Experiment No.

03
Objective
To calculate the break power of petrol engine by varying load at constant rpm.

Apparatus
List of components
 Engine
 Dynamo meter
 Air intake system
 Fuel tank
 Data acquisition system
 Fly wheel
 Frame
 Load cell
 Exhaust system

Theory
Dynamometer
A dynamometer or "dyno" for short, is a device for measuring force, torque,
or power. For example, the power produced by an engine, motor or other rotating prime
mover can be calculated by simultaneously measuring torque and rotational speed (RPM).

Figure.2.1. Dynamometer

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Types of dynamometer
 Power Transmission Dynamometers
In power transmission dynamometers the power is transmitted to the
load coupled to the engine after it is indicated on some scale. These
are also called torque meters.

Types of Power Transmission Dynamometers

Epicyclic-train Dynamometer
 it consists of a simple epicyclic trainof gears, i.e. a spur gear. The spur gear is keyed
to the engine shaF and rotates in anticlockwise direction.
 The annular gear is also keyed to the driving shaft and rotates in clockwise direction.
 The pinion or the intermediate gear meshes with both the spur and annular
gears.The pinion revolves freely on a lever.
 A weight w is placed at the smaller endof the lever in order to keep it in position.
 The tangential effort P exerted by the spur gear on the pinion and the tangential
reaction of the annular gear on the pinion are equal.

Figure.2.2. Epicyclic-train Dynamometer

Belt Transmission Dynamometer

 When the belt is transmitting power from one pulley to another, the tangential effort
on the driven pulley is equal to the difference between the tensions in the tight and
slack sides of the belt.
 A belt dynamometer is introduced to measure directly the difference between the
tensions of the belt, while it is running.

Figure.2.3. Belt Transmission Dynamometer

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Absorption Dynamometers

Transmission dynamometers are also called torque meters. They mostly consist of
a set of strain-gauges fixed on the rotating shaft and the torque is measured by the
angular deformation of the shaft which is indicated as the strain the of the strain gauge.

Figure.2.4. Transmission Dynamometer

Types of Absorption Dynamometers

Prony Brake Dynamometer

Pony Brake is one of the simplest dynamometers for measuring power output (brake
power). It is to attempt to stop the engine using a brake on the flywheel and measure the
weight which an arm attached to the brake will support, as it tries to rotate with the
flywheel.

Figure.2.5. Prony Brake

Rope Brake Dynamometer

The rope brake as shown in below figure is another device for measuring brake
power of an engine. It consists of some turns of rope wound around the rotating drum
attached to the output shaft. One side of the rope is connected to a spring balance and the

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other side to a loading device. The power is absorbed in friction between the rope and the
drum. Therefore drum in rope brake requires cooling.

Figure.2.6.Rope Brake

Hydraulic Dynamometer
A hydraulic works on the principle of dissipating the power in fluid friction rather than in
dry friction.

Figure.2.7.Hydraulic Dynamometer
Eddy current dynamo meter

Eddy current dynamo meter used to measure engine torque and power. It works on the
principle of eddy current generation that oppose the change in magnetic flux. Eddy currents
are generated when a conductor moves in changing magnetic flux.

Eddy current dynamo meter consists of

 Rotor at which rotating shaft is connected of which power has to be measured.

 Stator poles or Stator notched between which this rotor rotate. (Please see Figure
2 for clarification of this stator).
 Stator casing to which DC voltage is applied to generate magnetic field.
 An arm with gauge which measure the torque.

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Working

The working principle of eddy current dynamometer is shown in the figure below.
It consists of a stator on which are fitted some electromagnets and a rotor disc made of
copper or steel and coupled to the output shaft of the engine. When the rotor rotates, eddy
currents are produced in the stator due to magnetic flux set up by the passage of field current
in the electromagnets. These eddy currents are dissipated in producing heat so that this type
of dynamometer requires some cooling arrangement. The torque is measured exactly as in
other types of absorption dynamometers, i.e., with the help of a moment arm. The load
in internal combustion engine testing is controlled by regulating the current in the
electromagnets.

Figure.2.8.Eddy Current Dynamometer

The following are the main advantages of eddy current dynamometers:

 High brake power per unit weight of dynamometer.
 They offer the highest ratio of constant power speed range (up to 5 : 1).
 Level of field excitation is below 1% of total power being handled by
the dynamometer. Thus, they are easy to control and operate.
 Development of eddy current is smooth hence the torque is also smooth
and continuous under all conditions.
 Relatively higher torque under low-speed conditions.
 It has no intricate rotating parts except shaft bearing.
 No natural limit to size, either small or large.

Brake power (B.P)

The power available at the delivery point, at the engine crank shaft (drive shaft) is
interchangeably referred as brake power or shaft power or delivery power. The brake
power is usually measured by attaching a power absorption device to the drive shaft of
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the engine. The brake power of the engine at different operating conditions was
determined using the following equation:
BP = (V * I)/1000 ---- kW.
Where,
BP = Brake power in kW.
V = Voltmeter reading in Volts.
I = Ammeter reading in Amps.

Engine Torque
Torque, in simple terms, is ‘Twisting or Turning Force’. It is the tendency of a force
to rotate an object about an axis. In automotive terms, it is the measure of rotational effort
applied on engine crankshaft by the piston.

Revolutions per minute [RPM]

Revolutions per minute (RPM, rev/min, r/min) is a measure of
the frequency of rotation, specifically the number of rotations around a fixed axis in
one minute. It is used as a measure of rotational speed of a mechanical component.

Procedure
Initially the experiments were conducted on the engine with diesel to find optimum cooling rate
and further all the experiments are conducted on the engine by maintaining this optimum rate of
engine cooling.
The performance test is conducted using petrol as fuel. The following step by step procedure is
adopted for the test:

 Give the necessary electrical connections to the panel.

 Check the lubricating oil level in the engine.
 Check the fuel level in the tank.
 Allow the water to flow to the engine and the calorimeter and adjust
the flow rate.

 Release the load if any on the dynamometer. s

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 Open the fuel flow cock so that fuel flows to the engine.
 Start the engine by cranking.
 Allow the engine to run under idling condition (no load) for 10 minutes to ensure warm
and steady operating conditions.
 Record all the thermal performance parameters for no load
condition through a data acquisition system.

 Repeat the experiment for different loads and note down the

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 readings.

 After the completion release the load and then switch of the
engine.

 Allow the water to flow for few minutes and then turn it off.

Observations And Calculations

Table
Sr. Throttle Torque Break power
No.
%age Nm 2πnT/60
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Conclusion

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