Project Charter: MEGP4 - Small Marine Engine Test Bed

Mechanical Engineering Group Project 4 (MEGP4)

Small Marine Engine Test Bed

Alvin Chan, Murray Cheshire, Jie Chi, William Luke, Erin Nolan

Contents

Mechanical Engineering Group Project 4 (MEGP4).......................................................................................1

Small Marine Engine Test Bed.......................................................................................................................1

Alvin Chan, Murray Cheshire, Jie Chi, William Luke, Erin Nolan................................................................1

Background....................................................................................................................................................2

Goals..............................................................................................................................................................3

Scope of Project.............................................................................................................................................3

Key Stakeholders...........................................................................................................................................4

Project Milestones.........................................................................................................................................4

Project Budget...............................................................................................................................................4

The decision to implement no physical prototyping of the designs investigated means that the budget
proposed is reduced to £0 ideally but as potential costs could still be incurred by the project the potential
sources are stated here so as to explicitly state to all stakeholders..............................................................4

*Travel costs are the most likely cost to increase above £0 as earlier research suggests potentially useful
resources and contacts at the University of Strathclyde Marine Engineering Facilities. Constraints,
Assumptions, Risks and Dependencies..........................................................................................................4

Constraints................................................................................................................................................5

Assumptions..............................................................................................................................................5

Risks and Dependencies............................................................................................................................5

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Project Charter: MEGP4 - Small Marine Engine Test Bed

Background

Project allocated to the group by Graeme Lee for Mechanical Engineering Group Project 4.

The Course Handbook describes the course:

“In this course the students are assigned into groups and each group will be assigned to an academic
supervisor. The group and supervisor will mutually agree on a group project. The supervisor may
suggest a project to the students, but the students are welcome (and encouraged) to think project
that interests them. The projects may be research-, industrial-, and/or design-based. The tasks of each
group project will depend on the nature of the project. Although each project is likely to be
inherently different, the exercises will build on earlier parts of the degree program. The aimis to collect,
distil, analyse and present the main findings in a logical fashion. The students will reporton relevant
information in a (1) interim presentation, (2) final presentation, and (3) final report.”

The specific challenge the group in investigating for the course was originally presented to the group as:

“Test bed with dynamometer for small marine diesel engines

You are required to design a test bed for small marine diesels whose output power is in the range 7 
10HP (5kW  8kW). The reason to select this range is because a large number of sailing boats use
engines in this range. Since we may wish to construct such a test bed in the department one is looking for
a simple dynamometer.

Dynamometers that have to measure the power output from large engines become increasingly complex
and expensive. Even with a 12 HP motor how do you dissipate the energy absorbed.

Thus we need to attempt something manageable. For a prototype the tes bed can be made of timber if
necessary. Small marine diesels are usually mounted on hardwood engine beavers “glassed into” the GRP
hull. A design for a dynamometer could be based on a (electrical) generator that can operate under
variable speed conditions. This would then be coupled to a bank of (cooled) variable resistors to dissipate
the energy from the engine under test. To the cost of these components has to be added the switch gear
for the generator and the bank of resistors. This may not be a cost effective solution for a small user.

In the early days of gas or steam engines the dynamometer could consist of a large pulley around which a
rope or belt was wrapped around. One end of the rope was attached to a spring balance, the other end to
a container full of water. You attempted to keep the device cool by pouring water over the pulley!

Wikipedia gives a basic review of the designs out there but there will be other sources on the web – this is
probably the most open ended part of the project.

We do have two small marine diesels available for the group to look at. Both are made by Yanmar. One is
a Model YSM 8 with a continuous rating of 7HP, the other is a 1GM10 which has a continuous rating of
HP. Their maximum outputs are 8 and 10 HP respectively.

Yanmar have the service manuals for both engines available on the web. The manuals give the power-
RPM ratings & the dimensions for each motor also details of auxiliary parts i.e. exhaust system & gear
box.”

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Project Charter: MEGP4 - Small Marine Engine Test Bed
Graeme explained that he was personally hoping for an engine test bed suitable for other of the
aforementioned Yanmar engines so that he could test them for use in his sailboats.

After review of other challenge proposals for this course, this was chosen by the group at the meeting
Friday 30/09/2016.

As the group were generally unfamiliar with the niche topics of engine test beds, small marine diesel
engines and associated sailing and marine knowledge terminology, the decision was made for members
to investigate the project generally and become familiar with the basic theoretical knowledge to make
informed planning decisions and then to review and plan the project at the meeting 10/10/2016.

[add paragraph here about last week’s meeting and decision to halt further investigation into developing
a physical Proof of Concept]

Goals
 To research, design, and develop a theoretical ideal design for an engine test bed suitable for small
marine diesel engines, such as may be used within the Mechanical Engineering Teaching Laboratory.
 To identify and implement the factors necessary to comply with the course Mechanical Engineering
Group Project 4 requirements.

Scope of Project

The Mechanical Engineering Group Project 4 course handbook provides clear definitions of certain
requirements for the project:

“The Group Project has three main objectives:

1. To give students the experience of working as a member of a team carrying out a major project –in an
industrial/researchenvironment almost all work is undertaken in teams.
2. To improve the student’s communication and inter-personal skills through reporting and formally
presenting his/her analysis and findings.
3. To serve as a vehicle for integrating the necessary technical subject materials in order to reach the project’s
goals
The information underpinning each project will be obtained through investigation of the published literature
and may also require contacting industry and other organisations.
Each group will:
A. Identify, select, collate and evaluate relevant information from a variety of sources for their project
B. Give short, professionally presented seminars on the aspects of their project
C. Discuss the importance of technical and non-technical aspects of engineering towards their project
D. Write a clear, well-presented report containing critical assessment of the information they have found
and setting it in context
E. Have a final presentation (oral exam) to describe, support and critically praise the aspects of their
project.”

For most projects of similar content, as the aim is to develop the most effective single final design to
implement. However, the aims of this project differ in their priority to demonstrate the relevant skills and

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Project Charter: MEGP4 - Small Marine Engine Test Bed
knowledge development of team members, requiring a priority of breadth of actions over depth, and all
within the limited time constraints of the Mechanical Engineering Group Project 4 course.

In order to achieve the project goals, the project scope must therefore include:

 Improving the team members’ understanding and knowledge of the processes involved in engine
testing and the components involved in typical engine test bed design.
 Developing a network of relevant contacts for support in achieving the project goals.
 Conducting a literature review of engine testing of small marine diesel engine testing.
 Assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of theoretical designs.
 Generating a feasibility report for the potential future implementation of a small marine diesel engine
test bed.

Key Stakeholders
Project Team Members Erin Nolan, William Luke, Murray Cheshire, Alvin Chan, Jie Chi
Sponsor University of Edinburgh School of Engineering
Supervisor Graeme Lee
Clients Mechanical Engineering Group Project 4 Course and Mechanical Engineering
Teaching Laboratory

Project Milestones
Milestone Date
Project Brief Chosen 30/09/2016
Interim Assessment Presentation 19/10/2016
Ideal theoretical design(s) completed 02/11/2016
Ideal theoretical design(s) analysed 16/11/2016
Final Report Presentation 23/11/2016
Logbook submission 01/12/2016

Project Budget
Product Estimated Costs (£)
Potential Research Costs 0
Research Literature 0
Software Licenses 0
Travel Costs* 0

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Project Charter: MEGP4 - Small Marine Engine Test Bed
The decision to implement no physical prototyping of the designs investigated means that the budget
proposed is reduced to £0 ideally but as potential costs could still be incurred by the project the
potential sources are stated here so as to explicitly state to all stakeholders.

*Travel costs are the most likely cost to increase above £0 as earlier research suggests potentially
useful resources and contacts at the University of Strathclyde Marine Engineering Facilities.

Constraints, Assumptions, Risks and Dependencies

Constraints  Very limited time scale for project with final assessment deadline
23/11/2016.
 Project team members are students who therefore have limited and
semi-unpredictable availability highly dependent on uncontrollable
external factors, and shared priorities.
 Limited availability of supervisor to consult as either supervisor or
client.
 The proposal of an ideal budget of £0 means that any cost that is
incurred must be requested from the sponsors on an individual basis
and so most likely to take the form of reimbursement after personal
costs incurred to individual team members.

Assumptions  That the Mechanical Engineering Teaching Laboratory both want and
have the capacity to use, an engine test bed for small marine diesel
engines.
 That the clients and sponsor wish to achieve minimal costs achievable
in the project, with an ideal of £0.
 That the average workload reasonably expected (student equivalent of
available paid staff time) per project team member is 15 hours per
week.
 That work on this project is higher priority to team members than
“extracurricular activities” as it contributes towards individual degree
qualification (assumed to be a greater reward), but it may be given
equal or lower priority than other University courses according to
individuals.

Risks and  That insufficient time, or ineffectively used time, is contributed by

project team members to achieve outlined goals.
Dependencies  That a sponsor does not pay expected contribution(s).
 Injury or illness of team members during activities.
 The project induces stress in Project Team Members to a level such
that it detriments their ability to contribute normally to the project.

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Project Charter: MEGP4 - Small Marine Engine Test Bed

Signatures of Approval

Stakeholders sign below show approval and commitment to the project as outlined in this Project
Charter:

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