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Performance Parameters
The engine performance is indicated by the term efficiency, η. Five important engine efficiencies and
other related engine performance parameters are given below:
(i) Indicated thermal efficiency (ηith )
(ii) Brake thermal efficiency (ηbth)
(iii) Mechanical efficiency (ηm)
(iv) Volumetric efficiency (ηv)
(v) Relative efficiency or Efficiency ratio (ηrel)
(vi) Mean effective pressure (Pm)
(vii) Mean piston speed (sp)
(viii) Specific power output (Ps)
(ix) Specific fuel consumption (sfc)
(x) Fuel-air or air-fuel ratio (F/A or A/ F)
'(xi) Calorific value of the fuel (CV)
Figure 1.15 shows the diagrammatic representation of energy distribution in an IC engine.

Fig. 1.15 Energy Distribution

1.8.1 Indicated Thermal Efficiency (ηith)
Indicated thermal efficiency is the ratio of energy in the indicated power, ip, to the input fuel energy in
appropriate units.

ip[kJ / s]
ηith) = energy∈ fuel per second ¿ ¿

ip
=
mass of fuel /s X calorific value of fuel
1.8.2 Brake\Thermal Efficiency (ηbth)
Brake thermal efficiency is the ratio of energy in the brake power, bp, to the input fuel energy in appropriate
units.

bp
ηbth = mass of fuel /s X calorific value of fuel

1.8.3 Mechanical Efficiency (ηm)

Mechanical efficiency is defined as the ratio of brake power (delivered power) to the indicated power (power
provided to the piston).
ηm = bp/ ip = ip/ bp+ fp
fp = ip- bp
It can also be defined as the ratio of the brake thermal efficiency to the indicated thermal efficiency.
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1.8.4 Volumetric efficiency (ηv)

This is one of the very important parameters which decides the performance of four-stroke engines. Four-
stroke engines have distinct suction stroke and therefore the volumetric efficiency indicates the breathing
ability of the engine. It is to be noted that the utilization of the air is what is going to determine the power
output of the engine. Hence an engine must be able to take in as much air as possible.
Volumetric efficiency is defines as the volume flow rate of air into the intake system divided by the rate
at which the volume is displaced by the system.
ma
ηv = ρa V disp N /2
where ρa is the inlet density.
An alternative equivalent definition for volumetric efficiency is

ma
ηv = ρa V d

It is to be noted that irrespective of the engine whether SI, CI or gas engine, volumetric rate of air
flow is what to be taken into account and not the mixture flow.
If ρa is taken as the atmospheric air density, then ηv represents the pumping performance of the
entire inlet system. If it is taken as the air density in the inlet manifold, then ηv represents the pumping
performance of the inlet port and valve only.
The normal range of volumetric efficiency at full throttle for SI engines is between 80 to 85% where
as for CI engines it is between 85 to 90%. Gas engines have much lower volumetric efficiency since gaseous
fuel displaces air and therefore the breathing capacity of the engine is reduced.

1.8.6 Relative efficiency or Efficiency Ratio (ηrel)

Relative efficiency or efficiency ratio is the ratio of thermal efficiency of an actual cycle to that of the ideal
cycle. The
efficiency ratio is a very useful criterion which indicates the degree of development of the engine.

Actual thermal efficiency

ηv = Air−standard efficiency

1.8.6 Mean Effective Pressure (pm)

Mean effective pressure is the average pressure inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine based on
the calculated or measured power output. It increases as manifold pressure increases. For any particular
engine, operating at a given speed and power output, there will be a specific indicated mean effective
pressure, imep, and a corresponding brake mean effective pressure, bmep. They are derived from the
indicated and brake power respectively. Indicated power can be shown to be

p ℑ LAnK
ip =
60 X 1000
then, the indicated mean effective pressure can be written as
60,000 x ip
pim = LAnK
Similarly, the brake mean effective pressure is given by
60,000 x bp
pbm = LAnK

where ip = indicated power (kW)

Pim = indicated mean effective pressure (N/m2)
L = length of the stroke (m)
A = area of the piston (m2)
N = speed in revolutions per minute (rpm)
n = Number of power strokes
N/2 for 4-stroke and N for 2-stroke engines
K = number of cylinders
Another way of specifying the indicated mean effective pressure Pim is from the knowledge of engine indicator
diagram (p- V diagram). In this case, Pim, may be defined as
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Area of the indicator diagram

Pim = Length of theindicator diagram
where the length of the indicator diagram is given by the difference between the total volume and the
clearance volume.

1.8.7 Mean Piston Speed ( s p )

An important parameter in engine applications is the mean piston speed, s p . It is defined as
s p= 2LN
where L is the stroke and N is the rotational speed of the crankshaft in rpm. It may be noted that sp is often a
more appropriate parameter than crank rotational speed for correlating engine behavior as a function of speed.
Resistance to gas flow into the engine or stresses due to the inertia of the moving parts limit the
maximum value of sp to within 8 to 15 m/s. Automobile engines operate at the higher end and large marine
diesel engines at the lower end of this range of piston speeds.

1.8.8 Specific Power Output (Ps)

Specific power output of an engine is defined as the power output per unit piston area and is a measure of the
engine designer's success in using the available piston area regardless of cylinder size. The specific power can
be shown to be proportional to the product of the mean effective pressure and mean piston speed.

Specific power output, Ps = bp/A = constant X pbm X s p

As can be seen the specific power output consists of two elements, viz., the force available to work and the
speed with which it is working. Thus, for the same piston displacement and bmep, an engine running at a
higher speed will give a higher specific output. It is clear that the output of an engine can be increased by
increasing either the speed or the bmep. Increasing the speed involves increase in the mechanical stresses of
various engine components. For increasing the bmep better heat release from the fuel is required and this will
involve more thermal load on engine cylinder.

1.8.9 Specific Fuel Consumption (sfc)

The fuel consumption characteristics of an engine are generally expressed in terms of specific fuel consumption
in kilograms of fuel per kilowatt-hour. It is an important parameter that reflects how good the engine
performance' is. It is inversely proportional to the thermal efficiency of the engine.
Fuel consumption per unit time
sfc = Power
Brake specific fuel consumption and indicated specific fuel consumption, abbreviated as bsfc and isfc, are
the specific fuel consumptions on the basis of bp and ip respectively.

1.8.10 Fuel-Air (F/A) or Air-Fuel Ratio (A/F)

The relative proportions of the fuel and air in the engine are very important from the standpoint of combustion
and the efficiency of the engine. This is expressed either as a ratio of the mass of the fuel to that of the air or
vice versa. I In the SI engine the fuel-air ratio practically remains a constant over a wide range of operation.
In CI engines at a given speed the air flow does not vary with load; it is the fuel flow that varies directly with
load. Therefore, the term fuel-air ratio is generally used instead of air-fuel ratio. A mixture that contains just
enough air for complete combustion of all the fuel in the mixture is called a chemically correct or stoichiometric
fuel air ratio. A mixture having more fuel than that in a chemically correct mixture is termed as rich mixture
and a mixture that contains less fuel (or stoichiometric fuel-air ratio is called equivalence ratio and is denoted
by Φ.

Actual fuel−air ratio

Φ = Stoichiometric fuel−air ratio
Accordingly, Φ = 1 means stoichiometric (chemically correct) mixture, Φ < 1 means lean mixture and ¢ > 1
means rich mixture.

1.8.11 Calorific Value (CV)

Calorific value of a fuel is the thermal energy released per unit quantity of the fuel when the fuel is burned
completely and the products of combustion are cooled back to the initial temperature of the combustible
mixture. Other terms used for the calorific value are heating value and heat of combustion. When the products
of combustion are cooled to 25 °C, ·practically all the water vapor resulting from the combustion process is
condensed. The heating value so obtained is called the higher calorific value or gross calorific value of the fuel.
The lower or net calorific value is the heat released when water vapor in the products of combustion is not
condensed and remains in the vapor form.
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