Chapter 6.
DIESEL POWER PLANT
1
Overview
Diesel engine power plant is suitable for
small and medium outputs. It is used as
central power station for smaller power
supplies and as a standby plants to hydro-
electric power plants and steam power
plants.
Advantages
No long warming-up period
Simple layout
Needs no large water supply
Can be moved from site to site
Can be activated when there is a failure of
central station power
MEASUREMENT OF BRAKE
POWER
The brake power is the power output of the
engine. Measurement of brake power
involves the determination of the torque
and the angular speed of the output shaft.
The measuring device is called
dynamometer.
5
MEASUREMENT OF BRAKE
POWER
The dynamometer maybe classified into
absorption type or transmission type but
the majority is absorption type.
Absorption type (to be discussed in ME Lab
3):
prony brake
Hydraulic Dynamometer
Rope Brake
6
MEASUREMENT OF BRAKE
POWER
Example 6.1: The bore and stroke of a
four-cylinder four-stroke engine are 90 and
100 mm, respectively, and the torque
measured is 120 N-m at 5000 rpm.
Calculate the BMEP.
7
MEASURING INDICATED
POWER
This is the power developed in the engine
cylinder by the working fluid by exerting
pressure on the piston.
8
Mechanical indicator
A mechanical indicator shows the actual p-
V diagram.
9
Mechanical indicator
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure,
Indicated Power, )LANCK
Where:
- area of the diagram
- length of the diagram
S – stiffness of the spring, unit pressure/unit
length
L – length of stroke
A – bore area
N – engine speed
C – number of cylinder
10 K – constant ( ½ for 4-stroke and 1 for 2-stroke)
MEASURING INDICATED
POWER
Example 6.2: The following details were
noted on a test in a single-cylinder four-
stroke oil engine: bore = 150 mm; stroke =
160 mm; engine speed = 500 rpm; fuel
consumption = 0.0475 kg/min; calorific
value of fuel = 42000 kJ.kg; the difference
in tension on either side of the brake pulley
= 400 N; brake circumference = 2.2 m;
length of indicator diagram = 50 mm; area
of positive loop of indicator diagram =
475 ; area of negative loop = 25 ; spring
constant = 0.8333 bar/mm. Calculate (a)
11 BP, (b) IP, (c) , (d) , (e) , and (f) bsfc.
Willan’s Line Method
This method of determining the friction
power and hence indicated power (IP = BP
+ FP) of unthrottled CI engine and is not
suitable for petrol engine.
12
The Morse Test
This method is applicable for multi-cylinder
engines. The engine is run at a particular
speed and the torque is measured by
cutting out the firing of each cylinder in
turn and noting the fall in brake power each
time and maintaining the engine speed by
reducing the load. The observe difference
in brake power between all cylinders firing
and with one cylinder cut out is the
indicated power of the cut out cylinder.
13
The Morse Test
Example 6.3: A four cylinder SI engine has
a bore of 60 mm and a stroke of 85 mm. It
runs at 3000 rpm and is tested at this
speed against a brake which has a torque
arm of 0.35 m. The net brake load is 160 N
and the fuel consumption is 6.6 L/hr. The
specific gravity of the fuel is 0.78 and it has
a calorific value of 44000 kJ/kg. A morse-
test is carried out and the cylinders are cut
out in the order 1,2,3,4 with the
corresponding brake loads of 114, 110, 112
and 116 N respectively. Calculate for this
14 speed the BP, BMEP, brake thermal
The Motoring Test
In the motoring test the engine is first run
at a given speed and load condition for
sufficient time so that the temperature of
the engine components reaches a steady
state. A dynamometer is used to record the
brake power this period. The ignition is
then switch off. An electric motor is used
to crank the engine at the same speed as it
was previously. The power delivered by the
motor will be the friction power at that
speed. From that, indicated power can be
evaluated.
15
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Specific fuel consumption - It is defined as
the ratio of amount of fuel (kg) used by the
engine per hour to the power produced or
delivered by the engine. When specific fuel
consumption is based on I.H.P. produced it
is called indicated specific fuel
consumption and if specific fuel
consumption is based in B.H.P. delivered it
is called brake specific fuel consumption.
16
FUEL CONSUMPTION
ISFC =
BSFC =
Where:
mf = mass flow rate of fuel consumption, kg/hr
or lb/hr
PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS
Variable speed characteristics for SI engines
(wide open throttle 3.8 liter, 6-cylinder
engine)
18
PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS
Variable speed characteristics for SI
engines (wide open throttle 3.8 liter, 6-
cylinder engine)
19
PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS
Variable speed
characteristics for
CI engines
20
PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS
This is due to lesser density at high
altitudes because of low atmospheric
pressure
It can be avoided by using supercharger
which can be driven by the crankshaft by
the exhaust gases.
PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS
Cross-section of Supercharger
HEAT BALANCE SHEET
23
Example 6.4: An 8-cylinder 4-stroke SI
engine of 80 mm bore and 100 mm stroke
is tested at 4500 rpm on a dynamometer
which has a 55 cm arm. The dynamometer
scale reading was 40 kg. The time for 100
cc of fuel is recorded as 9.5 s. The calorific
value of fuel is 44000 kJ/kg. Air at 1 bar and
C was supplied to the carburetor at the rate
of 6 kg/minute. Assume specific gravity of
fuel to be 0.7. Clearance volume of each
cylinder is 65 cc. Determine the bp, bmep,
bsfc, bsac, A/F ratio, , , and relative
24 efficiency.
HEAT RATE
Heat Rate – is the heat required to produce
an energy
1. Brake heat rate
2. Indicated heat rate
25
Auxiliaries
1. Fuel system
2. Intake and exhaust system
3. Cooling system
4. Lubricating system
5. Starting system
Sample problems
Example 6.5. The following data are the
results on a test of a two cylinder, four
stroke cycle Otto engine: torque = 2000 N-
m; indicated mean effective pressure = 700
kPa; fuel consumption = 0.006 kg/sec; fuel
heating value = 43,000 kJ/kg; bore x stroke
= 30 cm x 40 xm; speed = 600 rpm.
Calculate the brake mean effective pressure.
Sample problems
Example 6.6. A 1500 kW diesel engine
operates at an altitude of 1200 meters
elevation. Find the power developed by the
engine at higher elevation.
1100 kw
1195 kw
1205 kw
1285.3 kw
End
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