Chapter five

The Fuel-Air Cycles

Introduction
The basic problem in the air-cycle analysis is that it is based on highly
simplified approximations. This is why the results obtained from such
analysis are much greater than the actual performance. For example,
an engine with CR=7 has a thermal efficiency (based on air cycle
analysis) equals to 54% while the actual value does not exceed 30%.
This is mainly due to the following reasons:
1. Non-instantaneous burning of the fuel.
2. Non-instantaneous operation of the valves.
3. Over simplifications in using the values of the properties of the
working fluids.
4. Incomplete combustion of the fuel.
5. Assuming the working fluid to be only air , with constant specific
heat.
Fuel-Air cycle: is defined as the theoretical cycle that is based on
the actual properties of cylinder gases .
Fuel-Air cycle consideration:
1. The composition of the cylinder gases are ( air + fuel+ residual
gas ).
2. the variation in specific heat of gases with temperature (i.e Cp
and Cv) , hence value of ratio of specific heats ( k ) also change.
3. the fact that the fuel and air do not completely combine
chemically at high temperature
 4. No change in the fuel or air chemical composition before
combustion.
5. The variations in the number of molecules present in the
cylinder as the temperature and pressure change (dissociation).
The working fluid in a thermal equilibrium

Fuel-Air Cycle Assumptions:

The following assumption are considered when dealing with fuel-air
cycles calculations:
1. fuel is completely vaporized and perfectly mixed with air
2. combustion take place at top dead center, i.e highly idealized
3. assume no heat exchange occurs between the gases and
cylinder walls
4. compression and expansion process are reversible and charge
transfer happen but transfer work may be ignored

Approximate method of fuel-air cycle calculation

If the fuel-air ratio is F, then for 1 kg of air will be (1+F) kg of
products formed. Fraction of this combustion products would be left in
the engine cylinder in clearance volume V2 and its temperature is T4
and its called residual gas and may be expressed as residual gas
fraction f.
The following definitions are very important to be able to
analyze the fuel-air cycle and for their calculations.
1. Fresh air ( mair): which is the fresh mass of air admitted to the
cylinder engine for each cycle.
mair = (1-f ) (1)

2. Fresh fuel ( mf): may be defined as the new mass of fuel

supplied to the cylinder for each cycle.
mf = (1-f) *F (2)
where
F: is the fuel-air ratio & f: residual gas fraction.

3. Total charge ( mT) : is the total contents of cylinder at any time

of the cycle.
mT = mair + mf + mr (3)
mr
where: mr : residual mass & f
mT
4. Fresh mixture ( mi) : this may be defined according to the type
of engine , spark ignition engine or compression ignition engine.
For spark ignition engines mi can be obtained as follows:
mi = mair + mf (4)
for compression ignition engines mi can be calculated as:
mi = mair (5)
finally, the masses can be summarized as follows:
mair = (1-f)
mf = (1-f) *F
mr = f *(1+F)
mT = (1+F) = mair + mf + mr at any time of the cycle
Calculation of Residual Gas Fraction (f)
The calculation of residual gas fraction (f) simply can be
calculated by using the general law of perfect gas at point o and 4.

3
Given as:

p e xh 1
* f
2
4
P
P4 r o
1

V
P-V Diagram

Calculation of Trapped temperature T1

In order to calculate the trapped temperature (T1) at state 1 before
the compression process begin, two kind of cycles are available:
1. constant volume cycle.
2. constant pressure cycle.

1- Constant volume cycle

in this cycle the total mass can be obtained
as follows:
3
mm = mT = mair + mf + mr
where
2
4
mm is the mass of total mixture P
however, the trapped temperature o
1
obviously can be obtained from the
enthalpy balance V
P-V Diagram
 Hm  Hi
Or Hm  Hair  Hf  Hr
Where Hm is the enthalpy of the mixture in the cylinder at state 1
And Hm = mm CPm (T1 -273)
Hair = mair CPair (Tair -273)
Hf = mf CPf (Tf -273)
Hr = mr CPexh (Texh -273)
Which can be written as follows:
mm Cpm (T1 -273)= mair Cpair(Tair -273) + mf Cpf(Tf -273)
+ mr CPexh (Texh -273)

Referring to constant volume cycle, the enthalpy of fuel Hf depend on

the condition of the fuel supply at entry, gas or liquid.
1- If the fuel is gas, the Hf can be obtained as follows:
Hf = mf CPf (Tf -273)
2- If the fuel is liquid, then the enthalpy of fuel Hf depend on the fuel
temperature because the latent heat of evaporation is involved ,
(i.e hfg is available at 25 ºC). three cases can be present :-
 Case 1 : if (Tf < 25 ºC)
Hf = mf [ (CPf)L ( Tf -273) + (CPf)L (298 - Tf) – hfg25]
 Case 2 : if (Tf = 25 ºC)
Hf = mf [ (CPf)L ( 298 -273)– hfg25]
 Case 3 : if (Tf > 25 ºC)
Hf = mf [ (CPf)L ( 298 -273) + (CPf)g( Tf -298) – hfg25]
2. Constant pressure cycle
Clearly , this is the typical cycle applied for compression
ignition engines. At state 1 , the total mass (mT) can be obtained as
follows:-
mT = mair + mr
2 3
or mm = mair + mr
however , the trapped temperature T1 4
P
also can be calculated in similar o
1
manner by introducing the enthalpy
balance:
V
Hm  Hi P-V Diagram
Hm Hair Hr
Or can be written as
mm CPm (T1 -273)= mair CPair(Tair -273) + mr CPexh (Texh -273)
and
mr = (1+F) f
P exh 1
f *
P4 r

Notes:
1- The air standard cycle allows how the efficiency improved by raising the
compression ratio rv , but does not any idea on the effect of F/A ratio on
thermal efficiency.
2- The fuel air cycle study the effect of F/A ratio on thermal efficiency and allows
study of Pmax and T max as F/A ratio is varied.
3- The fuel air cycle gives a good estimation of the power expected from an
actual engine.
4- All gases ( except mono- atomic gases) show an increase in specific heats at
high temperature.
5- Over the temperature range in general use for gases in heat engines ( 300 -
1500 K ) , the specific heat curve is nearly a straight line and expressed as :
Cp= a1+k1T
Cv= b1+k1T
R = Cp –Cv= a1-b1
6- Above 1500K , specific heats increase more rapidly and expressed in the
form:
Cp= a1+k1T+ k2 T2
Cv= b1+k1T + k2T2
7- The variation of specific heats leads the final temperature and pressure to
lower values .
8- During dissociation heat is absorbed ,no dissociation takes place in lean
mixture due to low temperature , maximum dissociation occur in
chemically correct mixture as the temperature is high. In rich mixture
dissociation is prevented by the available CO and O2 .
9- At given Փ the efficiency increase with increase of r ( to citrine limit) .
10- Pmax increase with increase of r and more chemical energy liberated and so
increase expansion work and efficiency.
11- At same r efficiency decrease with increasing Փ. At Փ < 1 (lean mixture)
the efficiency increase with increase of Փ , while Փ > 1 efficiency
decrease with increase of Փ because of insufficient air leads to
incomplete combustion.
12- For given r , Tmax is reached when the mixture rich (6-8%) causes more fuel
to combine with Oxygen.