PRANIL KAPADIA

MMAN2300 ASSIGNMENT C
z34516737

INTRODUCTION
The slider-crank mechanism is mainly used to convert rotary motion to a
reciprocating or vice versa. In this scenario the kinematics and dynamics of a
slider-crank mechanism such as is commonly found in internal combustion
engines will be analysed. Figure 1 below illustrates the mechanism of interest.
The crankshaft AB rotates counter-clockwise with constant angular velocity
wAB. It is connected to the piston C by the connecting rod BC.





















Figure 1 Slider-crank mechanism used for analysis





The geometry of the mechanism is detailed in Figure 2 below. The connecting
rod has length L and its centre of mass is located at point D which is a
distance H from the pin at B. Crankshaft AB has length R and its rotation is
given by the crank angle , which is measured counter-clockwise from the
positive x-axis. The angle gives the angle of the connecting rod BC. Notice
that is measured counter-clockwise from the negative y-axis.




















Figure 2 Geometry of the slider-crank mechanism






The parameters to use for the analysis were determined using Table 1 below
and the student number zABCDEFG.
Student number used: z3415737
The highlighted parameters were used for this analysis



Digit of
Student
No.
B
C
D
E
F

Parameter

Piston
mass (g)
R (mm)
H (mm)
L (mm)
Connecting
rod mass
(g)
I of
connecting
2
rod (g m )

400

410

420

430

440

450

460

470

480

490

40
34
135
400

42
35
137
410

44
36
140
420

46
37
142
430

48
38
145
440

50
39
147
450

52
40
150
460

54
41
155
470

56
42
157
480

58
43
160
490

1.30

1.35

1.40

1.45

1.50

1.55

1.60

1.65

1.70

1.75

DATA USED IN THIS REPORT
Piston Mass (mp) = 0.440 kg

R = 42 mm
H = 39 mm
L = 155 mm
Connecting Rod Mass (mr) = 0.430 kg
Ir of connecting rod = 1.65 gm2
The derivations of question c, d, e, f and g can be found in the appendix.

ANALYSIS
Part a.
Figure 3 below shows the plot of the acceleration of the piston as a function of
the crank angle for one full rotation of the crankshaft. To understand the
relationship fully Figure 4 is simply an extension of the Figure 3 with two
cycles instead of one.

Figure 3 Plot of Vertical Acceleration of Piston against Crank Angle

Figure 4 Two full cycles of Figure 3

Figure 5 is a plot of the vertical velocity of the piston C against the crank angle
for two full rotations.

Figure 5 Vertical Velocity of Piston against Crank Angle for two rotations

From Figures 3 and 4 it can be shown that maximum value of the vertical
acceleration occurs at the very top of the piston stroke, known as Top Dead
Centre (TDC). Also during maximum piston velocity, the piston stops speeding
up and begins to slow down at which point the acceleration changes from a
positive sign to a negative sign (shown in Figure 3)

The point of zero acceleration occurs at the point at which the piston velocity
is at a maximum, where velocity is reversing direction.

The unintuitive flat section in Figure 3 can be attributed to the fact that the
total piston acceleration in the vertical direction (equation 10) is the sum of
several orders of acceleration, which includes the angular acceleration of BC
(equation 11). This section is dependent on the rod stroke ratio (R/S). For this
analysis the rod stroke ratio is given as:

0.155
=
= 1.845
20.042

This is demonstrated by Figure 4.2, which shows the acceleration of a piston

with two different rod stroke ratios.

Figure 4.2 Plot showing the effect of lowering the rod stroke ratio has on the shape of the acceleration
of the piston for one full rotation. http://ftlracing.com/images/rsratio_002.gif

Therefore it can be said that increasing the rod stroke ratio will alter the
acceleration and produce a greater flat section of the graph.

Part b.
Figure 6 shows the plot of the Angular Acceleration of the Piston C against the
Crank Angle for one full rotation of the slider-crank mechanism. Equation 11
from the index was the relationship to theta used to plot the angular
acceleration (the derivation of this relationship is contained in the kinematic
analysis handout).




















Figure 6 Plot of Angular Acceleration of connecting rod BC against the crank angle for
one full rotation


From Figure 6 we can deduce that the maximum angular acceleration occurs
at the halfway point of the rotation cycle. Also it is clear that the angular
acceleration is zero at TDC and Bottom Dead Centre (BDC).
From equation 11 it can be shown that changing either L or R slightly will
result in a different value for the maximum angular acceleration, this can be
taken into when designing a slider-crank mechanism. However altering AB
(The operating speed) will ultimately have the most significant impact on the
angular acceleration

Part c/d.

From the derivations of equations 6, 7, 8 and 9, Figure 7 was created. Plotted

against the crank angle, it shows the horizontal and vertical components
acting on the connecting rod BC.
From figure 7 it can be shown that at TDC (/2 rad) and BDC (3/2 rad), both
Bx and Cx result to zero. Similarly BY and CY have the highest magnitude of
force at these points. This relates back to Figure 6 since at TDC and BDC the
value of the angular acceleration is zero at both these points, which results in
no forces at in the horizontal direction at this instant

Figure 7 Force Components acting on the connecting rod BC against Crank

Angle

Part e.
Figure 8 below shows the plot of the magnitude of the forces at B and C as a
function of the crank angle for one full rotation. The figure below shows the
similarity in shape between the magnitude forces of B and C

Figure 8 Magnitude forces of B and C against crank angle for one rotation

Part f/g.

From figure 9 it can be shown that the maximum angular kinetic energy is
reached at TDC and BDC. As a result it is show again in figure 9 that linear
and so total kinetic energy are at a minimum at TDC and BDC
The angular and linear kinetic energy equations contain constants except for
BC (for which the equation can be found in the kinematics analysis
document), which is a function of and so produces the sinusoidal feature of
the corresponding plots.
In terms of design, the rod stroke ratio is a key parameter since it ultimately
determines the wear, velocity and acceleration of the pistons, all important
features to take into consideration when designing a slider-crank mechanism
like this.

Figure 9 Kinetic Energy of Connect Rod BC against crank angle for one rotation

APPENDIX

Drawing the Free Body Diagram Gives figure 10 below

Figure 10 Free Body Diagram of the connecting rod BC

Now summing the forces in the horizontal and vertical components

= m

From the Free Body Diagram there are horizontal and vertical forces acting at
points C and D in the connecting rod as show below

B! + B! C! C! m! g = m!

Separating the above equations into i and j components gives equations (1)
and (2)

: B! C! = m! !
: B! C! m! g = m! !

(1)
(2)

Following on from this, summing moments taking anticlockwise as the positive

direction about the centre of mass D produces equation (3).
Figure 11 below is a Free Body Diagram labeling the perpendicular distances
and forces produced in the system

M! = I!"

Figure 11 Force Diagram for summing moments about D

Using Figure 11, equation (4) can be determined by simple summation of

forces about D

B! H sin + B! H cos + C! L H cos + C! (L H) sin = I!"

(3)

Note from the Kinematic Analysis it is given that

L! R! cos !

L
R
sin = cos
L

cos =

Now to calculate the acceleration of the centre of mass D we have

! = ! + !" !! !!" r!/!

Substituting the given variables gives:

! = a! + !" [ L H cos + L H sin] !!" (L H)(sin cos)

Simply separating into i and j components results in equations (4) and (5)


: a!" = !" L H cos !!" L H sin
: a!" = a!" + !" L H sin !!" L H cos

(4)
(5)

Now analysing the piston itself from Figure 12 which is the Free Body
Diagram of the piston C

Figure 12 Free Body Diagram of the piston itself

Once again using

= m

The resulting equation (6) is yielded

C! = m! g + m! a!"

(6)



And so substituting equation (2) into (6) we get,

B! = C! + m! g + m! a!"

(7)

From these results we can deduce the horizontal component of the force at B,
equation (8) is,

B! = C! + m! a!"

Now by substituting equation (8) into (3), an equation (9) for the horizontal
component of the force at C can be established

C! =

I!" B! Hsin m! a!" Hcos C! L H sin

Lcos

(8)

(9)

The following equations (10 & 11) are both derived from the kinematic
analysis document and are both used frequently throughout the report

a! ! = R!!"

1
L
R

L
R

cos

cos !

!" =

L
1
R
L
R

!
!

(10)
sin!

L
R
cos

cos !

!
!

+ sin

cos ! )
(11)

!!"

1
!
= I(!"
)
2
1
= ! (!! )
2

(12)
(13)