Performance Factors

Volumetric Efficiency
1a. Indicated Power.
Indicated Power (IP) : Power obtained at the cylinder.
Obtained from the indicator diagram. Given by:
IP = P
i
LANn/60x in Watts
where P
i
is the indicated mean effective pressure,
in N/m
2
,
L is the stroke length, in m
A is the area of cross section of the piston,
m
2
,
N is the engine speed in rev/min,
n is the number of cylinders and
x =1 for 2 stroke and 2 for 4 stroke engine.
1b. Brake Power
Brake Power (BP) : Power obtained at the shaft.
Obtained from the engine dynamometer.
Given by:
BP = 2tNT/60 in Watts
where T is the brake torque, in Nm, given by
T = W.L
where W is the load applied on the shaft by the
dynamometer, in N and
L is the length of the arm where the load is
applied, in m
N is the engine speed, in rev/min
1c. Friction Power
Friction Power (FP) : Power dissipated as
friction. Obtained by various methods like
Morse test for multi-cylinder engine,
Willans line method for a diesel engine,
and Retardation test and Motoring test
for all types of engines. Given in terms of
IP and BP by:
FP = IP BP in Watts
2. Mean Effective Pressure.
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP). This is also
denoted by P
i
and is given by
P
i
= (Net work of cycle)/Swept Volume in N/m
2
The net work of cycle is the area under the P-V diagram.
Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP). This is also
denoted by P
b
and is given by
P
b
= 60.BPx/(LANn) N/m
2

This is also the brake power per unit swept volume of the
engine.
Friction Mean Effective Pressure (FMEP). This is also
denoted by P
f
and is given by
P
f
= P
i
- P
b
N/m
2

3. Efficiencies.
Indicated Thermal Efficiency (q
i
) given by
q
i
= IP/(m
f
. Q
cv
)
m
f
is the mass of fuel taken into the engine in kg/s
Q
cv
is the calorific value of the fuel in J/kg
Brake Thermal Efficiency (q
b
) given by
q
b
= BP/(m
f
. Q
cv
)
Indicated Relative Efficiency (q
i,r
) given by
q
i,r
= q
i
/ASE
ASE is the efficiency of the corresponding air standard
cycle
Brake Relative Efficiency (q
b,r
) given by
q
b,r
= q
b
/ASE
Mechanical Efficiency (q
m
) given by
q
m
= BP/IP = P
b
/P
i
= q
b
/q
i
= q
b,r
/q
I,r

Specific Fuel Consumption (sfc or
SFC)
This is the fuel consumed per unit power.
Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (bsfc). This is given by
bsfc = m
f
/BP kg/J
if BP is in W and m
f
is in kg/s
bsfc is usually quoted in kg/kWh. This is possible if BP is in
kW and m
f
is in kg/h.
Indicated Specific Fuel Consumption (isfc). This is given by
isfc = m
f
/IP kg/J
if IP is in W and m
f
is in kg/s
isfc is also usually quoted in kg/kWh. This is possible if IP
is in kW and m
f
is in kg/h.
Mechanical Efficiency in terms of the sfc values is given by
q
m
= isfc/bsfc
Specific Energy Consumption (sec
or SEC).
This is the energy consumed per unit power.
Brake Specific Energy Consumption (bsec).
This is given by
bsec = bsfc.Q
cv

We can similarly define indicated specific
energy consumption (isec) and based on
the two quantities also we can define
mechanical efficiency.
Air Capacity of Four-stroke cycle
Engines
The power, P, developed by an engine is
given by


Power will depend on air capacity if the
quantity in the bracket is maximized.
Plot of power versus air flow rate is
normally a straight line.
( )
c a
Q F M P q

=
Volumetric Efficiency
Indicates air capacity of a 4 stroke engine. Given by







Mi is the mass flow rate of fresh mixture.
N is the engine speed in rev/unit time.
V
s
is the piston displacement (swept volume).

i
is the inlet density.
i s
i
v
V
2
N
M

= q

N V
M 2
s i
i

=

Volumetric Efficiency
Can be measured:
At the inlet port
Intake of the engine
Any suitable location in the intake manifold
If measured at the intake of the engine, it is
also called the overall volumetric
efficiency.
Volumetric Efficiency Based on
Dry Air
Since there is a linear relationship between
indicated output (power) and air capacity
(airflow rate), it is more appropriate to
express volumetric efficiency in terms of
airflow rate (which is the mass of dry air
per unit time).
Since fuel, air and water vapor occupy the
same volume
V
a
= V
f
= V
w
= V
i
Thus we have:
a
M

i
i
i
a
a
a a a
V
M M
v M V = = = =

Here
a
is the density of dry air or the mass of dry air per unit
volume of fresh mixture.
Thus, since
i d
i
v
V
2
N
M

= q

a d
a
v
V
2
N
M

= q

Also V
d
= A
p
L
s = 2LN
L 2
s
N =
L is the piston stroke and s is the piston
speed.
s A
M 4
L A
L 2
s
M 2
p a
a
a p
a
v

= q

Measurement of Volumetric
Efficiency in Engines
The volumetric efficiency of an engine can be
evaluated at any given set of operating
conditions provided and
a
can be
accurately measured.
Measurement of Air Flow
Airflow into the engine can be measured with
the help of a suitable airflow meter. The
fluctuations in the airflow can be reduced
with the help of surge tanks placed
between the engine and the airflow meter.
.
a
M
Measurement of Inlet Air Density
By Daltons Law of partial pressures:
p
i
= p
a
+ p
f
+ p
w
In this case p
i
is the total pressure of the fresh mixture,
p
a
is the partial pressure of air in the mixture,
p
f
is the partial pressure of fuel in the mixture,
p
w
is the partial pressure of water vapor in the
air.
Since each constituent is assumed to behave as a perfect
gas, we can write

w f a
a
i
a
p p p
p
p
p
+ +
=
a
a
a
o
a
V
M
T
R
p Since
29
=
f
f
f
f
o
f
V
M
T
m
R
p =
w
w
w
o
w
V
M
T
18
R
p =
i w f a
T T T T Now = = =
w f a
V V V = =
18 29
29
w
f
f
a
a
i
a
M
m
M
M
M
p
p
Hence
+ +
=
M indicates mass of the substance,
29 is the molecular weight of air,
m
f
is the molecular weight of the fuel, and
18 is the molecular weight of water vapor.
18
29 29
1
1
a
w
f a
f
i
a
M
M
m M
M
p
p
+ +
=
h 6 . 1
m
29
F 1
1
f
i
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
F
i
is the ratio of mass of fuel vapor to that of dry air and h is
the ratio of mass of water vapor to that of dry air at the
point where p
i
and T
i
are measured.

i o
a
a
o
a
a
T R
p
T
R
p
Now
29
29
= =
(
(
(
(
(

+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
h
m
F
T R
p
f
i
i o
i
a
6 . 1
29
1
1 29

This indicates that the density of air in the mixture is equal

to the density of air at p
i
and T
i
multiplied by a correction
factor, that is, the quantity in the parentheses.
The value of h depends on the humidity ratio of the air and is
obtained from psychrometric charts.
For conventional hydrocarbon fuels, the correction factor is
usually around 0.98, which is within experimental error.
For diesel engines and GDI engines, F
i
is zero.
In practice, with spark ignition engines using gasoline and
with diesel engines the volumetric efficiency, neglecting
the terms in the parentheses, is given by
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
~ q
4
s A
T R
p 29
M
p
i o
i
a
v

If we do not neglect the terms in the parentheses we get

the following relation for volumetric efficiency:
(
(
(
(
(

+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
h
m
F
s A
T R
p
M
f
i
p
i o
i
a
v
6 . 1
29
1
1
4
29

q
If the humidity is high or a low molecular weight fuel is used
in a carbureted engine, the correction factor cannot be
ignored.
For example, with methanol at stoichiometric conditions
and h = 0.02, the correction factor is 0.85.
Volumetric Efficiency, Power and
Mean Effective Pressure
Since

and
( )
c a
Q F M P q =

s A
M 4
p a
a
v

= q

( )( )( )
c a v p
Q F s A
4
1
P q q =
For an engine, the mean effective pressure, mep, is given by
2
2 1
N
V
P
V V
P
mep
s
=

=
s A
P 4
p
=
( )( )
c a v
Q F q q =
Ways to increase power and mep
The mean effective pressure may be indicated
or brake, depending on whether is indicated or
brake thermal efficiency. Thus, the mean
effective pressure is proportional to the product
of the inlet density and volumetric efficiency
when the product of the thermal efficiency, the
fuel-air ratio, and the heat of combustion of the
fuel is constant.
From the preceding two expressions we can
figure out ways to increase the power and mep
of an engine.