Gas Power Cycles

Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M . Mallikarjuna

4.5 Air Standard Diesel Cycle:

Air standard diesel cycle is a idealized cycle for diesel engines. It is as shown on P-v
and T-s diagrams. The processes in the cycle are as follows:

4
1

Volume

2
4
1

Entropy
Fig.4.5. Air standard diesel cycle on p-v and T-s diagrams.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Gas Power Cycles

Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M . Mallikarjuna

Process 1-2: Reversible adiabatic Compression.

Process 2-3: Constant pressure heat addition.
Process 3-5: Reversible adiabatic Compression.
Process 4-1: Constant volume heat rejection.

Consider m kg of working fluid. Since the compression and expansion processes are
reversible adiabatic processes, we can write,

Heat sup plied = m Cp ( T3 - T2 ) =

Heat rejected = m Cv ( T4 - T1 ) =

( u4 -

( h3 -

h2 )

u1 )

Workdone = m Cp ( T3 - T2 ) - m C v ( T4 - T1 )

Now, we can write, thermal efficiency as,

th =

m Cp ( T3 - T2

) m Cp ( T3

= 1 -

m C v ( T4 - T1 )
- T2 )

1 T4 - T1

T3 - T2

T2 = T1 r -1 ; r =

v1
v
= 4
v2
v2

T3
v
= 3 = rc = cutoff ratio
T2
v2

T3 = rc T2 = rc T1 r -1
T4

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v
= T3 3
v4

-1

v
= T3 4
v3

-1

Gas Power Cycles

Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M . Mallikarjuna

1-

v v
= T3 4 . 2
v 2 v3
= rc T1 r

Hence,

th = 1 -

-1

1-

r

rc

1-

r
= T3
rc

; T4 = rc T1

rc T1 - T1
1

rc r -1 T1 - r -1 T1
r -1
= 1 - r1- c

( rc -1)

From the above equation, it is observed that, the thermal efficiency of the diesel engine
can be increased by increasing the compression ratio, r, by decreasing the cut-off ratio,
2, or by using a gas with large value of . Since the quantity (r-1)/(rp-1) in above
equation is always greater than unity, the efficiency of a Diesel cycle is always lower
than that of an Otto cycle having the same compression ratio. However, practical Diesel
engines uses higher compression ratios compared to petrol engines.

Mean effective Pressure:

mep =

Net workdone
Displacement volume

m Cp ( T3 - T2 ) - m C v ( T4 - T1 )
v1 - v 2

v
1

v1 - v 2 = v1 1 - 2 = v1 1 -
v1
r

r - 1
= m R T1

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m C v ( -1) T1 r - 1

P1
r

Gas Power Cycles

Prof. U.S.P. Shet , Prof. T. Sundararajan and Prof. J.M . Mallikarjuna

mep =

m Cp ( T3 - T2 ) - m C v ( T4 - T1 )
- 1 r - 1
m C v T1

P1 r

P r 1 T3 - T2
= 1

r - 1 - 1 T1

T4 - T1
-

T1

r -1 ( r - 1) - r - 1
c
c

= P1 r

( r - 1)( - 1)

Difference between Actual Diesel and the Otto Engines:

Otto Engine

Diesel Engine

1. Homogenous mixture of fuel and air 1. No carburetor is used. Air alone is

formed in the carburetor is supplied

supplied to the engine cylinder. Fuel is

to engine cylinder.

injected

directly

into

the

engine

cylinder at the end of compression

stroke by means of a fuel injector.
Fuel-air mixture is heterogeneous.
2. Ignition is initiated by means of an 2. No spark plug is used. Compression
electric spark plug.

ratio is high and the high temperature

of air ignites fuel.

3. Power output is controlled by varying 3. No throttle value is used. Power output

the mass of fuel-air mixture by

is controlled only by means of the

means of a throttle valve in the

mass of fuel injected by the fuel

carburetor.

injector.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras