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Making More Efficient Combustion Engines

-28%

Oberhemd, Contemporary Fit Oberhemd, Contemporay Fit

von Eton von Eton

written by: Chief Engineer Mohit Sanguri • edited by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 10/8/2010

Improving internal combustion engine efficiency is a prime concern today. Engineers have devised many methods like
turbocharging, cam-less engines, direct fuel injection, VIT, regenerative braking, etc. In this article we discuss the factors
limiting the efficiency of ICE and ways to increase it.

Increasing Efficiency
There is a lot of concern nowadays about the efficiency of the internal combustion engine (ICE), and a lot of research is
being done to improve it. But what exactly is the efficiency of the internal combustion engine and how do we measure it?
The efficiency of any engine is simply calculated from the energy of the fuel supplied per unit time to do work and the
output at the shaft of the engine after subtracting all losses. The input power of the fuel can be obtained from the mass of
the fuel and its calorific value. The shaft output can be measured from a brake dynamometer. Simply put efficiency is
Output/Input. The average ICE has an efficiency between 20 to 30%, which is very low.

If we see a heat balance sheet of the internal combustion engines for a spark ignition or gasoline engine we find that the
brake load efficiency is between 21 to 28%, whereas loss to cooling water is between 12 to 27%, loss to exhaust is
between 30 to 55 %, and loss due to incomplete combustion is between 0 to 45%.

Similarly when we analyze the heat balance sheet of a

compression ignition or diesel engine we find that it has a
brake load efficiency between 29 to 42 % and loss to
cooling water is between 15 to 35 %, losses to exhaust is
between 25 to 45 %, and losses due to incomplete
combustion is 0 to 5 %.

By analyzing the two heat balance sheets we find that in Gasoline engines loss due to incomplete combustion can be
rather high. In this article we discuss the various technologies and methods that may be employed to increase the
efficiency of Internal Combustion Engines as well as
 automobiles.

Heat Balance Sheet

Factors Limiting the Efficiency of Internal Combustion Engine

By analyzing the heat balance sheet we find that the factors limiting the efficiency of an internal combustion engine are as
follows:

Heat losses during cooling of engine.

Heat losses in exhaust gases.
Friction loss
Transmission efficiency losses. Losses in clutches and fluid couplings, etc.
Friction losses in tires. Tire selection is a compromise between safety, stability, and performance. A safer tire will give
a minimum braking distance, good stability, less skidding, but less fuel efficiency. A tire having less surface contact
and more of a line contact will be fuel efficient, but unsafe.
Losses due to incomplete and imperfect combustion. Perfect combustion would result in the production of carbon
dioxide and water.
Loss due to braking
Losses due to viscosity of lubricating oil.
Compression ratio. The higher the compression ratio the higher the thermal efficiency. As in spark ignition or gasoline
engines the compression ratio is limited by pre-ignition (not in compression ignition or diesel engines), the diesel
engines are about 30% more efficient than gasoline engines.
Drag of the vehicle
Imperfect valve timing
Losses in driving cam shafts
Energy consumed by auxiliaries like water pumps and oil pumps

Carnot's Theorem for Efficiency

The second law of thermodynamics states it is impossible to construct an engine which will work in a complete cycle and
produce no other effect except the raising of a weight and the cooling of a heat reservoir. Thus it there is a limit to the
thermal efficiency of heat engines.

Sadi Carnot, a French military engineer had studied the second law and stated that, “ No heat engine working in a cycle
between two constant temperature reservoirs can be more efficient than a reversible engine working between the same
two reservoirs.” Thus the maximum efficiency any heat engine can have is by using the Carnot’s cycle (two reversible
isotherms and two reversible adiabatic). The Carnot limit is the maximum efficiency any engine can have. To date the
highest efficiency which has been obtained is 52% in a Maritime diesel engine of 90,000 horsepower.

Methods and Technology for Improving Internal Combustion Engine Efficiency

The practical methods and new technology that help in increasing the efficiency of the internal combustion engines are as
follows:

Regenerative braking: As braking a car or automobile wastes the kinetic energy in the form of heat, regenerative
braking is ideal method when you want to brake your vehicle to control speed (like when going downhill). In this
electromagnetic braking is done as small motors absorb the energy and convert it into battery energy.
Variable Injection Timing: This is already used in Maritime engines. At low loads and speeds, the injection is
advanced allowing same mean effective pressure to be maintained. This not only increases the efficiency of the
engine as the scavenge pressure is maintained, it also allows for lower quality fuel to be burnt.
Variable valve timing: In this method the exhaust and inlet valves opening and closing time can be varied, affecting
the efficiency of the engine. This method can increase the efficiency by 4 to 5%.
Cutting off cylinders: In large engines in cruising or going downhill, half of the cylinders can be cut off thus reducing
fuel demand. It cannot be done on small engines as the engine would become rough.
Turbochargers: A turbocharger is an exhaust gas recovery device that increases boost air pressure thereby
optimizing combustion. It increases efficiency by 7 to 8%.

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Direct Fuel Injection: In previous engines, the fuel was mixed with air and injected, but nowadays fuel is directly
injected into the combustion chamber and mixing takes place according to the profile of the combustion chamber. It
increases efficiency by 11 to 13%.
Twin spark plugs and multiple injectors: As the flame front starts from the spark plug and proceeds outward, some
fuel remains unburnt as ejected before the flame front can reach it. In a twin spark plug cylinder two flame fronts are
created, causing better combustion.
Using the correct viscosity of lubricating oil, as viscous oil can result in losses due to friction.
Integrated starter and generator systems: In this system the engine is immediately stopped when idling and started
when the accelerator is pressed.

References
Thermodynamics and steam engines by R Yadav

Diesel Engines by A.J. Wharton Engineering

Thermodynamics by P. K. Nag Internal Combustion Engines by M.L. Mathur and R.P. Sharma

http://ecen.com/content/eee7/motoref.htm

http://mb-soft.com/public2/engine.html

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tech_adv.shtml

Image Credits
Heat Balance Sheet by Mohit Sanguri, Chief Engineer

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