ENGINEERING SCIENCE

BRAKE POWER, INDICATED POWER, BRAKING POWER, AND BRAKING EFFICIENCY

LEVEL TWO
ACU

HOPE KASEKA LILONGWE TECHNICAL COLLEGE LEVEL 2 AUTOMOBILE MECHANICS SCIENCE 3/22/2021
2 EFFICIENCY
 Efficiency is defined as the ratio of the useful output energy to the input energy.
The symbol for efficiency is η(Greek letter eta). Hence

 Efficiency has no units and is often stated as a percentage. A perfect machine

would have an efficiency of 100%. However, all machines have an efficiency
lower than this due to friction and other losses. Thus, if the input energy to a
motor is 1000 J and the output energy is 800 J then the efficiency is

800
× 100% = 80%
1000

HOPE KASEKA LTC 3/22/2021

3 EXAMPLE
A machine exerts a force of 200 N in lifting a mass through a height of 6 m. If 2 kJ of
energy are supplied to it, what is the efficiency of the machine?

SOLUTION

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 × 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑

= 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 × 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑
= 200 𝑁 × 6𝑚 = 1200 𝐽
= 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 2𝑘𝐽 = 2000 𝐽
𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜂 = 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
1200
=
2000
=0.6 or 60%
HOPE KASEKA LTC 3/22/2021
4 EXAMPLE
Calculate the useful output energy of an electric motor which is 70% efficient if it uses
600 J of electrical energy.
SOLUTION
𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜂 =
𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦

70 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
𝑇ℎ𝑢𝑠 =
100 600𝐽

𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉,
70
𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = × 600 = 𝟒𝟐𝟎 𝑱
100

HOPE KASEKA LTC 3/22/2021

5 EXAMPLE
4 kJ of energy are supplied to a machine used for lifting a mass. The force required is
800 N. If the machine has an efficiency of 50%, to what height will it lift the mass?
SOLUTIION
𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 50 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦, 𝜂 = 𝑖. 𝑒. =
𝐼𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 100 4000𝐽
50
𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉, 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = × 4000 = 2000 𝐽
100

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 × 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑,

ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 2000 𝐽 = 800 𝑁 × ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡,

2000𝐽
𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉, ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 =
800𝑁
= 2.5𝑚.
HOPE KASEKA LTC 3/22/2021
BRAKE POWER AND ENGINE TORQUE
BRAKE POWER;

 Brake power of an engine is the useful power available at the crankshaft of

the Engine. It is measure by running the engine against some form of
absorption brake, hence its name.
HEENAN AND FROUDE HYDRAULIC
DYNAMOMETER
 It consist of essentially of a rotor running in a casing through which water flows
steadily via the inlet and outlet pipes. The rotor is coupled to the engine output
shaft, and the casing is freely mounted on bearings fitted to the trunnion
brackets. At the periphery of the rotor there is a series of semi-elliptical pockets
or cups and at inside of the casing there is an indentical set of pockets, so that
when the rotor is driven by the engine, the water is flung out of its pockets by
centrifugal action and transferred to the pockets in the casing. This results in a
tendency to turn the casing with rotor. The casing is prevented from rotating by
resistance of a spring and a static load applied to torque arm which projects
from casing.
 A hand-wheel is provided on top of the balance frame to adjust the torque arm
to a horizontal position; this is facilitated by a small pointer. The amount of load
and hence, the torque absorbed by the dynamometer can be varied by
controlling the flow of water. This is usually done by operating another hand-
wheel which slides thin metal plates between the rotor and casing pockets, thus
blanking-off a number of effective pockets.
 The length of the torque arm together with the static load and spring
balance reading being known, the torque on the casing can be
determined. By the principle of torque reaction, this is equal to the torque
transmitted by the engine.
 Hence, if
𝑠 = 𝑠𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑁
𝑊1 = 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑁
𝑊 = 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑚 𝑁
𝑅 = 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑚 𝑚
𝑇 = 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒
𝑇 = 𝑊𝑅
 Where;
𝑊 = 𝑆 + 𝑊1
 If the engine is running at N rev/min; then;
2𝜋𝑁𝑊𝑅 2𝜋𝑁𝑇
𝐵𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑏. 𝑝 = = 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠
60 60
 It should be noted that since R is a fixed length for a given dynamometer,
2𝜋𝑅
the terms 60 in expression can be written as;
2𝜋𝑅 1
=
60 𝐾
 The value of the constant K is usually stamped on the nameplate attached
to the dynamometer. Thus, the brake power formula for Heenan and froud
hydraulic dynamometer may be reduced to the simple form;
𝑊𝑁
𝑏. 𝑝 = 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠
𝐾
EXAMPLE 1

 An engine working on the four-stroke cycle was coupled to a

dynamometer having a torque arm length of 0.56 m. When the Engine was
running at 3000rev/min the effective load on the dynamometer was found
to be 160N. Calculate the brake power developed by the engine;
 (28.16kW)
INDICATED POWER

 The indicated power of an engine is the power actually developed in its

cylinders. The i.p is always greater than b.p of an engine, because there will
always be some power losses between the cylinder and the output shaft
due, mainly to friction between the moving parts of the engine and the
pumping power needed to clean and recharge the cylinder. The frictional
losses also include the power needed to drive the essential engine
auxiliaries, such as the water pump, the fuel feed pump, the dynamo and
fan, e.t.c.
FRICTION POWER

 The difference between the I.p and b.p of an engine is termed the friction
power (f.p). Thus,
𝑓. 𝑝 = 𝑖. 𝑝 − 𝑏. 𝑝
MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY

 The ratio of the useful power available at the output shaft to power
developed in the cylinders of an engine is known as the mechanical
efficiency of the engine. Thus:
𝑏. 𝑝
𝑀𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 =
𝑖. 𝑝
 It is common practice to express the mechanical efficiency as a
percentage value. This value is obtained simply by multiplying the above
ratio by 100. An average value of mechanical efficiency for a modern
petrol engine running at normal speed would be 80%.
Example

A certain engine develops a torque of 120Nm while running at a speed of

3000 rev/min. Calculate the brake power.
37.7kW
Example

 A certain engine develops a brake power of 120 kW at a speed of 3000

rev/min. At this speed,the indicated power is 140 kW. Calculate the friction
power and mechanical efficiency of the engine at this speed.

 20kW and 85.7%

Braking efficiency
 The power of a braking system is determined ultimately by the friction
between the tyres and the driving surface. The concept of braking
efficiency is based on the assumption that the coefficient of friction
between tyre and driving surface can never be greater than 1.
 The retardation achieved under such conditions is equal to gravitational
acceleration g (9.81𝑚/𝑠 2 )and this is taken to be 100% braking efficiency. If
the actual retardation of a vehicle under braking is a m/s 2
𝑎
 the braking efficiency is 𝑔 × 100%
Example

 The maximum braking deceleration of a certain vehicle is 7.2𝑚/𝑠 2 .

Calculate the braking efficiency. Take 𝑔 = 9.81𝑚/𝑠 2 .
 73%
EXAMPLE

 In a test-station brake-test on a vehicle, the front brake forces total 2200N

and the rear brake forces total 1400N. If the vehicle has a mass (weight) of
1.2 tonne, calculate the braking efficiency. Take 𝑔 = 9.81𝑚/𝑠^2.
 SOLUTION
 Braking efficiency BE=(total braking force÷
 weight of vehicle in newtons)×100
 BE=(3600/1200×9.81)×100
 BE=(3600/11772)×100
 BE=31%
 TO BE CONTINUED