Name : SHIYAS BASHEER
No. : D10119909
Course : DT022/2
2/16/2012
Dublin Institute of Technology
Diesel Engine
Thermodynamics Lab Report
Objective: To determine the brake specific fuel consumption of a diesel engine over a range of
loads at constant speed.
Apparatus:
- A 4 stroke diesel engine rated for a power output of 1.5kW and testing rig. The testing rig
includes instrumentation for measurement of fuel consumption and exhaust gas
temperature.
- Universal drive and brake unit that serves as a dynamometer. This contains digital
displays for torque and speed. There are also control knobs for torque and speed.
- Instrumentation to measure fuel flow rate, speed, brake power and torque.
- A stopwatch to measure time
Schematic:
Procedure: The diesel engine was started and using the engine speed controller and the
armature current controller of the brake the speed was set to the desired value with maximum
fuel injection. The armature voltage control knob of the brake was set to zero. Sufficient time
was allowed for operating conditions to become steady. The exhaust gas temperature was used as
a guide. Measurements of fuel consumption rate, torque, speed and exhaust gas temperature was
taken. The fuelling rate was reduced by means of engine speed controller and the armature speed
current controller was used to hold the speed at the desired value. The torque was then increased
and the steps were repeated for a total of 6 readings.
Readings:
Test Number
1 2 3 4 5 6
Speed/(r.p.m)
3092 3059 3047 3042 2981 2911
Fuel gauge L
1
/(mm)
18 23 18 23 23 18.5
Fuel gauge L
2
/(mm)
17 22 17 22 22 17.5
Fuel time/(s)
33.17 33.32 35.7 29 27.8 25.82
Torque/(Nm)
0.05 1.2 1.85 2.6 3.26 4
Exhaust temp./(
0
C)
208 239 263 292 313 336
Calculations:
Where,
f
= the mass flow rate of fuel in kg/s
L
1
, L
2
are the initial and final height readings in the fuel gauge in m
A
t
= the effective cross sectional area of the fuel gauge in m
2
f
= the density of fuel in kg/m
3
t = time taken for the fuel to drop from L
1
to L
2
in s
Where,
P = the brake power in W
S = the number of revolutions per second in s
-1
T = the torque in Nm
Converting rpm to rev per sec
L
1
18
23
18
23
23
18.5
|
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
mm := L
2
17
22
17
22
22
17.5
|
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
mm := At
33.17
33.32
35.7
29
27.8
25.82
|
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
s :=
A
t
4.8cm
2
:=
f
830
kg
m
3
:=
m
f
L
1
L
2
At
A
t
f
1.201 10
5
1.196 10
5
1.116 10
5
1.374 10
5
1.433 10
5
1.543 10
5
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
kg
s
= :=
Speed
3092
3059
3047
3042
2981
2911
|
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
:= S
Speed
60s
51.533
50.983
50.783
50.7
49.683
48.517
|
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
1
s
= := T
.05
1.20
1.85
2.6
3.26
4
|
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
N m :=
Speed (rpm) BSFC (kg/J) BSFC(g/kWh)
3059 3.1100E-08 1119.6000
3047 1.8910E-08 680.7600
3042 1.6590E-08 597.2400
2981 1.4080E-08 506.8800
2911 1.2650E-08 455.4000
Brake Power (W) BSFC (kg/J) BSFC(g/kWh)
384.405 3.1100E-08 1119.6000
590.3 1.8910E-08 680.7600
828.249 1.6590E-08 597.2400
1018 1.4080E-08 506.8800
1219 1.2650E-08 455.4000
0.0000
200.0000
400.0000
600.0000
800.0000
1000.0000
1200.0000
2900 2920 2940 2960 2980 3000 3020 3040 3060 3080
B
S
F
C
(
g
/
k
W
h
)
Speed (rpm)
BSFC vs Engine speed
P 2 t S T ( )
16.19
384.405
590.3
828.249
1.018 10
3
1.219 10
3
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
W = := BSFC
m
f
P
7.419 10
7
3.11 10
8
1.891 10
8
1.659 10
8
1.408 10
8
1.265 10
8
\
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
s
2
m
2
= :=
Conclusion: From above, it can be seen that:
- The maximum power of 1219 Watts occurs at 2911 rev/min;
- The maximum torque of 4 Nm also occurs at 2911 rev/min;
- The minimum brake specific fuel consumption of 455.4 g/KWh also occurs at 2911
rev/min.
The engine is consuming the least possible amount of fuel for the given conditions when the
break specific fuel consumption is at its lowest value, as the break specific fuel consumption is a
measure of the effectiveness of an engines ability to convert the chemical energy in the fuel into
useful work. Thus, the most economical operating speed achieved experimentally for the diesel
engine was 2911 rev/min.
0.0000
200.0000
400.0000
600.0000
800.0000
1000.0000
1200.0000
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
B
S
F
C
(
g
/
k
W
h
)
Brake Power (W)
BSFC vs brake power
