Internal Combustion Engines MAE 408

Engine Performance and Testing Dr. Peter B. Corson, 3171 Broughton Hall Slides courtesy of Dr. Tiegang Fang Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department North Carolina State University

Engine Full Load Performance

Three characteristics curves showing the brake torque, brake power, and brake specific fuel consumption
Intermittent

Example Full Load Performance

Example Full Load Performance

Engine Performance Maps

Added contours of constant BSFC and constant power to the load-speed graph Load is commonly denoted by torque or BMEP

Constant power curves

Engine Performance Maps contd

These help to describe the effect of load-speed variations

There is one load-speed combination with BSFC reaching a minimum

Optimizing Engine Performance

Finding the engine work in the region of low BSFC and high efficiency

For constant speed, BSFC decreases with increasing load (due to mechanical efficiency loss) and then increases up to the full load conditions (due to over fueling with poor combustion) 7

Optimizing Engine Performance contd

For constant load, BSFC decreases with increasing speed (due to heat loss) and then increases up to the maximum speed conditions (due to friction loss) 8

Optimizing Engine Performance contd

The optimum efficiency curve can only be achieved by using the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) technique

Map Example

10

Map Example: Engine Torque vs. Throttle

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% Car Load Curve 30% 20% 0%

11

Engine Testing
Parameters to be measured:
1. Power (brake, indicated) 2. Torque 3. Speed 4. Fuel consumption 5. Air consumption 6. In-cylinder pressure for combustion analysis 7. Other parameters such as pressures, temperatures, etc. Specific equipment is required for different parameters

Engine Test Cell

Control Room

12

Power, Torque, and Speed Measurement

Power, Torque, and Speed are measured by dynamometers (dynos) Three types of dynos are commonly used: 1. Fluid or Hydraulic dynamometers (water brakes) 2. Eddy current dynamometers 3. Electric dynamometers Types 1 and 2 can only absorb power from the engine Type 3 (electric) can absorb power from the engine or deliver power to engine, which can be used to motor the engine to measure the friction power

Water brake dyno

13

Power, Torque, and Speed Measurement contd

Eddy current dyno

Electric Dynos (AC and DC)

AC electric dynos are newer and response faster.

14

Fuel Consumption Measurement

Measurement includes two types: Mass or Volume Volume measured using rotameter: Float in a tapered tube Reading affected by viscosity and temperature of fuel Volume measured using turbine flow meter Volume measured by positive displacement flow meters: Advantage: independent of viscosity

Rotameter

Turbine flow meter

Positive displacement flow meters

15

Fuel Consumption Measurement contd

Mass: steady state batch flow measurement with scale and beaker Mass: Coriolis flow measurement Fluid passes through a vibrating tube, causing the tube to twist; the amount of twisting is proportional to the mass flow

Coriolis mass flow meter

16

Air Consumption Measurement

Most common: calibrated orifice or nozzle Pressure drop across orifice or nozzle increases with flow rate Pressure differential measured with pressure transducer Normally calibrated by manufacturer under controlled conditions Orifice or nozzle cause slight air restriction

17

Engine Combustion Data Acquisition

Pressure-volume conditions in combustion chamber easily measured Two-channel shaft encoder (synchronize the timing) Top Dead Center (TDC) pulse Crank angle pulses at <0.25 degree intervals Piezoelectric transducer for measuring in-cylinder pressure Sensor slight recessed Effect of connecting passage Special coatings on the surface to limit radiant energy transfer Water cooled to prevent damage at high temperatures Can be used to calculate energy release rate

18

Engine Test Facility

Typical engine test facility

19