OTTO CYCLE

 It was first developed by a German

Engineer, Nikolaus August Otto. It is a gas
power cycle that used in Spark Ignition
Engine ( i.e. Gasoline Engine) for its
working.
 It involves four engine strokes, and it has
four processes (Isentropic, Isometric,
Isentropic, and Isometric) SVSV.

Note: please review your Thermodynamics Processes

The Four Engine Strokes and Four Processes

Key terms to Remember:

1. Cylinder
7 - The space or chamber to which the piston
6 8 travels up and down

2. Piston
- Converts the heat energy from combustion
into mechanical energy that will rotate the
3 car’s wheel
5

4 3. Top Dead Center (TDC)

- Farthest point of piston’s upward travel
1
2
4. Bottom Dead Center (BDC)
- Farthest point of piston’s downward travel
5. Stroke
- The point when the piston travels from Bottom Dead Center to Top Dead Center or vice-versa.

6. Intake Valve
- It introduces the air and fuel mixture into the cylinder

7. Exhaust Valve
- It helps to evacuate the unburned gasses/by products from the cylinder

8. Spark Plug
- Provides ignition/heat to produce combustion in the cylinder by its spark

First Stroke 0-1 (Intake Stroke)

- The intake valve will open. The P
piston travels downward from top
dead center to bottom dead to
draw the air and fuel mixture into
the cylinder. Volume increases.

0 1
V
Second stroke 1-2 (Compression Stroke- Isentropic Compression; PV k=C)

- Piston travels upward to P

compress the air and fuel to
2
make it combustible mixture.
Volume decreases and Pressure
increases

0 1
V

2-3 (Heat Addition, QA- Isometric; V=C)

- Before moving to the Third P 3

stroke, we will need something
to give us power and that is 2
where the combustion comes in.
The spark plug now ignites and it
will provide heat to the air and
fuel mixture which produce 0 1
combustion. The combustion is
what we call the heat addition to V
our engine. Here, the pressure
increases.

Third Stroke 3-4 (Power Stroke- Isentropic Expansion; PV k=C)

- By utilizing the heat energy

P 3
from the combustion, the
pressure now decreases and the
2
volume increases, and this stroke
is what we call the power stroke. 4
It’s called the power stroke as
this is the power that moves your
0 1
car and will keep the cycle from
going from going around. V

4-1 (Heat Rejection, QR- Isometric; V=C)

- After using the air and fuel P 3

mixture, its waste need to be
evacuated, this is what we call 2
the heat rejection of the engine.
The exhaust valve will open to 4
assist the evacuation of the
waste gases from the cylinder 0 1
making the pressure to
decreases. V
Fourth Stroke 1-0 (Exhaust stoke)

- The last stroke will now be 3

used as we need something to
evacuate the waste gases out. 2
The piston will now travel
upward to push out the waste 4
gases.
0 1

FORMULA FOR OTTO CYCLE

PROCESS 1-2

 Beginning of compression (P1,V1,T1)

 Initial (P1,V1,T1)
 In the end of compression (P2,V2,T2)
 Maximum Volume (V1), minimum volume (V2)
 Adiabatic (no heat gain or no heat loss)

PROCESS 2-3

 Beginning of combustion/heat addition (P2,V2,T2)

 At the end of combustion/heat addition (P3,V3,T3)
 Maximum pressure and temperature (P3,T3)
 V2=V3
PROCESS 3-4

 Beginning of expansion (P3,V3,T3)

 End of expansion (P4,V4,T4)
 Adiabatic (no heat gain or no heat loss)

PROCESS 4-1

 Beginning of heat rejection (P4,V4,T4)

 End of heat rejection (P1,V1,T1)
 V1=V4

WORK OF THE CYCLE

EFFICIENCY OF THE CYCLE

CLEARANCE

VOLUME DISPLACEMENT

MEAN EFFECTIVE PRESSURE