Combustion In

Diesel Engine
 Presentation Outline

I- Description of Combustion Process in Diesel Engine

II- The Stages of the Diesel Engine Combustion Process.

III-Knocking In Diesel Engine.

IV- Rating of Diesel Engine fuels.

V- Relation Between Cetane Number and Octane Number.

VI- Critical Compression Ratio ( C C R ).

 Description Of Combustion
Process
A- Air alone is compressed and fuel is injection towards
the end of compression stroke.

B- Spontaneous ignition.
.
C- Heterogeneous combustion

D- Combustion process study through

photography and analysis of pressure crank
angle ( P – theta ) diagrams
Description Of Combustion
Process
Combustion in C.I . Engine
 II- The stages of the combustion process

The combustion process may be divided into

the following four stages:

1 - Ignition delay.
2 - Rapid (uncontrolled ) combustion.
3- Lower rate combustion.
4 - Tail of combustion.
 1 – Ignition delay ( Delay period )

A- No noticeable deviation of pressure

diagram.

B- Starts by fuel injection and ends by fuel

ignition
 1 – Ignition delay ( Delay period )

C- It may be estimated by the following empirical

formula :

t = 0.44 e4650/ T
P1.19
t : time in ms. P : press. in atm
T : temp. in K
 B- Rapid uncontrolled combustion

1- Starts by ignition.

2- Prepared fuel during delay period is rapidly

combusted.

3- Depends on the duration of the delay period.

4- Combustion is pre- mixed in this stage, and

it gives little radiation and produces little
carbon.
 C- Lower rate combustion

1- The rate of combustion falls to a value that can be

maintained by preparation of fresh fuel.

2- Combustion depends on the need for fuel to find

oxygen.

3- Combustion is party regulated by the injection

process as well as by the mixing and diffusion
process.

4- Ends by the end of fuel injection.

 D- Very low rate of combustion

1- combustion continues at a diminishing rate.

2- As the previous stage , it is characterized by diffusion

combustion with production and combustion of carbon
particles and a high rate of heat transfer by radiation.

3- Extends along expansion stroke.

Typical rate of heat release diagram.
 III- Knocking In Diesel Engine

A It has opposite causes to that occurs in petrol engine.

B It is primarily due to too long delay period.

C It is worse at high speed, low C.R., low ambient temp.,

with fuel that have resistance to ignition
( compact structure )….

D Anti-knock characteristics ( ignition quality ) is

measured by Cetane Number.
 IV- Rating of Diesel Engine Fuels.

Ignition quality of fuel may be measured by the

diesel index.

Diesel index = (Aniline point ) x (A.P.I. gravity )

Aniline point is the lowest temp. at which equal

volumes of diesel fuel and freshly distilled water-
free aniline are completely miscible.

A high diesel index fuel indicates a fuel of high

ignition quality.
 IV- Rating of Diesel Engine Fuels.

Centane number is the most important

indicator of diesel fuel ignition quality, and its
anti-knock characteristics.

Cetane number is considered 100 for cetane

(Hexadecane C16 H34 ), and zero for (alpha-methyl-
naphthalene C11H10 )
IV- Rating of Diesel Engine fuels ( Continued )

Hexadecane is very fast ignition fuel, and

alpha-methyl-naphthalene is a very slow
ignition fuel.

The Cetane number is measured by testing

the unknown fuel in a variable compression
ratio co-operative fuel research engine
(C.F.R. engine)
 IV- Rating of Diesel Engine Fuels (continued)

The conditions of C.F.R. engine during the

Cetane number test:
Engine speed 900 rpm
Inlet air temp. 65.5 C
Jacket water temp. 100 C
Injection timing 13 degree BTDC
Ignition delay period 13 degree
 IV- Rating of Diesel Engine Fuels (continued)

For the unknown fuel of Cetane number C,

the engine run and the C.R. is varied until
ignition delay is 13o, the C.R. is recorded R.

The experiment is repeated for two reference

fuels of known cetane number C1 & C2 and
the C.R. R1 & R2 are noted for a delay
period of 13 degrees. .
 IV- Rating of Diesel Engine Fuels (continued)

The Cetane number of the unknown fuel may be

determined as follows :

C =C1 + { C2 – C1 } (R - R1 )
R2 - R1

R1 < R2 & C1 > C2

 V- Relation between Cetane Number
and Octane Number

Octane number = 120 - 2 x Cetane Number.

Cetane number = 60 - 0.5 x Octane Number.

This linear relation is accurate within + 5%

VI- Critical Compression Ratio (C.C.R )

It is defined as the minimum compression ratio at

which the ignition of the fuel in C.F.R. engine
under specified condition is obtained.

Critical composition ratio is sometimes used as a

measure of the ignition quality of the fuel.
 Thank you
Prof. Dr . Mahmoud A. El Kady