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Analysis of Thermal Balance of Diesel Engine and 2013-01-2744

Published
Identification of Scope for Waste Heat Recovery 11/27/2013

Sachleen Singh, Abhinav Garg, Ankit Gupta, and Ashok Permude

Maruti Suzuki India, Ltd.

Copyright © 2013 SAE International

doi:10.4271/2013-01-2744

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION
Compression ignition engines are known for their superior
Diesel engines as prime movers for passenger cars are
thermal efficiency compared with spark ignition engines.
becoming popular, primarily due to their superior thermal
However, requirements to reduce fuel consumption and CO2
efficiency. However, the peak thermal efficiency does not
emissions are placing ever increasing demands to improve the
exceed 35 to 40% even in the best engines. Huge efforts are
efficiencies.
being put in to improve engine efficiencies to meet ever
stringent fuel economy requirements. Such efforts are mainly
Conventional development focuses on:
focused on combustion improvement and parasitic losses
reduction. However, a large part of the energy input to engine
Short term: Improving combustion efficiency, reducing
is lost to cooling system, exhaust gases and other heat losses.
internal losses and reducing/optimizing demand from engine
Such losses are higher at part and low loads which is where
driven accessories on existing products.
the engine operates in normal usage conditions.
Medium to Long term: New combustion concepts,
This paper analyses in detail the various energy losses at
Downsizing/Down speeding and Electrification.
different engine operating regimes. Quantification of losses
and understanding of loss mechanism serves as a starting
These approaches do not fully target the basic energy balance
point for future technologies to recover the lost energy.
in a combustion engine. Large part of the energy input to the
• Quantification of losses: Losses in different systems are engine is lost or wasted. Moreover, this balance varies hugely
quantified at different engine operating regimes. with the engine operating point.
• Mechanisms of energy loss at different regimes are
analyzed and presented. This paper attempts to quantify the energy balance of a
passenger car diesel engine over the engine operating map.
• Waste heat recovery: Energy lost in the exhaust stream over Understanding the energy balance and the mechanisms
the engine operating map is presented. Experiments and driving them will open up various possibilities to improve
analysis for energy recovery are not examined in this paper. overall engine efficiency by targeting basic energy balance.

Note that the energy balances discussed in this paper are all
based on first law of thermodynamics and system
irreversibilities are not considered.
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BASIC ENERGY BALANCE and Energy mapping was performed at steady state points. At
each operating point, the coolant temperature was varied to
CHALLENGES see the effect on energy balance and to throw light on the loss
Basic energy scheme (first law) of an internal combustion mechanisms. Input energy was held constant by maintaining
engine is shown in Figure 1. constant injected fuel quantity and injection parameters.

Table 1. Engine Details

Fig 1. Basic Energy Scheme (First Law)

Input energy = Useful output + Energy lost to cooling +

Energy lost to exhaust + Other losses.

The ‘Useful Output’ component is what is available as brake

power to propel the automobile. This can vary from 10% to ENERGY BALANCE AND LOSS
33% of input energy, depending on operating condition. MECHANISMS
Above situation presents the following possibilities for Figure 2 shows the energy balance at 2000 rpm and 60
analysis: degrees C coolant temperature.

1. Even in best case, the ‘Useful Output’ is not higher than

33% of input energy. Where is rest of the energy lost? Can
the losses be reduced / recovered?
2. The balance varies widely with operating condition of the
engine. What are the parameters affecting the balance? How
can they be controlled to increase efficiencies?

This paper attempts to provide answers to these questions

based on practical testing on engine bench.

EXPERIMENTATION PLAN AND SET

UP
A standard, modern passenger car diesel engine is taken up
for analysis. Engine details are shown in Table 1.

Test engine was setup on a steady state test bench for

mapping. Vehicle setups were used for radiator and cabin Fig 2. Energy Balance at 2000 rpm, 60°C coolant
heater. Chilled water was used as cooling media for engine temperature
coolant temperature control. Intercooler, cooled using chilled
water, was used for boost air temperature control.
At low BMEP, large part of the input energy is lost to
coolant. This is primarily because the coolant flow is
constant, irrespective of load, since the coolant pump is
directly driven by crankshaft. Pump sized for adequate
cooling at full load becomes oversized at part loads.
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Energy lost in exhaust stream, after turbocharger, is also It can be seen that a major part of the input energy is lost to
substantial. the coolant. This includes the heat transferred in EGR cooler
as well. Only 22% of the input energy is available at the
This kind of balance leads to BSFC characteristic as shown in flywheel. A substantial part is also lost in the exhaust.
Figure 3. Exhaust loss is the energy in the exhaust stream after
turbocharger.

Increasing the coolant temperature by 20 degrees C changes

the balance significantly. Coolant loss reduces as expected.
Part of the recovered energy comes out as increased brake
power and another part as increased exhaust loss. The
mechanisms driving the change in balance are explained in
Figure 5.

Fig 3. BSFC trend at 2000 rpm, 60°C coolant

temperature

Changing the coolant temperature could lead to lowering of

coolant losses and improvement in BSFC. This aspect is
explored in detail for two operating points.

Figure 4 shows the energy balance at (1000 rpm, 2 bar

BMEP). This is shown for two distinct coolant temperatures,
30 and 50 degrees C.

Fig 5. Mechanisms driving the change in Energy

Balance

Increase in coolant temperature leads to reduction in FMEP,

as expected. Pumping work (PMEP) also reduces. This is due
to the additional energy in the exhaust gases which is utilized
by the turbocharger. Exhaust gas pressure and temperature,
before turbine, increase. Hence the boost pressure increases
leading to a reduction in delta pressure across engine.
Indicated MEP (IMEP) increases which indicates an increase
in work on piston. All these factors contribute to increased
BMEP at same fuelling which leads to a substantial reduction
in BSFC.

Fig 4. Effect of Coolant temperature on Energy Balance Next we examine the energy balance at a higher speed/load
at 1000 rpm point (2000 rpm, 7 bar BMEP).
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It was noticed that the EGR rate had reduced significantly

with increase in coolant temperature. This is probably due to
the EGR control trying to maintain air mass set point.
However, change in EGR rate will affect the PMEP and
combustion.

In order to separate the effect of EGR from effect of energy

balance change, measurements were done at (2000 rpm, 7
bar) with EGR switched off. Energy balance in this condition
is shown in Fig 8.

Fig 6. Effect of Coolant temperature on Energy Balance

at 2000 rpm

Compared with (1000 rpm, 2 bar point), coolant loss is

substantially lower. 35% of the input energy is available as
useful work. Exhaust loss is slightly higher.

Change in energy balance with increase in coolant

temperature is not as drastic as at 1000 rpm point. There is an
Fig 8. Energy balance at 2000 rpm with EGR switched
increase in brake power but other factors do not change
off.
much.
There are significant changes in the energy balance compared
with EGR active condition. Coolant loss is reduced at
increased temperature.

Fig 7. Mechanisms driving the change in Energy

Balance

Increase in coolant temperature leads to an expected

reduction in FMEP. There is a slight increase in boost
pressure with reduction in delta P across engine. However,
there is no substantial reduction in PMEP. There is a slight
reduction in BSFC primarily due to the reduction in FMEP.
Fig 9. Mechanisms driving the change in Energy
Balance at 2000 rpm with EGR switched off.
With increased coolant temperature, FMEP is reduced as
expected. Contrary to the results in ‘with EGR’ condition,
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PMEP is reduced. There is an increase in air mass which
leads to better fuel utilization and hence increase in IMEP.
Fig 10. P-V diagram at 2000 rpm with EGR switched off.
P-V diagram is shown in Fig 10 for without EGR condition.
Reduction in pumping work (PMEP) is clearly visible in the
pumping loop curve. Increase in IMEP is mainly due to
earlier start of combustion. This could be due to higher
temperature are end of compression and higher air mass.
Increased IMEP, lower PMEP and FMEP all lead to higher
BMEP at similar fuelling and hence lower BSFC.
In summary, increasing coolant temperature leads to
significant improvement at low loads whereas the effect is
not very high at higher loads.
Another effect of increasing coolant temperature is increased
exhaust gas temperature before the diesel oxidation catalyst
(DOC). Increase is higher at lower speed/load points. This is
beneficial in terms of faster light off of DOC and hence
reduced CO/THC emissions.
Fig 11. Effect of Coolant temperature on Exhaust gas
temperature
An interesting observation from the mapping is the energy
loss in exhaust. Although it is lower than coolant loss, the
energy loss in absolute terms is substantial. Figure 12 shows
the power lost in exhaust in Kw on the engine map.
Fig 12. Power (kW) lost in Exhaust on Engine map
Even in low speed and low-medium load areas, substantial
energy is available in the exhaust. This changes with the
coolant temperature as explained in previous chapters.
Recovering this lost energy by waste heat recovery
mechanisms could lead to substantial improvement in overall
system efficiency.
CORRELATION WITH VEHICLE
USAGE
In previous chapters, energy balance and the influencing
parameters have been explained. Mechanisms behind various
losses have been explained with experimental data.
In this chapter, we explore the potential for efficiency
improvement in actual vehicle usage area. MIDC is used as
the reference drive cycle. One point on the cycle (30km/hr) is
selected and analyzed in detail. The same point occurs four
times in the cycle, at different coolant temperatures. This is
shown in Figure 13.
Analysis for potential improvement in BSFC and other
parameters, by increasing the coolant temperature from
current level is shown in Figure 14. Detailed energy balance
for Loop 1 is shown in Figure 15.
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Fig 15. Effect of Coolant temperature on Energy

Balance at 30 km/hr step in MIDC Loop1.

Fig 13. Vehicle driving Pattern in MIDC. Loop 1 point Analysis for BSFC Improvement
selected for analysis - Vehicle speed of 30 km/hr at Figure 11 shows the change in BSFC, exhaust gas
different coolant temperatures. temperature (before DOC) and boost pressure with change in
coolant temperature.

Values are shown for first, second and third occurrence in the
cycle - respectively named Loop1, Loop 2 and Loop 3.
Coolant temperature in present condition on MIDC is shown
in Figure 13.

Increasing coolant temperature leads to significant

improvement in BSFC. Increase in energy content in exhaust
leads to increased boost pressure which can lead to higher air
mass and better transient response. Exhaust gas temperature
before the DOC increases substantially. This can lead to
lower CO / THC emissions due to faster light off of the DOC.

Detailed analysis for Loop 1 is shown in Figure 15.

Increase in coolant temperature from 40 to 80 degrees C leads

to drastic change in energy balance. Big reduction in coolant
loss translates to significant increase in brake power and
exhaust loss. This change results in reduced BSFC.

CONCLUSION
• Energy balance of a modern passenger car diesel engine has
been presented.

• Different losses and the mechanisms driving the balance

have been analyzed based on experimental data and
presented.

• Analysis shows that there is huge potential to improve

Fig 14. Effect of change in Coolant temperature on overall efficiency by targeting various losses.
various engine parameters
• Thermal management can provide significant improvement
in fuel consumption with additional improvements in
emission after-treatment system performance and transient
response.
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• Significant amount of energy is lost in the exhaust. This has MIDC - Modified Indian Driving Cycle
been quantified from experimental data. DOC - Diesel Oxidation Catalyst
• Waste heat recovery has the potential to drastically improve T_TUROUT - Exhaust gas temperature before DOC
powertrain efficiency. Future work will focus on developing SOC - Start of Combustion (before TDC)
and evaluating mechanisms to recover this waste heat.

REFERENCES
1. ‘Defining Engine Efficiency Limits’ Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, 17th DEER Conference
2. Oomori, H. and Ogino, S., “Waste Heat Recovery of
Passenger Car Using a Combination of Rankine Bottoming
Cycle and Evaporative Engine Cooling System,” SAE
Technical Paper 930880, 1993, doi:10.4271/930880.
3. Caterpillar ‘Diesel engine waste heat recovery utilizing
Electric Turbocompound technology’, presented at DEER
Conference 2002.
4. Diesel Engine Energy Balance Study Operating on Diesel
and Biodiesel Fuels by Scott J Wallace presented at Ohio
University' 2007

CONTACT
Ashok Permude
ashok.permude@maruti.co.in

Sachleen Singh
sachleen.singh@maruti.co.in

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank the management of Maruti
Suzuki India Limited for providing the resources to execute
the project and also for permission to publish.

DEFINITIONS/ACRONYMS/
ABBREVIATIONS
MEP - Mean Effective Pressure
IMEP - Indicated MEP
PMEP - Pumping MEP
FMEP - Friction MEP
BMEP - Brake MEP
BSFC - Brake Specific Fuel Consumption
FE - Fuel Economy

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