Impact of 20th Century Research on Combustion &

Evolution of I.C. Engines

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department

Engineering of A Quick & Comprehensive

Phenomenon…...
 Formula 1 Car
• The internal combustion engine of a Formula One car must
1.6-litres in capacity and rev-limited to 15,000rpm.
• The engine must also have six cylinders arranged in a 90-
degree formation, with two inlet and two exhaust valves per
cylinder and a single turbocharger.
 Hydro carbon Chemistry of Crude Oils

• Components of Crude Oils.

• Paraffins (CnH(2n+2))
• Olefins
• Aromatics
• Ultimate Analysis
• C : 84 -- 87% ; H : 11 -- 16% ; O : 0.3 -- 1.8% ; N : 0.1 --
1.5% ; S : 0.1 -- 3%
Important Fuel Derivatives from Crude Oil
 Boiling range, and molecule size for typical refinery

• BOILING RATE # CARBON ATOMS

• Refinery Gas <25oC 3
• Gasoline 40-150oC 4-10
• Naptha 150-200oC 10-12
• Kerosene 200-300oC 12-16
• Diesel Fuel 300-400oC 16-25
• Residual Oil >400oC >25
Major Components of Gasoline (Petrol)
Major Components of Gasoline (Petrol)
 Fuel Model & Ideal Combustion
• Ultimate Analysis of dry (moisture free) fuel: Gravimetric
• Percentage of carbon : x --- Number of moles, X = x/12
• Percentage of hydrogen : y --- Number of atomic moles, Y =
y/1
• Percentage of oxygen: k --- Number of atomic moles, K =
k/16
• Percentage of sulfur: z – Number of atomic moles, Z = z/32
• Equivalent chemical formula : CXHYSZOK
• Equivalent Molecular weight : 100 kgs.
• Ideal combustion
• CXHYSZOK + 4.76(X+Y/4+Z-K/2) AIR → P CO2 +Q H2O + R
N2 + G SO2
 A  mass of Air
• Air- Fuel Ratio:  
F  mass of fuel
 Stoichiometric Ideal Combustion
• Mass of fuel = one kilo mole = 100 kg : Equivalent chemical
formula.
• Chemically exact amount of air for ideal combustion of one
kilo morel air.
• Stoichiometric air fuel ratio is the ratio of exact mass of air
required to mass of fuel.

 Y K
4.76   X   Z    28.96
 A  4 2
  
 F  stoi 100

F  100
  
 A stoi 4.76   X  Y  Z  K   28.96
 4 2 
 The True Process of Methane Combustion

Overall reaction for the combustion of methane is given by:

True Reaction Mechanisms:

True Reaction mechanisms are composed of a series of elementary
processes (steps) which are indicative of the molecular encounters.
Interestingly, mechanisms are never proven but rather postulated
A detailed kinetic mechanism revealed 213 elementary reactions and
and checked for consistency with observed experimental kinetic
48 species.
data.
Another critical review showed 325 elementary reactions.
The first two steps in the combustion of methane are given by:
9-Step reduced mechanism for Methane
Combustion
 Recognition of Actual Air Fuel Ratio

 Y K
4.76     X   Z    28.96
 A  4 2
  
 F actual 100
F  100
  
 A actual 4.76     X  Y  Z  K   28.96
 4 2 
 Y K
4.76   X   Z    28.96
 
A  4 2
  
 F  stoi 100
F  100
  
 A stio 4.76   X  Y  Z  K   28.96
 4 2 

Define equivalence Ratio as the ratio of the actual

fuel/air ratio to the stoichiometric fuel/air ratio.
Pre-processing of fuel & Air Vs Combustion Mechanism

Pre mixing of fuel and air No Pre mixing of fuel

and air

Partial Pre mixing of

fuel and air
Status of Fuel & Air Before Onset of
Combustion
 Care for Occurrence of Combustion
• Occurrence of combustion in SI Engine : A Child Care
Event.
• Occurrence of combustion in CI Engine: A Teen Care
Event.
CI Engine SI Engine
 Engineering of Ignition
Temperature

25 C

0 
Fuel - air ratio
 Type of Fuel Vs Traditional Combustion Strategy

• Highly volatile with High self Ignition Temperature: Spark

Ignition. Ignition after thorough mixing of air and fuel.
• Less Volatile with low self Ignition Temperature:
Compression Ignition , Almost simultaneous mixing &
Ignition.