The Diesel cycle is very similar to the Otto cycle in that both are closed cycles commonly used to model

internal combustion engines. The difference between them is that the Diesel cycle is a compression-
ignition  cycle instead of a spark-ignition cycle like the Otto cycle. Compression-ignition cycles use fuels
that begin combustion when they reach a temperature and pressure that occurs naturally at some point
during the cycle and, therefore, do not require a separate energy source (e.g. from a spark plug) to burn.
Diesel fuels are mixed so as to combust reliably at the proper thermal state so that Diesel cycle engines
run well.

Diesel cycle is one of most common thermodynamic cycles that can be found in automobile engines
and describes the functioning of a typical compression ignition piston engine. The Diesel engine is similar
in operation to the gasoline engine. The most important difference is that:
 There is no fuel in the cylinder at the beginning of the compression stroke, therefore an
autoignition does not occur in Diesel engines.
 Diesel engine uses compression ignition instead of spark ignition.
 Because of the high temperature developed during the adiabatic compression, the fuel ignites
spontaneously as it is injected. Therefore no spark plugs are needed.
 Before the beginning of the power stroke, the injectors start to inject fuel directly into the
combustion chamber and therefore first part of power stroke occurs approximately at the
constant pressure.
 Higher compression ratios can be achieved in Diesel engines, than in Otto engines

The Diesel engine is similar in operation to the gasoline engine. In this picture, there is an Otto engine,
which is ignited by a spark plug instead of compression itself.

In contrast to Otto cycle, the Diesel cycle does not execute isochoric heat addition. In an ideal Diesel
cycle, the system executing the cycle undergoes a series of four processes: two isentropic (reversible
adiabatic) processes alternated with one isochoric process and one isobaric process.
Since Carnot’s principle states that no engine can be more efficient than a reversible engine (a Carnot
heat engine) operating between the same high temperature and low temperature reservoirs

 Isentropic compression (compression stroke) – The air is compressed adiabatically from state 1

to state 2, as the piston moves from bottom dead center to top dead center. The surroundings
do work on the gas, increasing its internal energy (temperature) and compressing it. On the
other hand the entropy remains unchanged. The changes in volumes and its ratio (V1  / V2) is
known as the compression ratio.

 Isobaric expansion (ignition phase) – In this phase (between state 2 and state 3) there is a
constant-pressure (idealized model) heat transfer to the air from an external source
(combustion of injected fuel) while the piston is moving toward the V 3. During the constant
pressure process, energy enters the system as heat Q add, and a part of work is done by moving
piston.
  Isentropic expansion (power stroke) – The gas expands adiabatically from state 3 to state 4, as
the piston moves from V3 to bottom dead center. The gas does work on the surroundings
(piston) and loses an amount of internal energy equal to the work that leaves the system. Again
the entropy remains unchanged. The volume ratio (V4  / V3) is known as the isentropic expansion
ratio.

Isochoric decompression (exhaust stroke) – In this phase the cycle completes by a constant-volume
process in which heat is rejected from the air while the piston is at bottom dead center. The working gas
pressure drops instantaneously from point 4 to point 1. The exhaust valve opens at point 4. The exhaust
stroke is directly after this decompression. As the piston moves from bottom dead center (point 1) to
top dead center (point 0) with the exhaust