DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY

Gokongwei College of Engineering

Chemical Engineering Department

Engineering Thermodynamics Laboratory

Final Laboratory Report

Experiment # 11
Operation and Performance Test on a Steam Engine

Group Name N3P Section EA1

NAME SIGNATURE Criteria Score

1. Cellona, Kimberley B. Content (50%)
2. Dar, Lloyd Ross M. Presentation (25%)

3. Javier, Mona Lyndsay C. Relevance (25%)

4. Lopez, Maristela Ann F. Total (100%)

5. Soriano, Elijah Jeremie D. Percentage Equivalent

14 August 2018 22 August 2018

Date of performance Date of Submission

Dr. Lawrence P. Belo

Instructor
Engineering Thermodynamics Laboratory

Operation and Performance Test on a Steam Engine

Kimberley B. Cellona, Lloyd Ross M. Dar, Mona Lyndsay C. Javier,
Maristela Ann F. Lopez, Elijah Jeremie D. Soriano
Department of Chemical Engineering, Gokongwei College of Engineering, De La Salle University,
2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 1004, Philippines

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

AY 2017–2018 | Term 3
LBYCHED EA1
Final Laboratory Report
Experiment # 11
Date Performed: August 14, 2018
Date Submitted: August 22, 2018
Keywords
steam engine, indicated horsepower,
brake horsepower, mechanical
efficiency.
The performance of a steam engine was determined in this experiment, by adjusting
the valves weight, until the adequate value is garnered. Pressures, temperatures, and
the speed were all measured, while the flow rate was calculated. Alongside the flow
rate, the indicated horsepower (IHP), brake horsepower (BHP), and mechanical
efficiency were all calculated, to evaluate the effectiveness of the steam engine. As
expected, increase in load yielded increased mechanical efficiency, due to the higher
rpm produced; thus, having greater BHP’s. Additionally, lesser amounts of friction
were obtained, which further increased the steam engine’s mechanical efficiency.

I. INTRODUCTION
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can
only be transformed from one form to another. This
experiment proves this statement by changing heat
energy in the form of steam to mechanical energy. Steam
is categorially an essential part of any processing
industry. It is directly and indirectly used for heating,
cooking, sanitizing, sterilizing, drying, etc [1]. Steam is
very valuable cheap, and easy to produce, manage, and
transport. In this experiment, steam will be used to move
the piston of a steam engine allowing it to do mechanical
work. The work generated will be compared with the
energy input in order to determine the efficiency of the
engine. The following are the objectives of this
experiment: to familiarize how a steam engine is able to
convert energy from a steam source to mechanical
energy, to determine the energy generated using a force
gauge, and to determine the various efficiencies
associated with the operation a steam engine such as the
brake thermal efficiency and the Rankine cycle
efficiency.
The steam engine is a heat engine that converts the
heat energy from a steam source to mechanical energy. It
makes use of the thermal energy stored in the steam by
permitting it to expand against a piston during a non-flow
process [3].
[1]
James Watt invented and developed the principal features
of the steam engine [1]. Steam enters the unit through the
stop valve or governor and then goes to the steam chest.
The stop valve is either in a wide-open position, as when
the unit is in operation, or in a tight shut position. The
various types of control valves that permit steam to enter
and leave the cylinder are one of the major distinguishing
features of different types of steam engines.
Nearly all steam engines are double-acting, that is,
steam acts on both faces of the piston. The fresh steam
enters one side and expands, creating the forward motion
while allowing the spent steam to exit in the other side
[4]. Then, the reverse operation follows. After its
expansion in the cylinder, steam leaves through the
exhaust port at a pressure either above or below
atmospheric pressure.
A steam engine cannot achieve high efficiency. There
are many factors which tend to lower its efficiency. Some
of these factors are the following: incomplete expansion
of the engine, cylinder leakage and condensation, wire
drawing, clearance volume, friction, presence of moisture
in the steam at admission and radiation, etc. [5].
However, there are many ways or methods to overcome
these losses during engine operation. Among them are:
increasing the initial pressure and rotative speed of the
engine, decreasing back pressure by condensing,
superheating, use of steam jackets, use of binary fluids,
etc. [5].
The most important indicator to test the performance
of an engine is to determine its mechanical efficiency.
This represents a comparison of the useful work
performed by the engine with the amount of work which
is theoretically possible to obtain with a perfect machine.
To determine this efficiency, the indicated power and the
brake horsepower must be measured.
PLAN
Ihp=
33,000
Total Ihp = Ihp of Head side + Ihp of the Crank Side
Where: P is the mean effective pressure, L is the length
of the stroke, A is the net area of piston, N is the number
of revolutions per minute, and Ihp is the indicated power.
The piston areas in the head side and the crank side
are not the same. The area of the shaft should be
subtracted from the area of the piston in the crank side.
The mean effective pressure, P, is evaluated from the
indicator charts obtained in the experiment.
As
P=
L usually obtained from the steam tables, and hg2 is the heat
where s refers to the spring scale used in the indicator
device.
LA
Engine constant is considered to be ¿
33,000
Therefore,
Ihp=( engine constant ) PN (4)
Mechanical efficiency, ηM, is defined as the ratio of
the brake horsepower to the indicated horsepower,
Bhp
ηM=
Ihp
and the friction horsepower is obtained as
Friction hp=Bhp−Ihp (6)
Cruz, Dela Cruz, Francisco(your last names only)
The mechanical energy created in the engine may be
determined using a dynamometer. A dynamometer is an
instrument for measuring the force or “power” generated
by a certain machine [1]. There are two types of
dynamometers: (1) those that absorb the power by
friction and convert the friction to heat, and (2) those that
transmit or convert the mechanical energy to another
form, so that the energy can be measure.
Brake horsepower can be difficult to measure
especially for large steam engines [6]. Instead, the
friction hp is the one that is estimated by operating the
(1) engine with as small load as possible just to overcome
the friction losses. With this, the Bhp is estimated by
adding the Ihp and the Friction hp.
Thermal efficiency, ηT, is the proportion of total heat
consumption which is converted into work. The thermal
efficiency of the steam engine may be determined using
Eq. 7,
2545
ηT = (7)
w( hg 1−hg 2 )
where w is the mass of steam as supplied per indicated
horsepower-hour, hg1 is the total heat per mass of steam at
the initial conditions prevailing before throttle valve,
(2)
per mass of water at the temperature of the saturated
steam at exhaust pressure. Note: 2545 is the BTU
equivalent of 1 horsepower-hour.
Engine efficiency, ηE, is the ratio obtained by dividing
(3)
the heat equivalent of the actual work done by the heat
available for an ideal engine. The accepted standard for
an ideal steam engine is the Rankine cycle [1]. In the
Rankine cycle, the operation of the engine is assumed to
be perfect, such as without clearance in the cylinder,
initial condensation, leakage, or radiation. Engine
efficiency can be determined using the equation,
2545
(5)
η E= (8)
w (h g 1−h g 3)
where hg3 is the total heat per mass after adiabatic
expansion from initial conditions to the final pressure.
(hg1-hg3) is the heat available for work per mass of steam.
Dr. Lawrence P. Belo
[2]

II. METHODOLGY
2.1 Materials and Reagents
The materials used for this experiment were
thermometers and tracing paper indicator. Water, in
the form of steam, is the main substance studied in
this experiment.
2.2 Equipment
The equipment used for this experiment were Sisson
simple vertical steam engine with auxiliaries
connected to a steam boiler, shown in Fig. 1;
condenser connected to a vacuum pump; throttling
calorimeter; and planimeter
Figure 1. Steam engine.
2.3 Experimental Procedure
Before starting the experiment, the set-up was
carefully studied and examined in order to avoid
unnecessary event. Before operating the engine,
thermometers were placed in their corresponding
wells in which where the temperatures have to be
recorded. An adequate amount of steam was
supplied in the engine at a pressure more than 50
psig. The brake ropes connected to the flywheel
were loosen to help facilitate the start-up of the
engine. Then the steam supply valve and the valve
on top of the crankcase was opened. The flywheel
was turned to assist the piston to start moving
afterwards, it will rotate slowly. Stop valves were
adjusted to maintain a constant speed. The force
acting on the brake wheel was adjusted to a desired
value of 20 kg as indicated by the suspended
Cruz, Dela Cruz, Francisco(your last names only)
[3]
weighter. Water was introduced into the rim by
adjusting the valve connected to the water supply
line in avoid overheating the flywheel. The rotation
speed was recorded using the built-in tachometer.
The steam engine was allowed to stabilize, then the
following were recorded for every five minutes:
steam throttle pressure, steam throttle temperature,
calorimeter temperature, engine speed, piston
pressure, condenser pressure, and condenser
temperature. Constant readings indicate a steady
state operation. The total volume of the condensate
collected was measured. After the engine was
stabilized, the procedures were repeated for three
more loads. PV diagrams were prepared by placing
an indicator card and creating the trace by linking
the crank lever to the indicator device. The areas of
the PV diagrams were measured by means of a polar
planimeter.
III. RESULTS & DISCUSSION
The steam engine is one of the most fundamental and
cost-effective engines that produce mechanical energy
from the heat it receives. To properly evaluate the
effectiveness of the steam engine, the indicated
horsepower (IHP), brake horsepower, and mechanical
efficiency was determined. Two varying loads, 20 kg and
30 kg, were applied to evaluate the better setup I n terms
of efficiency. Values for IHP, BHP, and mechanical
efficiency were tabulated in Table 2 and Table 3 in
Appendix A. To further show the differences of these
parameters, those values were plotted against the mass
IH P (ft-lbm /s), BH P (ft-lbm /s),.a nd M ech. Efficie nc y
flowrate as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.
IHP, BHP, and Mechanical Efficiency vs Flow Rate
for 20 kg Load
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190
Flow Rate (lbm/s)
IHP Mech Efficiency BHP
Figure 1. IHP, BHP, Mechanical Efficiency at increasing mass
flow rates, for 20 kg load.
Dr. Lawrence P. Belo
 IH P (ft-lbm /s), BH P (ft-lbm /s),. a nd M e ch. Efficiency
IHP, BHP, and Mechanical Efficiency vs Flow Rate
for 30 kg Load
3 expected trends however with lesser degree of
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0 groups. However, with the number of people tasked
180 190
IHP
Figure 2. IHP, BHP, Mechanical Efficiency at increasing
mass flow rates, for 30 kg load.
Mechanical efficiency is calculated from the ratio of
the BHP and IHP, and should have a value less than
unity, since friction decreases the actual power the engine
produces. From both runs, the values of the mechanical
efficiency were reasonable, and followed the correct
trend. The run that had 30 kg load resulted in higher
mechanical efficiencies as compared with the 20 kg load
run. This result was expected since increasing the load
would yield an increase in the BHP, based from the
increase in rpm that the steam engine outputs. Similarly,
the friction was decreased, due to the increased load,
further increasing the mechanical efficiency.
Lastly, individual observations from the experiment
are as follows:
(1) The measurements of the parts of the steam engine
was recorded in a fast manner, due to the large
number of people present in the experiment.
Although errors might have been incurred, the data
was still accurate (Cellona).
(2) The experiment was conducted in large groups,
which made the readings faster. However, since
several people were recording the parameters, some
errors were garnered, primarily due to personal bias
(Dar).
REFERENCES
[1] LBYCHED Manual [PDF Document]
[2] Available online at https://www.britannica.com/technology/steam-engine
Cruz, Dela Cruz, Francisco(your last names only)
(3) Although this experiment was needed to be
performed with utmost care, the results that were
gathered were all reasonable and followed the
accuracy (Javier).
(4) Measurements from different parts of the steam
engine were needed in the experiment. It was
therefore appropriate to conduct it with larger
200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270
to record measurements, the data is further prone to
Flow Rate (lbm/s)
Mech Efficiency BHP
incur error by human bias and error. It is therefore
important to exercise proper laboratory measurement
techniques so as to minimize the errors in the
recorded data and therefore obtain more accurate
results. Lastly, it is important to know the data to be
recorded in order to be able to complete the data
necessary for the required calculations (Lopez).
(5) It can be observed that the efficiency of the steam
engine increases as the load increases. this could
have resulted from the friction that hinders the
engine. Friction becomes constant whenever low
load is carried by the engines. However, the friction
will have lesser to no effect on the overall
mechanical efficiency for steam engines carrying
heavier load (Soriano).
IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Calculating for the mechanical efficiency is an
effective way to evaluate a steam engine’s effectiveness.
In this experiment, the results gathered were as expected
and followed the theory that it should always have a
value that is less than 1, since the brake horsepower is
always less than the indicated horsepower due to the
friction that is affecting it. Because an increase in the
mass of the load will automatically mean an increase in
the BHP, a direct proportionality was also observed
between the mechanical efficiencies and the mass of the
loads.
Dr. Lawrence P. Belo
[4]
 [3] Green, D. W., & Perry, R. H. (2008). Perry’s chemical engineers’ handbook. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[4] Himmelblau, D. M., and Riggs, J. B. (2004). Basic principles and calculations in chemical engineering. 7 th ed. New
Jersey, Prentice Hall.
[5] Geankoplis, C. (2012). Transport processes and separation processes. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall International.
[6] Smith, J., Van Ness, H., and Abbott, M. (2005). Introduction to chemical engineering thermodynamics. 7th ed.
McGraw-Hill International.

APPENDICES

A. Raw Data
Table 1. Parameters of piston used.
Parameter Value
L of stroke (in) 4
A of piston (in2) 12.56637
Radius + thickness (in) 19.38

Table 2. Data from steam engine at A=4.3m2.

T(oC) P1 (psi) P2 Q (lb/s) RPM Engine k Ihp (ft-lb/s) Bhp (ft lbs/s) nM
52.8 104 94 127.6 200 2.5133 1.2339 0.491
58 100 95 139.7 200 2.4752 1.2177 0.492
60 105 94 154 203 0.000127 2.5639 1.203 0.4692
62 106 95 170.5 203 2.5896 1.2195 0.4709
63 109 99 183.7 195 2.5742 1.1714 0.4551

Table 3. Data from steam engine at A=9.3m2.

T( C)
o
P1 (psi) P2 Q (lb/s) RPM Engine k Ihp (ft-lb/s) Bhp (ft lbs/s) nM
52 105 99 191.4 195 2.5247 1.50384 0.59565
60 110 100 209 200 2.66559 1.52616 0.57254
65 110 100 225.5 200 0.000127 2.66559 1.57487 0.59081
66 115 106 244.2 200 2.80522 1.57487 0.56141
63 117 106 261.8 200 2.83061 1.55863 0.55064

Cruz, Dela Cruz, Francisco(your last names only) Dr. Lawrence P. Belo
[5]
 B. Sample Calculations

 Calculation of Ihp
lb
Ihp=
PLAN
33,000
= ( (104 +94)
2 ) 12∙ 33,0000
2
¿2 ∙ 4 ∈∙ 12.56637 ¿ ∙ 200 rev =2.5133 ft ∙lb
min s
 Calculation of Bhp
rev
2 π ∙ 0.76 ∙ 2.2∙ 19.38∈∙ 200
2 π (T −T ' ) RN min ft ∙lb
Bhp= = =1.2339
33,000 33,000 s
 Calculation of nM

ft ∙ lb
1.2339
nM=
Bhp
Ihp ( )
=
( 2.5133
s
ft ∙ lb
s
)
=0.49096

Cruz, Dela Cruz, Francisco(your last names only) Dr. Lawrence P. Belo
[6]