BITS Pilani

Hyderabad Campus

Fuel-Air cycles and their Analysis

Variable Specific Heats

• All non mono- atomic gases show an increase in specific heats with
temperature. This increase does not follow any law.
• Over the temperature range generally encountered in the heat
engines (300K to 2000K), the specific heat curve is nearly a straight
line.
• This may be approximated and expressed in the form:
Cp = a1 + k1 T
Cv = b1 + k1 T
a1, b1, k1 are constants.
R = Cp – Cv = a1 – b1
• Above 1500K the increase is much rapid and may be expressed in
the form:
Cp = a1 + k1 T + k2 T2
Cv = b1 + k1 T + k2 T2

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Variable Specific Heats

• Physical explanation is that as temperature is raised, larger

fractions of heat would be required to produce motion of the
atoms within the molecules.
• Since temperature is the result of motion of the molecules,
the energy which goes into moving the atoms does not
contribute to proportional temperature rise.
• Hence more heat is required to raise the temperature of unit
mass through one degree at higher levels.
• For air at 300K:
• Cp = 1.005 kJ/kg K
• Cv = 0.717 kJ/kg K
At 2000 K
• Cp = 1.345 kJ/kg K
• Cv = 1.057 kJ/kg K.

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Variable Specific Heats

• Since difference between Cp and Cv is constant (R), γ

decreases with increase in temperature.
• The final temperature and pressure is lower than if
constant values of specific heat are used.

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Comparison of Air-Standard
Cycles and Fuel-Air Cycles
Variation of efficiency with mixture strength:
• Efficiency ratio: Fuel-Air cycle Efficiency/ Air standard
cycle efficiency.
• Efficiency ratio increases as mixture becomes leaner.
• Thermal efficiency will deteriorate as the mixture supplied
to the engine is enriched, due to increasing losses due to
variable specific heats and disassociation.
• Enrichment beyond the chemically correct ratio would lead
to incomplete combustions and loss in thermal efficiency.
• Beyond a certain leaning the combustion becomes erratic.
• Maximum efficiency is within the lean zone near the
stoichiometric ratio.

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Numerical

1. An oil engine working on the dual combustion cycle has a compression

ratio of 12:1. The heat supplied per kg of air is 3000 kJ, half of which is
supplied at constant volume and the other half at constant pressure. If the
temperature and pressure at the beginning of compression are 150° C and 1
bar respectively, find (i) the maximum pressure in the cycle and (ii) the
percentage of stroke when cut-off occurs. Assume γ =1.4, R=0.287 kJ/kg
K and Cv= (0.709+ 0.000028T) kJ /kg K

Sol: Given: r = 12:1, Q2-4=3000 kJ, P1 = 1 bar

T1 = 150 +273= 423 K
Find: 1. P4
2.

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Solution-1

Process 1-2:

=1 121.4=32.42 bar

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Solution-1

For unit mass, consider the process 2-3

1
𝑄 23= ×3000=1500 𝐾𝐽
2
3
𝑄 23=m ∫ (0.709+0.000028 𝑇 ) 𝑑𝑇
2
0.000028
× ( 𝑇 3 −1 143 )
2 2
1500=0.709 × ( 𝑇 3 −1143 ) +
2
𝑻 𝟑=𝟑𝟎𝟕𝟏 𝐊

( )
𝑃3 𝑇3 3071 5
 =   =3 2 . 42× × 10
𝑃2 𝑇2 1143
𝑷 𝟑 =𝟖𝟕 . 𝟏 𝐛𝐚𝐫

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Solution-1
1
𝑄34 = ×3000=1500   kJ
2

𝐶 𝑝 =𝐶 𝑣 +𝑅=0.996 +0.000028 𝑇
4
𝑄34 =𝑚∫ 𝐶𝑝 𝑑𝑇
3
4
1500=∫ ❑(0.996 +0.000028) 𝑑𝑇
3
0.000028
× ( 𝑇 4 −3071 )
2 2
¿ 0.996 × ( 𝑇 4 − 3071 ) +
2

𝑻 𝟒 =𝟒𝟒𝟑𝟐   𝐊

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Solution-1

Cut- off % stroke

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Numerical

2. An engine working on the Otto cycle has a compression ratio of 8. It

uses octane ( as the fuel which has a calorific value of 44 MJ/kg. The air-
fuel ratio of the mixture is 15:1. The temperature and pressure of the
mixture at the beginning of compression are 60 °C and 1 bar respectively.
Determine the maximum temperature and pressure reached in the cycle
(a) Without considering the molecular expansion (b) Considering
molecular expansion. Assume =0.716 kJ/kg K and compression follows
the law p=c. Determine the percentage of molecular expansion.

Sol: Given: r = 8, P1 = 1 bar, T1 = 333 K, A/F = 15:1

Find:
Case-1 (Without considering Case-2 (Considering
the molecular expansion) molecular expansion)
1. T3 1. T3
2. P3 2. P3
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Solution-2

Case 1: Without considering molecular expansion

;
P2 = 14.92 bar
=
= T2 =

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Solution-2
For unit mass, Q2-3 =
For 1 kg of fuel, the total charge is 16 kg
Q2-3 = kJ

Q2-3 = m Cv (T3-T2)

2750 = 0.716 x (T3-621.4)

Maximum temperature T3= 4

=
= Maximum pressure P3 = 107.92 bar

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Solution-2

The stoichiometric equation can be written as

Mixture of Octane + (oxygen + nitrogen) combustion products
C8H18+12.5(O2+3.76N2) 8CO2 + 9H2O + 47N2 1
Stoichiometric A/F ratio = =15.12
With the given A/F ratio as 15, the mixture used is rich in fuel. The combustion,
therefore is incomplete and hence CO will be formed.
The chemical equation becomes:
C8H18+Y(O2+3.76N2) xCO+(8-x)CO2+9H2O+3.76Y N2 2

= =15 (given)

Y =12.4

C =12 , H=1, O =16, N=14.08

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 Solution-2
By oxygen balance Y = +(8-x)+4.5

Substituting Y = 12.4 gives x = 0.2

Substituting x and Y in Eq.(2) gives

C8H18 + 12.4(O2+3.76N2) 0.2CO + 7.8CO2 + 9H2O + 46.624N2

No. of moles before combustion = 1+(12.4+(12.4x3.76)) = 60.024

No. of moles after combustion = 0.2+7.8+9+46.624 = 63.624

Molecular expansion = 100 = 6%

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Solution-2
Since the mass of the reactants and products is the same and
specific heats are assumed same, the temperature of the products
with molecular expansion will remain same as without molecular
expansion. Only the pressure will change.
T3= 4495 K
PV=n R T
P∝n
=
n = no. of moles without molecular expansion,
n* = no. of moles with molecular expansion
= = = 114.5 bar
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Thank you

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Solution – 2. Considering the molecular expansion
- Combustion stoichiometry

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