinders for a total of 211 L. Power output is 3,600 horsepower

Horsepower

Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...

 (2.7 MW).

EMD later produced a 20-cylinder 710 series

EMD 710

The EMD 710 is a line of diesel engines built by Electro-Motive Diesel . The 710 series largely replaced the earlier EMD 645 series. The EMD 710 is a large two-stroke diesel engine that has a displacement per cylinder. Since its introduction, EMD has continually upgraded the 710G diesel engine...

 diesel engine for the EMD SD80MAC

EMD SD80MAC

The SD80MAC is a 5000 horsepower C-C diesel-electric locomotive. The SD80MAC uses a 20 cylinder version of EMD's 710G prime mover, and is the first diesel locomotive to utilize a 20 cylinder engine since the SD45/ SD45-2...

 locomotive. EMD still manufactures these engines, which are primarily used in the power production and marine industries. An EMD 20-710 can produce over 5,000 horsepower.

V20 diesel engines have also been used in marine applications: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...

 has produced one such engine. Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...

 also currently produces a V20 engine for use in power plants that can produce 13,500 horsepower

Horsepower

Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...

 (10 MW).

MTU Friedrichshafen

MTU Friedrichshafen

MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH is a manufacturer of commercial internal combustion engines founded by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach in 1909...

 produces a 20-cylinder diesel engine called the 20V4000, used in marine and rail applications, such as the Brookville BL36PH

Brookville BL36PH

The Brookville BL36PH will be a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive for commuter trains, currently being designed by Brookville Equipment Corporation. It will utilize a MTU 20V4000 V20 engine rated at 3,619 horsepower and will meet EPA Tier 3 emissions standards. Head end power will be generated...

locomotive.