First year- First semester

Prepared By
KT Ariyawansha

Department of Agric Engineering,

Faculty of Agriculture,
University of Ruhuna
Sri Lanka
To gain basic knowledge about
Fuel
Combustion of fuel
Fuel Property
Petrol fuel system
Ignition system
Diesel fuel system

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Materials burn as a source of
energy…….(Oxford dictionary)

Fuel
• Solid
• Liquid
• Gases

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
For Tractors
• Liquid fuels(diesel) are populer
• Liquid fuels are made form crude
petrolium refining
• Crude Petrolium is combination of
the C & H ( ~C-86% & H-14%)
• Most of refined fuels combination
of following
• Parafine( CnH2n+2)
• Olifine (CnH2n)
• Diolefin (CnH2n-2)
• Naphthene (CnH2n)
• Aromatics (CnH2n-6)
• If N= 1-4 – Gas (@ Normal T0 & P)
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
  Paraffin( CnH2n+2)
 Olefin (CnH2n)
 Diolefin (CnH2n-2)
 Naphthalene (CnH2n)
 Aromatics (CnH2n-6)

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Chemically combining of OXYGEN with
CARBON and HYDROGEN in the fuel -
resulting this HEAT is liberated and
PRESSURE is Increased

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Representative molecules for combustion calculations.

Fuel Molecule Formula Molecular Weight

Natural gas Methane CH4 16
LPG Propane C3H8 44
Gasoline Octane C8H18 114
Kerosene Dodecane C12H26 170
Diesel fuel Cetane C16H34 226
Methanol Methyl alcohol CH4O 32
Ethanol Ethyl alcohol C2H6O 46
Butanol Butyl alcohol C4H10O 74
Methyl soyate C19H36O2 296

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 C8H18 + 12.5O2 + 47N2 ⇒ 47N2 + 8CO2 + 9H2O
1(114) 12.5(32) 47(28) 47(28) 8(44) 9(18)
1 3.51 11.54 11.54 3.05 1.42

a. Calculate the stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and the exhaust products when Ethyl
Alcohol(C2H6O) is used as an engine fuel. Show the balanced combustion equation.
b. State whether C2H6O can be use to existing gasoline engine. (Yes /No)
c. If No what is the reason.

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
1. Antiknock quality- Ability to resist knock
Knock – Engine produce audible "ping" knock due to
spontaneously detonation of fuel in localized area of the
combustion chamber.
Tendancy to resist detonation is measures of,
• Octain number(Gasoline)
• Cittain bumber(Diesel)

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

iso-octane(C8H18) - anti-knocking rate -100
heptane (C7H16) - anti-knocking rate- 0

Adjust compression
ration up to engine
produce knock

Adjust iso-octane
and heptane %

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

 n-Cetane(C16H34) – cetane number-100
Heptamethylnonane - cetane number-15

Adjust compression
ration up to engine
produce knock

Adjust cetane and

Heptamethylnonane
%

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

2. Volatility of the fuel- releases vapour,
particularly at ambient temperatures
Affects the performance through following –
• Ease of starting the engine
• Degree of crankcase oil dilution
• Formation of vapor locks in the fuel system
• Accelerating characteristics of the engine
• Distribution of fuel in multi cylinder engine

Quicker vaporizing the fuel helps in

producing more power swiftly which
accelerates the engine.
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of
Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 3. Calorific/Heating value of the fuel
The heat liberated by combustion of a fuel is known as calorific value
or heat value of the fuel, KJ/kg(kcal/kg) of fuel ….(4.19J = 1 cal)
Higher Calorific Value- HCV- (or Gross Calorific Value - GCV) suppose
that the water of combustion is entirely condensed and that the
heat contained in the water vapor is recovered.

Lower Calorific Value- LCV-(or Net Calorific Value - NCV) suppose

that the products of combustion contains the water vapor and that
the heat in the water vapor is not recovered.
Eg- HCV of some fuels
~Gasoline – 47300 kJ/kg
~ Diesel - 44,800kJ/kg
~ Coal - 15,000 - 27,000 kJ/kg
~ Ethanol - 29,700 kJ/kg
~Methane - 55,530 kJ/kg
~Hydrogen - 141,790 kJ/kg
~Biodiesel - 36,000 - 48,000 kJ/kg
~Wood (dry) - 14,400 - 17,400 kJ/kg
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric
Engineering, University of Ruhuna
4. Specufic gravity
Ratio of the density of the substance, but usually expressed in
API(American Petroleum Institute) degrees.
SG = ρ/ρref
API degrees = (141.5/Specific Gravity at 15.6 0C)-131.5
5. Kinematics Viscosity
viscosity is the fluid resistance to shear or flow
6. Flash Point
The flash point is the lowest temperature at which an applied
ignition source will cause the vapors of a sample to ignite.
7. Distillation Temperature
8. Sulfated ash content
9. Sulfur Content
10. Water and sediment content
11. Copper Strip Corrosion
The corrosiveness of a fuel is measured using the copper strip
corrosion
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
12. Gum content- due to unsaturated HC
http://www.ceypetco.gov.lk/Products_and_Servi
ces.htm#11

For the fuel stranded in Sri Lanka

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Petrol / Gasoline fuel system
 Carburetor systems
 Petrol injector systems
 Ignition system
Diesel fuel system

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
  Fuel tank  Lift pump
 Fuel line  Carburetor
 Fuel filter  Air cleaner

Carburetor

Fuel line Fuel tank

Lift pump
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Fuel filter
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of
Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Device that blends air and fuel
Carburetors - up until the mid 1980s,
Some engines use multiple
carburetors.
Older engines used updraft
carburetors, where the air enters
from below the carburetor and exits
through the top.
Beginning in the late 1930s,
downdraft carburetors were the
most popular type for automotive
use.
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric
Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 The carburetor works on Bernoulli's
principle:
 The throttle (accelerator) linkage does not
directly control the flow of liquid fuel.
 Instead, it actuates carburetor mechanisms
which meter the flow of air being sucked into
the engine.
 The speed of this flow, and therefore its
pressure, determines the amount of fuel
drawn into the air stream.

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 Air Cleaner
Choke valve
Fuel

Venturi
Float valve

Float Arm

Float Chamber Float

Jet

Throttle valve
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
The carburetor must:
 Measure the airflow of the engine
 Deliver the correct amount of fuel to
keep the fuel/air mixture in the proper
range (1 part of fuel to 15 parts of air by
weight )
 Mix the two finely and evenly
A carburetor must provide the proper fuel/air
mixture across a wide range of ambient
temperatures, atmospheric pressures, engine
speeds and loads, and centrifugal forces

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Under different operation conditions demand of air
fuel mixture is greatly varying.
Therefore modern carburetor provide different
circuits
• Ideal and low speed circuit
• Low speed circuit
• High speed part load circuit
• High speed full powered circuit
• Accelerator pump circuit

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 Prevents dirt or dust.
 Essential ne in muddy or dusty environment .
 Dust or dirt or grit enter the cylinder cause very
rapid wear of valves, pistons, cylinders or all
bearings.
 There could be rapid build up of carbon in the
combustion and on the valves.
 Air cleaners can remove up to 95% of harmful
particles from the air that enters the engine

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
1. The Oil-bath Type, Three-stage Air Cleaner
2. Dry Element-type Air Filters

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Popular as can be fully
cleaned, serviced and cheap
• Following figure shows a
sectional view of the oil-bath-
type cleaner
• 3 stage cleaning – in the
dome, oil and oil-damp wire
gauze

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 Dome

Oil-
damp
wire
gauze

Oil
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University
• Replaceable element
• Made of wax-paper material
• Filter can be washed in a detergent
and blown out with air line or just
blowout with the air line from inside,
blowing dirt out the same way as it
enters
• From engines exhaust the blocking of
the filter element can be judged. If
back smoke means engine is not
receiving its fuel air supply and time to
clean the filter element.

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of
Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Purpose - to create a spark
that will ignite the fuel-air
mixture in the cylinder of
an engine.
Job - to produce that high
voltage(20000V – 50000V)
from a 12 volt source and
get it to each cylinder in a
specific order, at exactly
the right time.
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 compression ratio efficiency

Compression ratio has to be limited to avoid pre-

ignition of the fuel-air mixture which would cause
engine knocking and damage to the engine.

Modern engine - between 9:1 and 10:1,

In high-performance engines 11 or 12:1

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

 Battery
 Ignition switch
 Ignition Coil
 Distributor
 Distributor base
 Rotor arm
 Contact breaker
 Condenser
 Distributor cap
 Spark Prepared
plug by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric
Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric
Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Source of electrical energy needed to operate
the ignition system
• Two heavy lead terminals- Positive & Negative
• Negative terminal - grounded

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Connect or disconnect the
flow of electricity

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Act as pulse type
transformer
• Step up the battery
voltage to, and
exceeding, 20000
volts

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering,
University of Ruhuna
• Primary current flow can be interrupted in one
of three basic ways,
1. By using a set of breaker points to break
current flow
2. By using a set of breaker points in
conjunction with a transistor switch
3. By using a fully electronic switching unit in
which the mechanical breaker points are
completely eliminated

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric
Engineering, University of Ruhuna
 1 2 3 4

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

• High voltage from the coil is
carried by an insulated wire
to the center terminal of the
distributor cap
• Additional terminals, one per
cylinder, will be arranged in a
circle around the center
terminal
• Each one of these will have a
heavily insulated wire
connecting it with a spark
plug. Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Carry the secondary voltage from center
terminal to anyone side terminal by rotor

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

A distributor cap
for the six
cylinder engine

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

• It is essential that the plug wire be arranged in
the proper sequence
• Firing order in a typical six cylinder engine is
1,5,3,6,2,4
• Order - in which piston reach TDC on the
compression stroke (few degrees before TDC)

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Electrode of a spark plug must be constructed
of material that will be resistant to heat,
oxidization and burning
Typical material is nickel alloy
Two electrodes-
 Center electrode
 Side electrode
The space between the two- the plug GAP
Gap varies- 0.762-1.524 mm (.030-060 in.)
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Made up of three major
parts,
1. The electrode
2. Insulator
3. Shell

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of
Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
With diesel engines ,
Only air is taken into the cylinder and
compressed at high pressure (3450 – 4140
kN/m2)
It becomes hot enough (3500 – 4000c) to ignite
fuel when it is sprayed in to the cylinder. (droplet
size 0.001- 0.025 mm)
Resulting explosion pushes the piston.
As a result Diesel engines require a fuel injection
system to provide the proper amount of fuel at
the proper times and intervals.
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Fuel tank
• Fuel filter
• Lift Pump
• Fuel Injection pump
• Injector

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Direct-
The fuel spray directly into the cylinder
Indirect-
• The fuel spray into the intake manifold just
ahead of the intake valve
• delivers fuel into a chamber, off the combustion
chamber, called a pre chamber or sub-chamber,
• combustion begins in sub-chamber and then
spreads into the main combustion chamber
• allows for a smoother, quieter running engine

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Direct injection system Sub chamber system

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Less fuel consumption
• The injection pressure required is low, therefore
making the injector cheaper to produce.
• The injection direction is of less importance
• Indirect injection is much simpler to design and
manufacture
• The lower stresses that indirect injection imposes on
internal components
• Higher engine speeds can be reached

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

• High Specific fuel consumption due to heat loss due
to large exposed areas and pressure loss due to air
motion through the throats.
• Glowplugs are needed for a cold engine start.

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Mechanical injection Electronic injection
• Used an engine driven • No injector pump
injector pump that distributor setup
distributed fuel, under • Employs an electric fuel
pressure, to fuel injection pump to provide sufficient
nozzle pressure to produce a
proper injection

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Distributer type Inline Type

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of

Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Have one pump element for each engine cylinder wich arranged in
a row.
• The injection pump is driven by the gear wheels or chains of the
combustion engine.
• The fuel reaches the nozzle-holder
assemblies with the injection nozzles
via high-pressure lines.
• The in-line fuel-injection pump is the
“classic” among injection systems.
• Nowadays it is only to be found in
commercial vehicles, buses, building-site
and agricultural machines or in stationary
diesel engines.
injection pressures of up to- Department
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha 1,300 ofbar.
Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
• Has comparatively few moving parts, but so in
a complex way

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Advantages of Diesel engines
 Lower fuel consumption because of
higher heat efficiency
• Diesel 170 to 220g/PS-hr
• Gasoline 220 to 300g/PS-hr

 Lower operating cost

 Negligible torque variation over a
wide
 Speed range

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

 Higher flash point of fuel decreases fire
hazards.
 Smoother operation because of Misfires
are virtually nil.
 Super charging easily improves
performance.
 The exhaust gas is not as toxic or polluting
as that of gasoline engines.

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric Engineering, University of Ruhuna

 Drawbacks
 The higher explosion pressure requires
stronger engine parts.
 The compression ignition system limits the
maximum injection amount of fuel so operating
speed is limited.
 A precision fuel injection system is required.
 The high compression ratio requires higher
capacity starter and battery.
 These factors increase the construction cost.

Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric

Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Prepared by KT Ariyawansha - Department of Agric
Engineering, University of Ruhuna