 Heat engines

Heat engines are devices that convert heat into mechanical work
or electricity. There are many types of heat engines, such as
steam turbines, internal combustion engines, Stirling engines, and
thermoelectric generators. Some heat engines have moving parts,
such as pistons, valves, and rotors, while others have no moving
parts, such as thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells and spin quantum
heat engines.

o Air-cooled heat engines

Air cooled heat engines use air as the working fluid and cool it
down by blowing air over a fin core. There are different types of
air cooled heat engines, such as Stirling engines, Brayton engines,
and Otto engines.

 Lab experiment
A lab experiment demonstrates the heat engine cycle using air
inside a cylinder. The experiment
involves immersing the cylinder in
hot and cold water and measuring
the pressure, volume, temperature,
and work done by the air. The
experiment also compares the
efficiency of the real heat engine
with the ideal Carnot engine.

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 o Reciprocating compressor
A reciprocating compressor is a type of heat engine that uses a
piston to compress air in a cylinder. It is commonly used in heat
engine labs to study the thermodynamics of gas compression and
expansion.

 Lab experiment
A lab manual explains how to conduct a performance test on
a two-stage reciprocating air compressor and to determine
the isothermal efficiency and plot
the graph between delivery
pressure and isothermal
efficiency.

o Single cylinder
A single cylinder is a type of heat engine that uses a piston to
convert thermal energy into mechanical work. There are different
kinds of single cylinder heat engines, such as Stirling engines,
Diesel engines, and air engines.

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  Lab experiment
A lab experiment explains how to
conduct a performance test on a
four-stroke single cylinder diesel
engine. The experiment describes
the objective, theoretical
background, experimental
procedure, and results of the test.
The report
also shows how to plot the bmep
vs bsfc, bmep vs efficiency, and
bmep vs exhaust gas temperature curves for the engine. The
experiment also demonstrates how to draw Willan’s line and
obtain the friction power and mechanical efficiency of the
engine.

o water-cooled heat engine

A water-cooled heat engine is a type of heat engine that uses
water as a coolant to remove excess heat from the engine. Water-
cooled heat engines are commonly used in automobiles, power
plants, and industrial applications

 Lab experiment
A lab experiment shows a heating and cooling
experiment using water. The experiment
demonstrates how water reacts to extreme

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 temperatures of hot and cold. The experiment also explains the
concepts of thermal expansion, contraction, and density.

o Four stroke compression ignition

diesel engine
A four stroke compression ignition diesel engine is a type of
internal combustion engine that uses diesel fuel as the energy
source. It works by compressing air to a very high pressure and
temperature, and then injecting diesel fuel into the cylinder. The
diesel fuel ignites spontaneously due to the heat of the
compressed air, and pushes the piston down to produce
mechanical work. The four strokes of the engine are:

 Suction stroke: The piston moves down from the top of the
cylinder, creating a vacuum that draws air into the cylinder
through the open inlet valve. The exhaust valve is closed during
this stroke.

 Compression stroke: The piston moves up from the bottom of the

cylinder, compressing the air in the cylinder to a very high
pressure and temperature. Both the inlet and exhaust valves are
closed during this stroke. Near the end of this stroke, a metered
amount of diesel fuel is injected into the cylinder by a fuel
injector.

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 Power stroke: The diesel fuel ignites spontaneously due to the
heat of the compressed air, creating a high-pressure gas that
pushes the piston down. This is the stroke that produces
mechanical work and rotates the crankshaft. Both the inlet and
exhaust valves are closed during this stroke.

 Exhaust stroke: The piston moves up from the bottom of the

cylinder, pushing out the burnt gases from the cylinder through
the open exhaust valve. The inlet valve is closed during this stroke.

The four strokes are repeated in a cycle to keep the engine

running. A four stroke compression ignition diesel engine has
some advantages over a spark ignition engine, such as higher
efficiency, lower fuel consumption, better torque, and lower
emissions. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as
higher noise, vibration, weight, complexity, and cost.

 Lab experiment
A lab experiment explains how to conduct a performance
test on a single cylinder four stroke diesel engine by using
main. The experiment presents the aim, apparatus, theory,
procedure, observations, calculations, graphs, and
conclusions of the test. The experiment
also compares the experimental results
with theoretical values and discusses the
sources of error and improvement.

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 o Ton steam generator
A ton steam generator is a device that produces steam from water by
using heat energy. The amount of steam generated by a ton steam
generator depends on the type, design, and operating conditions of the
generator. Some factors that affect the steam output are:

 The fuel type and efficiency of the combustion process. Different fuels
have different heating values and combustion efficiencies, which affect
how much heat is transferred to the water. For example, natural gas
has a higher heating value and efficiency than coal, so it requires less
gas to produce the same amount of steam.

 The pressure and temperature of the water and steam. Higher pressure
and temperature increase the enthalpy (heat content) of the steam,
which means more energy is available for work. However, higher
pressure and temperature also require more energy to achieve and
maintain, which reduces the net output of the generator.

 The design and configuration of the generator. Different types of

generators have different heat transfer mechanisms, such as fire-tube,
water-tube, or electric. Some generators also have multiple stages or
sections, such as superheaters, reheaters, or economizers, that improve
the quality and efficiency of the steam.

 The cooling system and condenser. The steam that exits the generator
is usually condensed back to water and recycled to the generator. The

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cooling system removes the heat from the condenser and transfers it to
the environment. The efficiency and capacity of the cooling system
affect how much steam can be condensed and reused.

 Lab experiment

A lab experiment of a ton steam generator is a practical

activity that involves measuring and analyzing the
performance and characteristics of a
steam generator that can produce
one ton of steam per hour. A steam
generator is a device that produces
steam from water by using heat
energy from various sources, such as
fuel, electricity, or nuclear fission. A
ton steam generator can have
different types, designs, and
configurations, depending on the
application and the operating conditions.

o Vapor compression refrigeration

trainer
The Vapor Compression Refrigeration Trainer is a device that
is used to teach students about the principles of
refrigeration. It is designed to simulate the operation of a

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 real refrigeration system and allows students to learn about
the different components that make up the system. The
trainer consists of a compressor, condenser, evaporator, and
expansion valve, which are all connected by copper tubing.
The trainer also includes a control panel that allows students
to adjust the various parameters of the system, such as the
temperature and pressure. The Vapor Compression
Refrigeration Trainer is an essential tool for anyone who
wants to learn about refrigeration systems.

 Lab experiment

A lab experiment of vapor compression refrigeration trainer

is a practical way to learn about the
principles and performance of a
refrigeration system. The experiment
involves measuring the temperature,
pressure, and flow rate of the
refrigerant and the water in the system,
and calculating the coefficient of
performance (COP) of the cycle. The
COP is a measure of how efficiently the
system uses energy to transfer heat
from a low-temperature reservoir to a
high-temperature reservoir.

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