COMB-520

COMBUSTION
Lecture number 1: Combustion engine and efficiencies
Course Lecturer: Msiska Chindikani Stanley
Chemical Engineering
Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)
P.O. Box 5196
Limbe, MALAWI
contacts: +265 884 269 861, cmsiska@must.ac.mw
Engine thermodynamic/ working cycle
 (a) Otto cycle
thermodynamic cycle for SI/petrol engine
-Reversible adiabatic compression and expansion process
-Constant volume heat addition (combustion) and heat rejection process
(exhaust)
Figure 7 depicts the Otto cycle
(b) Diesel cycle
thermodynamic cycle for low speed CI/diesel engine
-Reversible adiabatic compression and expansion process
-Constant pressure heat addition (combustion) and heat rejection process
(exhaust)
Figure 8 depicts the diesel cycle.
(c) Dual cycle or limited pressure cycle
thermodynamic cycle for high speed diesel
and hot spot ignition engine
-Reversible adiabatic compression and expansion process
-Constant pressure and constant volume heat addition (combustion) and heat
rejection process
Other cycles
• Atkinson cycle
This is commonly used to describe any cycle in which the expansion
stroke is greater than the compression stroke.
• All processes are reversible, and processes 1-2 and 3-4 are
also adiabatic.
•
 Fuel-air cycle
• The simple ideal air standard cycles overestimate the engine efficiency by
a factor of about 2.
• A significant simplification in the air standard cycles is the assumption
of constant specific heat capacities. Heat capacities of gases are strongly
temperature-dependent
• The molar constant-volume heat capacity will also vary, as will y, the
ratio of heat capacities
If this is allowed for, air standard Otto cycle efficiency falls from 57 per
cent to 49.4 per cent for a compression ratio of 8.
• When allowance is made for the presence of fuel and combustion
products, there is an even greater reduction in cycle efficiency.
• This leads to the concept of a fuel-air cycle which is the same as the
ideal air standard Otto cycle, except that allowance is made for the real
thermodynamic behaviour of the gases.
• The cycle assumes instantaneous complete combustion, no heat
transfer, and reversible compression and expansion.