Performance of

an Engine
ME134-2
Combustion Engineering

Engr. Emmanuelle R. Biglete

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Power Generation by I.C.E

I.C.E Plant Components

1. Engine
2. Air Intake System
3. Fuel Supply System
4. Exhaust System
5. Cooling System
6. Lubricating System
7. Starting System
 Power Generation by I.C.E
I.C.E Plant Components
1. Engine
2. Air Intake System
3. Fuel Supply System
4. Exhaust System
5. Cooling System
6. Lubricating System
7. Starting System
Engine Performance
1. Power supplied by fuel, Qs – power
produced upon combustion of fuel.
𝑄̇ ! = 𝑚̇ " 𝐻𝑉

2. Air-fuel ratio, A/F - mass of air

needed to burn a mass of fuel.
𝐴 𝑚̇ #
=
𝐹 𝑚̇ "
3. Piston Displacement, Vd – volume
displaced by the piston as it moves
from the top dead center to bottom
dead center.
𝜋 %
𝑉$ = 𝐷 𝐿
4
4. Piston Speed, v- total distance a
piston travels in a given time
𝑣 = 2𝐿𝑁
Engine Performance
Power produced in an engine:
Indicated Power, IP - the power
developed by the combustion of fuel
inside the cylinder.

Brake Power, BP – power developed

to the crankshaft.

Frictional Power, FP – this is due to

the engine friction. It is the difference
between the indicated power and the
brake power.
Double-acting Cylinders
 Indicated Power
Indicated Power, IP - the power developed by the action of a piston within a cylinder,
so named because it is measured by means of an indicator.
Given the cylinder pressure data over the operating cycle of the engine one can
calculate the work done by the gas on the piston.
The indicated work per cycle is 𝑊!"#!$%&'# = ∮ 𝑃𝑑𝑉 2
(A
kPa
C ,m )(s.s., m
)
PmI =
!, m
Where: Ac = area of indicator card
WA > 0 s.s. = indicator spring scale

l = length of indicator card

IP = PmI ´ A ´ L ´ N S
Where: A = area of the cylinder
WB < 0
L = length of the stroke

Ns = power cycles per second

Where: c = no. of cylinders
𝑁 a = no. of acting
(𝑐)(𝑎)(60)(2)
𝑁! = N = rpm
𝑠
s = stroke
 Brake Power
Brake power, BP - the power delivered to the shaft. Sometimes called as the shaft
power. It is always less than the indicated power for a given engine, because some
of the work developed by the cylinders is used to overcome the friction of running
the engine. It is measured by a) prony brake (for low speeds) and (b) dynamometer
(for larger speeds)
 The Prony Brake
In the Prony brake, brake blocks are squeezed against a rotating wheel, and the
friction generated at the ends of the wheel applies torque to a lever; a scale
measures the force needed to hold the lever in place.

Standard Prony Brake Arrangement

Brake Tare (Tare wt.) is the effective weight of the brake arm when brake
band in loose
𝑇 = 𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑥 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑟𝑚 = 𝐺𝑊 − 𝑇𝑊 𝑥 𝑟
 Brake Power
Brake power, BP - the power delivered to the shaft. Sometimes called as the shaft
power. It is always less than the indicated power for a given engine, because some
of the work developed by the cylinders is used to overcome the friction of running
the engine. It is measured by a) prony brake (for low speeds) and (b) dynamometer
(for larger speeds)

2pTn pTn
BP = =
60 30
= PmB ´ A ´ L ´ N S

Where: T = torque
n = rpm
Ns = power cycles per second
 Frictional Power
Frictional Power, FP – the power dissipated in an engine through friction

𝐹𝑃 = 𝐼𝑃 − 𝐵𝑃
Calculating friction power using Morse test method applied to multi- cylinder
engines:
Consider a six-cylinder engine, Note: the friction power is
The IP if all six cylinders are firing: constant such that
𝐼𝑃()) = 𝐵𝑃()) + 𝐹𝑃 ) 𝐹𝑃(+) = 𝐹𝑃 )
If one is cut, or five cylinders are firing

𝐼𝑃(+) = 𝐵𝑃(+) + 𝐹𝑃 +
Equating the friction power,

𝐼𝑃()) − 𝐼𝑃 + = 𝐼𝑃 , = 𝐵𝑃()) − 𝐵𝑃 +
Thus, the total indicated power for the six cylinder engine is:

𝐼𝑃()) = 6 (𝐵𝑃 ) − 𝐵𝑃 + )
 Sample Problems
Sample Problem 1
The area of an indicator diagram taken off a four-cylinder, single acting, four stroke engine
when running at 5.5 rev/sec is 390 mm2, the length is 70 mm and the scale of the indicator
spring is 1 mm = 80 kPa. The diameter of the cylinders is 150 mm and the stroke is 200 mm.
Calculate the indicated power of the engine assuming all cylinders develop equal power.
 Sample Problems
Sample Problem 2
A single acting, 8 cylinder, 4 stroke cycle diesel cycle with a bore to stroke of 142.10 mm x
210.45 mm operates at 1200 rpm. The load on the brake arm at 1 m is 150 kg. What is the
brake mean effective pressure in kPa?
 Sample Problems
Sample Problem 3
An engine has 14 cylinders, with a 13.6cm bore, and a 15.2cm stroke, and develops 2850KW
at 250 rpm. The clearance volume of each cylinder is 350cm3. Determine (a) compression
ratio, and (b) brake mean effective pressure.
 Miscellaneous Efficiencies
Mechanical efficiency, 𝜼𝒎- effectiveness of the engine to transform input energy and power
into useful shaft output.
BP IP - FP
hm = ´ 100% hm = ´ 100%
IP IP
Pm B ´ A ´ L ´ N S
= ´ 100% æ FP ö
Pm I ´ A ´ L ´ N S = ç1 - ÷ ´ 100%
è IP ø
Pm B
= ´ 100%
Pm I
Electrical or generator efficiency, 𝜼𝒆- effectiveness of the generator to produce electrical
power from the shaft or brake power.
EP
hg = ´ 100%
BP
Combined efficiency, 𝜼𝑴𝑬
𝐸𝑃
𝜂-. = 𝜂/ 𝜂0 =
𝐼𝑃
Overall/ Combined thermal efficiency, 𝜼𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 - end output over first input
𝐸𝑃
𝜂*+,-.// =
𝑄̇ 0
 Combustion Efficiency
Combustion efficiency, 𝜼𝒄 -is defined to account for the fraction of fuel burnt, and typically has
values in the range of 95% to 98% when an engine is operating properly.
As time available for combustion is very short, a small fraction of fuel does not react and exits
with the exhaust flow.

𝑄̇ !"
𝜂1 =
𝑄̇ 2

𝑄̇ !"
𝜂1 =
𝑚̇ 3 𝐻𝑉
 Specific Fuel Consumption
Specific Fuel Consumption, SFC- mass flow rate of fuel consumed per unit power
developed. It is also known as specific propellant consumption
m f , kg kg
= hr =
P, KW KW - hr

• Indicated specific fuel consumption, ISFC

mf
ISFC =
IP
• Brake specific fuel consumption, BSFC
mf mf
BSFC = =
BP IP ´ h m
• Combined specific fuel consumption, CSFC
mf mf mf mf
CSFC = = = =
EP BP ´ h g IP ´ h m ´ h g IP ´ h ME
 Heat Rate
Heat Rate, HR- rate of energy charged per unit of power. Can also be calculated by
multiplying SFC by the heating value of the fuel.
EC , KJ KJ
= hr =
P, KW KW - hr
• Indicated heat rate, IHR
EC m f ´ HV
IHR = = = ISFC ´ HV
IP IP
• Brake heat rate, BHR
EC m f ´ HV ISFC ´ HV IHR
BHR = = = BSFC ´ HV = =
BP BP hm hm
• Combined heat rate, CHR
EC m f ´ HV m f ´ HV m f ´ HV
CHR = = = =
EP EP BP ´ h g IP ´ h m ´ h g

BSFC ´ HV ISFC ´ HV
= = = CSFC ´ HV
hg hm
 Thermal Efficiency
Thermal efficiency- ratio of the work done by the heat engine to the heat supplied by the fuel
KJ
P, KW ´ 3600
h th = KJ
KW - hr ´ 100%
EC ,
hr
• Indicated thermal efficiency, 𝜼𝒕𝒉,𝒊
IP ´ 3600
h th I = ´ 100%
EC
IP ´ 3600
= ´ 100%
m f ´ HV
3600
= ´ 100%
ISFC ´ HV
3600
= ´ 100%
IHR
• Brake thermal efficiency, 𝜼𝒕𝒉,𝒃
BP ´ 3600
h th B = ´ 100%
EC
BP ´ 3600
= ´ 100%
m f ´ HV
3600 3600
= ´ 100% = ´ 100%
BSFC ´ HV BHR
 Engine Efficiency
Engine efficiency- is the ratio of the actual to the ideal performance of an engine

• Indicated engine efficiency, 𝜼𝒆,,𝒊

IP
eI = ´ 100%
Pi
• Brake engine efficiency, 𝜼𝒆,𝒃
BP
eB = ´ 100%
Pi

• Combined engine efficiency, 𝜼𝒆,𝒄

EP
eC = ´ 100%
Pi
 Volumetric Efficiency
Volumetric efficiency- is the ratio of the volume of air drawn into a cylinder to the piston
displacement
𝜂4 = Va ´ 100%
VD

• If the wet bulb temperature, twb is not given, then use the general gas law equation:
PaVa = ma Ra Ta
ma Ra Ta m 3
Va = ;
Pa s
• If dry bulb temperature, tdb and wet bulb temperature, twb, or relative humidity, RH are
given, then use the psychrometric chart

Va = ma (spec.vol, va )
VD = A ´ L ´ N S
 Sample Problems
Sample Problem 1
Calculate the bore and stroke of a six cylinder engine that delivers 22.4KW at 1800rpm with a
ratio of bore to stroke of 0.71. Assume the mean effective pressure in the cylinder is 620kPa,
and the mechanical efficiency is 85%.
 Sample Problems
Sample Problem 2
A supercharged six cylinder, four stroke cycle gasoline engine of 10.48 cm bore and 12.7 cm
stroke has a compression ratio of 15. When it is tested on a dynamometer with a 53.34 cm
arm at 2500 rpm, the scale reads 81.65 kg. 2.86 kg of fuel of 45,822.20 kJ/kg heating value
are burned during a 6 minute test and air metered to the cylinders at the rate of 0.182 kg/s.
Find the (a)brake thermal efficiency, (b)BSFC, and (c)brake heat rate.
 Sample Problems
Sample Problem 3
A trial carried out in a four stroke double cylinder gasoline engine gave the following results.
The cylinder bore is 300 mm while the length is 500 mm. The clearance volume is 5750 cc.
The explosions per minute is 100. The indicated mean effective pressure is 765 kPa and the
net work load on the brake is 190 kg. The brake diameter is 1.5 m. The engine runs at 240
rpm and uses 30 m3/hr of fuel. The calorific value of the gas is 20,515 kJ/m3. Determine the
following: (a)compression ratio, (b)mechanical efficiency, (c)indicated thermal efficiency, (d)air
standard efficiency, and (e)indicated engine efficiency. Use k = 1.4
 Engine Operated at High Altitudes
1. Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Correction Formula
• For spark-ignition engines
7.9
𝑃0 𝑇7
𝐵𝑃0 = 𝐵𝑃7
𝑃7 𝑇0

• For compression-ignition engines

7.:
𝑃0 𝑇7
𝐵𝑃0 = 𝐵𝑃7
𝑃7 𝑇0
Where: S subscript = std. rating of engine (at sea level)
0 subscript = rating at observed conditions

Pressure: barometric pressure decreases by 1”Hg absolute (83.3mmHg abs) for every 1000 ft
increase in altitude based on 29.92”Hg absolute (760mmHg abs) sea level.
3.279ℎ
𝑃! = 29.92 − , 𝑖𝑛. 𝐻𝑔
1000
Temperature: temperature decreases by 3.57˚F (6.5˚C) for every 1000 ft increase in altitude based
on a standard temperature of 60˚F (15˚C).
3.6ℎ
𝑇" = 520 − , °𝑅
1000
 Engine Operated at High Altitudes
2. Diesel Engine Manufacturer’s Association (DEMA) Standard Rating

• Rated power may not be corrected for altitude up to 1500ft (457.5m).

• For altitudes greater than 1500ft (457.5m), use the following:

Ø Subtract from std. rating 2% for every 1000ft (305m) above 1500ft (457.5m) for
supercharged engines.
Ø Subtract from std. rating 4% for every 1000ft (305m) above 1500ft (457.5m) for naturally
aspirated engines.
 Engine Operated at High Altitudes
Sample Problem
What maximum power can be delivered by a 1500 kW engine at 2800 ft elevation considering
the pressure and temperature effects? Assume that this is a gasoline engine.
 Engine Operated at High Altitudes

Assume a volumetric efficiency of 75%. The engine is a diesel engine.a