Optimizing Fuel Efficiency / Response
Fuel Consumption Brake specific fuel con-
sumption (BSFC) for gas engines is the BTUs con-
sumed to produce one horsepower in one hour
(Btu/hp-hr). The factors that control this fuel con-
sumption are very complex. However, literally thou-
sands of dollars a year can be saved in fuel costs if
the A/F ratio is adjusted to optimize fuel consump-
tion. For example, a G3516 SITA Low Emission 1500
rpm Engine with a 130°F SCAC can produce 1354
bhp with NOx emission level of 1.0 g/bhp-hr at a fuel
consumption of 7350 Btu/bhp-hr. If local regulations
will allow it, the engine can be run at 2 g/bhp-hr with
a fuel consumption of only 7000 Btu/bhp-hr. If the
engine is run for 8000 hours per year and runs on
natural gas (905 Btu/ft3) at $3.00 per 1000 ft3, a sav-
ings of nearly $12,670 annually can be achieved.
The two biggest factors that a customer can change
in order to optimize fuel consumption are emission
levels and wastegate setting.
Printed on Oct 16, 1998 @ 12:41 PM.
Emissions The first critical factor in obtaining
optimum fuel consumption is to set the richest pos-
sible desired emission level. This level can be
achieved by setting the A/F ratio with the carburetor
power valve, or emission control valve, while the
engine is running at full load. The strategy
employed on G3500 Engines is to decrease the
amount of excess air in the combustion chamber.
Excess air, i.e. unburned air, has the effect of cool-
ing the combustion process. These cooler tempera-
tures in turn reduce the amount of NOx in the
exhaust, however, lower emissions come at a cost.
It takes work to compress that additional air into the
engine, which in turn consumes additional fuel. The
engines should not be run at emissions lower than
required in order to obtain optimum fuel consump-
tion. The following chart gives an indication of how
parameters like fuel consumption and emissions
change with exhaust O2%.
PSHO-201
Wastegate The second critical factor in obtaining
optimum fuel consumption is a properly adjusted
wastegate. The wastegates role is to provide the
necessary pressure out of the turbocharger to over-
come any restriction caused by the aftercooler core,
the carburetor venturi (if present), and butterfly. The
difference between the turbocharger outlet pressure
and the manifold pressure is referred to as ∆P2.
See Figure 1. Optimum fuel consumption is
obtained when ∆P2 is a minimum at full load. If the
wastegate setting is too high for the required load,
the engine is forced to produce more boost than is
necessary causing ∆P2 to increase at full load. This
results in wasted energy which means wasted fuel.
When the wastegate is set for optimum fuel con-
sumption (minimum ∆P2), the carburetor butterfly
angle will be almost fully open (55-70°) which
reduces the work the engine generates to force air
past the butterfly.
NOTE: The butterfly angle is the difference
between the actual position of the butterfly plate and
horizontal. The plate position is indicated on most
butterfly shafts by a scribed line on the end of the
shaft as indicated in Figure 2.
The closer the butterfly angle is to 70o, the better
the economy but the poorer the response. If opti-
mum fuel consumption is desired, the wastegate
should be set to produce a 70° butterfly angle at the
maximum load the engine will see. If optimum tran-
sient response is desired, the wastegate should be
set to produce a butterfly angle below 55°.
Figure 1
Butterfly Shaft
Butterfly
Angle
Scribed
Line
Figure 2
Printed on Oct 16, 1998 @ 12:41 PM.
Wastegate Adjustments The wastegate can
be adjusted to provide either optimum fuel consump-
tion (near 70°) or desired engine response (55° or
lower) at rated load, not maximum engine capability.
If the butterfly angle is too low, turn the wastegate
screw out or counterclockwise. If the angle is too
high, turn the wastegate screw in or clockwise. See
Figure 3. Once the butterfly angle has been set to
the desired angle, ∆P2 should be measured and
compared to the difference between the published
turbocharger outlet pressure and manifold pressure
for the engine being tested. If the ∆P2 measured is
significantly higher than the published difference, an
analysis should be completed to be sure some
obstruction is not present between these two mea-
surement points, eg. restricted aftercooler, inlet valve
obstruction, etc. By using this procedure, the
engines fuel consumption and or response can be
optimized.
The above adjustment procedure is necessary to
accommodate A/F ratio or power changes due to
emission or altitude changes. By using the
adjustable wastegate, power can be maintained (but
should not be exceeded) at any emission level or
altitude up to the capacity of the wastegate to pro-
duce pressure. If turbocharger outlet pressure insta-
bility is encountered the engine must be derated for
the given conditions.
∆ P2
Wastegate
Screw
Wastegate
Figure 3
-2- PSHO-201