Diesel / Brayton Cycles

ASEN 3113
Diesel Cycle
Invented by Rudolf
Christian Karl Diesel
in 1893
First engine was
powered by powdered
coal
Achieved a
compression ratio of
almost 80
Exploded, almost killed
Diesel
First working engine
completed 1894 -
generated 13 hp
Diesel Engine
Also known as
Compression
Ignition Engine
(CI)
Can this engine
knock?
Difference from
Otto Cycle?

Thermodynamic Cycles for CI engines
In early CI engines the fuel was injected when the piston reached TDC
and thus combustion lasted well into the expansion stroke.

In modern engines the fuel is injected before TDC (about 15
o
)
The combustion process in the early CI engines is best approximated by
a constant pressure heat addition process Diesel Cycle

The combustion process in the modern CI engines is best approximated
by a combination of constant volume and constant pressure Dual Cycle
Fuel injection starts
Fuel injection starts
Early CI engine Modern CI engine
Early CI Engine Cycle and the Thermodynamic Diesel Cycle
A
I
R
Combustion
Products
Fuel injected
at TC
Intake
Stroke

Air
Air
BC
Compression
Stroke
Power
Stroke
Exhaust
Stroke
Q
in
Q
out
Compression
Process
Const pressure
heat addition
Process
Expansion
Process
Const volume
heat rejection
Process
Actual
Cycle
Diesel
Cycle
Process a b
Isentropic
compression

Process b
c Constant
pressure heat
addition

Process c d
Isentropic
expansion

Process d a
Constant volume
heat rejection

- a=1,b=2,etcfor
book
Air-Standard Diesel cycle

r
c
=
v
c
v
b
=
v
3
v
2
(BOOK)
Cut-off ratio:
( )
m
V V P
m
Q
u u
in 2 3 2
2 3
) ( ) (

+ =
AIR
23 Constant Pressure Heat Addition
now involves heat and work


) ( ) (
2 2 2 3 3 3
v P u v P u
m
Q
in
+ + =

) ( ) (
2 3 2 3
T T c h h
m
Q
p
in
= =

c
r
v
v
T
T
v
RT
v
RT
P = = = =
2
3
2
3
3
3
2
2
Q
in
First Law Analysis of Diesel Cycle
Equations for processes 12, 41 are the same as those presented
for the Otto cycle
) ( ) (
3 4
m
W
m
Q
u u
out
+ =
AIR
3 4 Isentropic Expansion







) ( ) (
4 3 4 3
T T c u u
m
W
v
out
= =


note v
4
=v
1
so
c
r
r
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
= = =
3
2
2
1
3
2
2
4
3
4


r
r
T
T
P
P
T
v P
T
v P
c
= =
3
4
3
4
3
3 3
4
4 4
1
1
4
3
3
4

|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
k
c
k
r
r
v
v
T
T
2 3
1 4
1 1
h h
u u
m Q
m Q
in
out
cycle
Diesel

= = q

q
Diesel
const c
V
=1
1
r
k1
1
k

r
c
k
1
( )
r
c
1
( )




(

(
(
For cold air-standard the above reduces to:
Thermal Efficiency
1
1
1

=
k
Otto
r
q
recall,
Note the term in the square bracket is always larger than one so for the
same compression ratio, r, the Diesel cycle has a lower thermal efficiency
than the Otto cycle

So why is a Diesel engine usually more efficient?
Typical CI Engines
15 < r < 20
When r
c
(= v
3
/v
2
)1 the Diesel cycle efficiency approaches the
efficiency of the Otto cycle
Thermal Efficiency
Higher efficiency is obtained by adding less heat per cycle, Q
in
,
run engine at higher speed to get the same power.
k = 1.3
k = 1.3
The cut-off ratio is not a natural choice for the independent variable
a more suitable parameter is the heat input, the two are related by:
1
1 1
1 1
1

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
k
in
c
r
V P
Q
k
k
r
as Q
in
0, r
c
1


MEP=
W
net
V
max
V
min
- compares performance
of engines of the same
size
Modern CI Engine Cycle and the Thermodynamic Dual Cycle
A
I
R
Combustion
Products
Fuel injected
at 15
o
before
TDC
Intake
Stroke
Air
Air
TC
BC
Compression
Stroke
Power
Stroke
Exhaust
Stroke
Q
in
Q
out
Compression
Process
Const pressure
heat addition
Process
Expansion
Process
Const volume
heat rejection
Process
Actual
Cycle
Dual
Cycle
Q
in
Const volume
heat addition
Process
Process 1 2 Isentropic compression
Process 2 2.5 Constant volume heat addition
Process 2.5 3 Constant pressure heat addition
Process 3 4 Isentropic expansion
Process 4 1 Constant volume heat rejection
Dual Cycle
Q
in
Q
in
Q
out
1
1
2
2
2.5
2.5
3
3
4
4
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
5 . 2 3 2 5 . 2 5 . 2 3 2 5 . 2
T T c T T c h h u u
m
Q
p v
in
+ = + =
Thermal Efficiency
) ( ) (
1 1
5 . 2 3 2 5 . 2
1 4
h h u u
u u
m Q
m Q
in
out
cycle
Dual
+

= = q
( )
(

+

=

1 ) 1 (
1 1
1
1

c
k
c
k
c const
Dual
r k
r
r
v
o o
o
q
1
1
1

=
k
Otto
r
q
( )
( )
(

=

1
1 1 1
1
1
c
k
c
k
const c
Diesel
r
r
k
r
V
q
Note, the Otto cycle (r
c
=1) and the Diesel cycle (o=1) are special cases:
2
3
5 . 2
3
and where
P
P
v
v
r
c
= = o
The use of the Dual cycle requires information about either:
i) the fractions of constant volume and constant pressure heat addition
(common assumption is to equally split the heat addition), or
ii) maximum pressure P
3
.

Transformation of r
c
and o into more natural variables yields
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

1
1 1 1
1
1
1 1
k
r
V P
Q
k
k
r
k
in
c
o
o
1
3
1
P
P
r
k
= o
For the same initial conditions P
1
, V
1
and the same compression ratio:
Diesel Dual Otto
q q q > >
For the same initial conditions P
1
, V
1
and the same peak pressure P
3

(actual design limitation in engines):
otto Dual Diesel
q q q > >
Brayton Cycle
Introduced by George
Brayton (an
American) in 1872
Used separate
expansion and
compression cylinder
Constant Combustion
process
18
Brayton Cycle
Other applications of Brayton
cycle
Power generation - use gas turbines to
generate electricityvery efficient
Marine applications in large ships
Automobile racing - late 1960s Indy 500
STP sponsored cars
Schematic of simple cycle
Idealized Brayton Cycle
22
Brayton Cycle
1 to 2--isentropic
compression
2 to 3--constant pressure
heat addition (replaces
combustion process)
3 to 4--isentropic
expansion in the turbine
4 to 1--constant pressure
heat rejection to return air
to original state
Brayton cycle analysis
in
net
q
w
= q
comp turb net
w w w =
Efficiency:
Net work:
Because the Brayton cycle operates between two constant
pressure lines, or isobars, the pressure ratio is important.
The pressure ratio is not a compression ratio.

24

w
comp
= h
2
h
1
1 to 2 (isentropic compression in
compressor), apply first law
**When analyzing the cycle, we know that
the compressor work is in (negative). It is
standard convention to just drop the negative
sign and deal with it later:
Brayton cycle analysis
25
2 3 23 in
h h q q = =
2 to 3 (constant pressure heat addition -
treated as a heat exchanger)
Brayton cycle analysis
or , h h w
3 4 turb
=
4 3 turb
h h w =
3 to 4 (isentropic expansion in turbine)
26
, h h q
4 1 out
=
1 4 out
h h q =
4 to 1 (constant pressure heat rejection)
We know this is heat transfer out of the
system and therefore negative. In book,
theyll give it a positive sign and then
subtract it when necessary.
Brayton cycle analysis
Brayton cycle analysis
Substituting:
comp turb net
w w w =
net work:
) h (h ) h (h w
1 2 4 3 net
=
Thermal efficiency:
Brayton cycle analysis
in
net
q
w
= q
) h (h
) h (h ) h (h
2 3
1 2 4 3

=
) h (h
) h (h
1
2 3
1 4

= q
Brayton cycle analysis
assume cold air conditions and manipulate
the efficiency expression:
) T (T c
) T (T c
1
2 3 p
1 4 p

= q
( )
( ) 1 T T
1 T T
T
T
1
2 3
1 4
2
1

= q
30
T
T
p
p
k
k
2
1
2
1
1
=
|
\

|
.
|

;
T
T
p
p
p
p
k
k
k
k
4
3
4
3
1
1
2
1
=
|
\

|
.
| =
|
\

|
.
|

Using the isentropic relationships,
Define:
4
3
1
2
p
P
P
P
P
ratio pressure r = = =
Brayton cycle analysis
( )
4
3
k 1 k
p
1
2
T
T
r
T
T
= =

Brayton cycle analysis
Then we can relate the temperature ratios to
the pressure ratio:
Plug back into the efficiency
expression and simplify:
( ) k 1 k
p
r
1
1

= q
32

Brayton cycle analysis
Brayton cycle analysis
An important quantity for Brayton cycles is
the Back Work Ratio (BWR).
turb
comp
w
w
BWR =
The Back-Work Ratio is the Fraction
of Turbine Work Used to Drive the
Compressor
EXAMPLE PROBLEM
The pressure ratio of an air standard Brayton
cycle is 4.5 and the inlet conditions to the
compressor are 100 kPa and 27C. The
turbine is limited to a temperature of 827C
and mass flow is 5 kg/s. Determine

a) the thermal efficiency
b) the net power output in kW
c) the BWR
Assume constant specific heats.
Draw diagram
P
v
1
2 3
4
Start analysis
Lets get the efficiency:
( ) k 1 k
p
r
1
1

= q
From problem statement, we know r
p
= 4.5
( )
349 . 0
5 . 4
1
1
4 . 1 1 4 . 1
= =

q
Net power output:
Substituting for work terms:


W
net
=

m w
net
=

m w
turb
w
comp
( )
Net Power:


W
net
=

m (h
3
h
4
) (h
2
h
1
)
( )


W
net
=

m c
p
(T
3
T
4
) (T
2
T
1
)
( )
Applying constant specific heats:
Need to get T
2
and T
4

Use isentropic relationships:
T
T
p
p
k
k
2
1
2
1
1
=
|
\

|
.
|

;
k
1 k
3
4
3
4
p
p
T
T

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
T
1
and T
3
are known along with the
pressure ratios:
( ) K 461 4.5 300 T
1.4 0.4
2
= =
T
2
:
T
4
:
( ) K 7 . 715 0.222 1100 T
1.4 0.4
4
= =
Net power is then:
kW 1120 W
net
=

W
net
=

m c
p
(T
3
T
4
) (T
2
T
1
)
( )
Back Work Ratio
4 3
1 2
turb
comp
h h
h h
w
w
BWR

= =
Applying constant specific heats:
42 . 0
7 . 715 1100
300 461
T T
T T
BWR
4 3
1 2
=

=
Brayton Cycle
In theory, as the pressure ratio goes up,
the efficiency rises. The limiting factor is
frequently the turbine inlet
temperature.
The turbine inlet temp is restricted to
about 1,700 K or 2,600 F.
Consider a fixed turbine inlet temp., T
3

Brayton Cycle
Irreversibilities
Compressor and turbine frictional effects -
cause increase in entropy
Also friction causes pressure drops through
heat exchangers
Stray heat transfers in components
Increase in entropy has most significance
w
c
= h
2
h
1
for the ideal cycle, which was
isentropic
w
t
= h
3
h
4
for the ideal isentropic cycle
Brayton Cycle
In order to deal with irreversibilities, we
need to write the values of h
2
and h
4
as
h
2,s
and h
4,s
.

Then
s , 4 3
act , 4 3
s , t
a , t
t
h h
h h
w
w

= = q
act , 2 1
s , 2 1
a , c
s , c
c
h h
h h
w
w

= = q