ME1251-THERMAL ENGINEERING

UNIT-1

GAS POWER CYCLES

INTRODUCTION

The ideal cycle is defined as the series of processes occuring in

an imaginary perfect engine

The actual cycle is defined as the series of processes occuring

in an actual engine.

In internal combustion engines and gas turbines the working

fluid remains gas throughout the cycle. Plants take in a mixture

of air and fuel or air and fuel separately for combustion and

liberate heat energy.

The working fluid of the cycle mainly consists of air, so the

properties of working fluid closely follow the properties of air.

AIR STANDARD ASSUMPTIONS

To reduce the analysis to a manageable level, the air standard

cycles are based on the following approximations, commonly

known as air standard assumptions.

Working fluid is air, throughout the cycle and always

behaves as an ideal gas, i.e., it follows the perfect gas

law,

pV = mRT

All the processes are internally reversible.

Working fluid is homogeneous throughout and at all times

and no chemical reaction takes place.

Specific heat of air does not change with temperature.

Mass of air in the cycle remains constant.

Combustion process which may appear in actual process

is replaced by heat addition process from an external

source.

Exhaust process is replaced by a heat rejection process

and this rejection process is due to heat transfer alone.

 Engine operates as a closed cycle so that the working

fluid is restored to its initial state at the end of each cycle.

Thus there are no intake and exhaust processes.

Air standard assumptions provide considerable

simplification in the cycle analysis without significant change

from the actual cycles.

This simplification enables to study qualitatively the role of

major parameters on the performance of the actual engines.

AIR STANDARD EFFICIENCY

Air standard efficiency is defined as the efficiency of an

engine using air as the working fluid.

In other words, the thermal efficiency of the ideal air

standard cycle is known as air standard efficiency. This is often

called as ideal efficiency.

Work done
Air standard efficiency =
Heat supplied

=
Heat supplied Heat rejected
Heat supplied
 Q1 Q2
as =
Q1
Actual efficiency of a cycle is always less than the air standard

efficiency of that cycle under ideal conditions.

This is taken into account by introducing the terms relative

efficiency or efficiency ratio which is defined as

Actual thermal efficiency

Relative efficiency =
Air standard efficiency

OTTO CYCLE OR CONSTANT VOLUME CYCLE

Figure 2 (a) and (b) show the representation of this

cycle on p-V and T-s diagram.

It consists of two adiabatic processes and two

constant volume processes.

 Fig.2 Otto cycle on p-V and T-s diagrams

Process 1-2

Adiabatic (isentropic) compression of air during which the piston

moves from crank end (BDC) to cover end (TDC).

Process 2-3

The piston is at rest for a moment at TDC, the addition of heat

(Q1) at constant volume takes place.

Process 3-4

The fluid expands adiabatically (isentropically) and the work is

done by the system, i.e., the piston moves from TOC to BDC by

the expansion of gases.

Process 4-1

The piston is at rest for a moment at BOC, the hut rejection (Q 2)

at constant volume takes place.

The air standard efficiency of the Otto cycle can be calculated

as follows:

Consider 1 kg of air flowing through the cycle and it is a closed

system.

Heat supplied at constant volume (Q1) during process 2 3

Heat rejected at constant volume (Q2) during process 4 1

Q2 = m Cv T

Work done = (Heat supplied) - (Heat rejected)

 This expression is known as the air standard efficiency of the

Otto cycle which states that the efficiency increases with the

increase in the value of r.

Due to practical difficulties the r value is limited to about 7.

Mean Effective Pressure for Otto cycle Let P m be the mean

effective pressure (m.e.p)

.
Condition for Maximum Work Done
Work done is given by

Finally we obtain,

DIESEL CYCLE OR CONSTANT PRESSURE CYCLE

The cycle consists of two isentropic (adiabatic)

processes, one constant pressure and one constant volume

process.

Figure 3(a) and (b) show the representation of Diesel

cycle on p - V and T- s diagram.

 Fig.3(a) Diesel cycle on p - V and T - s diagrams

Process 1-2

Isentropic compression of air during which the piston moves

from BDC to TDC raising pressure and temperature.

Process 2-3

At constant pressure the heat is supplied to the compressed air

from an external source.

At point 3 the heat addition is stopped and the volume ratio

V3/V2 is called the cut-off ratio.

Process 3-4

Isentropic expansion of air till the piston reaches BDC by which

the work is done.

Process 4-1

At constant volume the heat is rejected to an external sink till

the air restores initial state.

Fig.3 Diesel cycle on p - V and T - s diagrams

Compression ratio, r = (V1/V2)

Cut-off ratio, = (V3/V2)
DUAL CYCLE OR COMPOSITE CYCLE

Combination of Otto cycle and Diesel cycle is called as Dual

cycle.
 In this cycle the combustion of fuel oil is carried out partly at

constant volume and partly at constant pressure.

Semi-diesel engines work on this cycle. Figure 4 (a) and (b)

show the representation of Dual cycle on p-V and T-s diagrams.

Fig. 4. Dual cycle on p - V and T - s diagrams

Process 1-2 represents the isentropic compression of air

Process 2-3 represents the combustion of fuel at constant volume

Process 3-4 represents the combustion of fuel at constant pressure

Process 4-5 represents the isentropic expansion during which work

is done by the system

Process 5-1 represents the heat rejection at constant volume.

Considering 1 kg of air flowing through the cycle,

Heat supplied, Q =(Heat addition during constant volume

process) +(Heat addition during constant pressure process)
Substituting the values of T2, T3, T4 and T5 the efficiency becomes
JOULE CYCLE OR BRAYTON CYCLE

The air standard Brayton cycle or Joule Cycle or constant

pressure cycle is an idealised cycle on which a gas turbine

works.

Figure 5 shows the representation of the Brayton cycle

on the p-v and T-s diagram. The cycle employs an air

compressor, combustion chamber and a gas turbine.

Fig. 5 Brayton cycle on p-V and T-s diagrams

Process 1 - 2
 Air is compressed adiabatically in a compressor entropy
constant process 2-3
Compressed air is heated at constant pressure

Process 3-4
Air expands adiabatically in a turbine and its pressure reaches
the initial pressure.

Process 4-1
Heat rejection process in which the air at 4 is passed through a
heat exchanger where it is cooled to its initial condition 1.

These sequences of operations are for a closed cycle, but most

of the gas turbine plants in actual practice operate on open
cycle.
 The efficiency of the cycle increases with the rise in
pressure ratio. But the rate of increase in efficiency decreases
with rise in pressure ratio.

ACTUAL AND THEORITICAL P-V DIAGRAMS

(Fig )Actual P-V diagram for Four stroke Diesel engines

( Fig) Theoretical PV diagram of Four strokeDiesel engine

(Fig )Actual P-V diagram for Four strokeOtto engines

Fig Actual P-V diagram for two stroke engines