BITS Pilani

Hyderabad Campus

Fuel-Air cycles and their Analysis

Variable Specific Heats

• All non mono-atomic gases show an increase in specific heats with

temperature. This increase does not follow any law.
• Over the temperature range generally encountered in the heat engines (300K
to 2000K), the specific heat curve is nearly a straight line.
• This may be approximated and expressed in the form:
Cp = a1 + k1 T
Cv = b1 + k1 T
a1, b1, k1 are constants.
R = Cp – Cv = a1 – b1
• Above 1500K the increase is much rapid and may be expressed in the form:
Cp = a1 + k1 T + k2 T2
Cv = b1 + k1 T + k2 T2

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Variable Specific Heats

• Physical explanation is that as temperature is raised, larger fractions of heat

would be required to produce motion of the atoms within the molecules.
• Since temperature is the result of motion of the molecules, the energy which
goes into moving the atoms does not contribute to proportional temperature
rise.
• Hence more heat is required to raise the temperature of unit mass through
one degree at higher levels.
• For air at 300 K:
• Cp = 1.005 kJ/kg K
• Cv = 0.717 kJ/kg K
At 2000 K
• Cp = 1.345 kJ/kg K
• Cv = 1.057 kJ/kg K.

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Variable Specific Heats

• Since difference between Cp and Cv is constant (R), γ decreases with

increase in temperature.
• The final temperature and pressure is lower than if constant values of
specific heat are used.

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Numerical

1. An Otto cycle engine with a compression ratio of 10 uses a premium

fuel of calorific value 48000 kJ/kg. The air-fuel ratio is 15:1.The
temperature and pressure of the charge at beginning of compression are
57 °C and 1 bar. Determine the maximum pressure in the cycle with
mean index of compression as 1.36 and the value of specific heat at
constant volume heat addition expressed as:
=(0.717+2.1 T) kJ/kg K
How will the maximum pressure be affected if the value of remains
constant at 0.717 kJ/kg K and also the compression index is unaltered.

Sol: Given
r = 10, C.V. = 48000 kJ/kg, A/F = 15:1,
n = 1.36, P1 = 1bar, and T1= 57 ºC

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Solution 1

Process 1-2:

; P2 = 22.90 bar

= ; T2 = 755.7 K
Since the air/fuel ratio is 15:1, 1 kg of mixture has kg of fuel and kg of air
Heat transfer during the process per kg of mixture is, Q = = 3000 kJ/kg

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 Q=

Q=

3000 = 0.717×(T3-T2) + 0.00021*0.5

0.000105× + 0.717×T3 – 3601= 0

T3 = 3364.5 K

Process 2-3 (V=C): T2 = 755.7

P3;

P3 = 101.9 bar

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Solution 1

(ii) For constant specific heat, =0.717 kJ/kg K

Q2-3 = Cv (T3- T2)

T3 = 4939 K

Process 2-3 (V=C):

P3 = ;

P3 = 149.07 bar

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Numerical
2. The following particulars relate to a diesel cycle. Compression ratio =
18, cut-off = 5% of stroke, mean specific heat = 0.717 kJ/kg K,
characteristic gas constant, R = 0.287 kJ/kg K. Knowing that specific heat
increases with temperature, if the mean specific heat for the air standard
cycle increases by 2% determine the percentage change in air standard
efficiency.

Sol: Given
r = 18, V3-V2 = 0.05 Vs,
Cv = 0.717 kJ/kg K and
R = 0.287 kJ/kg K

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Solution 2

Compression ratio, = r = 18; V1 = 18V2

Swept volume, Vs = V1-V2 = 18V2-V2 = 17V2

V3 = 0.05* Vs + V2 = 1.85V2

Cut off ratio, rc = = 1.85

0.638

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Solution 2

1- =

Taking logarithm, a

ln    ln a  ln b
b
ln(1- -ln() + ln() – ln(rc) – (-1)ln(r) ln(a.b)  ln a  ln(b)
ln(a b )  b ln(a )
1
-1 = ln     ln(a)
a

Substituting this in the above equation

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 Solution 2

ln(1- -ln() + ln() – ln(rc) – ln(r)

Differentiating we get, d 1
dx
 ln 1  x   1 x


- = d 1
dx
 ln 1  x  
1 x
d x a 1.ln  x 
=- × -1 =
dx
 ln  x  1 
a 1
 x a 1  1
d  1  1
 
dx  x  x 2

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Solution 1

=-
= -1.15% = 2% = 0.02
ƞ = 0.638
r = 18
rc = 1.85
γ =1.4

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Thank you

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus