POWER PLANT ENGINEERING

SAMPLE PROBLEMS ON
DIESEL ELECTRIC POWER PLANT
Problem 1: A test of a single-cylinder, 318 mm x 330 mm single-acting, two-stroke cycle diesel
engine resulted in the following data:

Engine speed: 324 rpm

Net load on brake arm: 632 N
Brake arm: 1.28 m
Length of all cards: 7.52 cm
Ave area of indicator card from working cylinder: 2.568 cm2 when spring scale is 950 kPa/cm
Ave area of indicator card from crankcase: 3.162 cm2 when spring scale is 32.62 kPa/cm

Determine the frictional power and mechanical efficiency.

Reference:
 Capote, R.S. & J.A. Mandawe. Mechanical Engineering Reviewer, Power Plant Engineering.
Given: 2-stroke, single cylinder, 318 mm bore x 330 mm length Pbrake = Tω
N = 324 rpm LC = 7.52 cm AC2 = 3.162 cm2
Fbrake = 632 N AC1 = 2.568 cm2 S2 = 32.62 kPa/cm T = Fbrake Lbrake
Lbrake = 1.28 m S1 = 950 kPa/cm
T = (632 N)(1.28 m)
Pfriction = Pind − Pbrake T = 808.96 Nm or 0.809 kNm

Pind = Imep x VD = Imep LAN𝑛𝑐 Pbrake = Tω

rev 2π rad 1 min
Ac x Sc Ac1 x Sc1 − Ac2 x Sc2 Pbrake = 0.809 kNm 324
min 1 rev 60 sec
Imep = = Pbrake = 27.45 kW
Lc Lc
kPa kPa
2.568 cm2 950 − 3.162 cm2 32.62 Pfriction = Pind − Pbrake
cm cm
Imep = Pfriction = 43.97 kW − 27.45 kW
7.52 cm
Imep = 310.7 kPa 𝐏𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 = 𝟏𝟔. 𝟓𝟐 𝐤𝐖
Pbrake 27.45 kW
Pind = Imep LAN𝑛𝑐 ƞmech = = x 100 %
Pind 43.97 kW
π rev 1 min
Pind = 310.7kPa 0.33m 0.318m 2 (324 )( )(1)
4 min 60 sec ƞ𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡 = 62.43 %
Pind = 43.97 kW

Reference:
 Capote, R.S. & J.A. Mandawe. Mechanical Engineering Reviewer, Power Plant Engineering.
Problem 2: A four-stroke diesel engine has the following data

Piston diameter: 16.5 cm

Length of stroke: 27 cm.
Compression ratio: 14.3
Cut-off: 4.23% of the stroke
Indicated mean effective pressure: 4.12 bar.
Engine speed: 264 rev/min
Fuel consumption: 1.076 kg/hr
Calorific value: 39,150 kJ/kg

Calculate the indicated engine efficiency.

Reference:
 Raja, A.K., A.P. Srivastava & M. Dwivedi (2006). New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers.
Given: 4-stroke, single cylinder, 165 mm bore x 270 mm length
rk = v1/v2 = 14.3 N = 264 rpm
1 rck − 1
ƞth = 1 −
v3-v2 = 0.0423(v1-v2) mf = 1.076 kg/h rkk−1 k(rc − 1)
Imep = 4.12 bar or 412 kPa qf = 39,150 kJ/kg v3
rc =
ƞth,i v2
ƞe,i = (Note: Cut-off = v3 – v2 while vD = v1 – v2)
ƞth
Pind v3 − v2 = 0.0423(v1 − v2 )
ƞth,i =
mf Q f v1
rk = = 14.3 v1 = 14.3v2
Pind = Imep LAN𝑛𝑐 (Note: for 4-stroke, divide N by 2) v2
π 264 rev 1 min
v3 − v2 = 0.0423(14.3v2 − v2 )
Pind = 412kPa 0.27m 0.165m 2 ( )( )(1) v3
4 2 min 60 sec
v3 = 1.56 v2 rc = = 1.56
Pind = 5.23 kW v2
Pind 5.23 kW 1 1.561.4 − 1
ƞth,i = = ƞth =1−
mf q f kg 1 h kJ 14.31.4−1 1.4(1.56 − 1)
1.076 ( )(39,150 )
h 3600 s kg ƞth = 61.99 %
ƞth,i = 44.7 %
ƞth,i 0.447 ƞ𝒆,𝒊 = 𝟕𝟐. 𝟏𝟏 %
ƞe,i = =
ƞth 0.6199
Reference:
 Raja, A.K., A.P. Srivastava & M. Dwivedi (2006). New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers.
Problem 3: A six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine of 34 cm bore and 38 cm stroke gave the
following results during testing:
Rotational Speed, N: 350 rpm
Mean Effective Pressure, PMEP: 3.7 bar or 370 KPa
Mass of fuel, mF: 44 kg/h
Calorific Value, qF: 44,800 kJ/kg
Air-fuel ratio: 52:1
Mass of cooling water, mCW: 60 kg/min
Specific Heat of oil, cpo: 2.1 kJ/kg-K Required:
Cooling water entrance temperature, TCW1: 27 oC
Cooling water exit temperature, TCW2 : 68o C a. Draw the schematic diagram
Mass of piston oil, mO: 35 kg/min b. Tabulate the heat balance (kJ/min)
Piston oil entrance temperature, TO1: 32 oC
Piston oil exit temperature, TO2: 60 oC
Exhaust gas temperature, TEG: 190 oC
Ambient Temperature, TA: 20 oC
Specific Heat of dry exhaust gas, cpdg: 1.005 kJ/kg-K
Enthalpy of steam formed, ∆h: 2860 kJ/kg
Mechanical Efficiency, ƞ𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ : 63.6 %
Mass of steam formed per kg fuel: 1.26 kg
Reference:
 Nag, P.K. (2008). Power Plant Engineering 3rd Ed. Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.
Given:
A six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine ƞ𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ = 63.6 % ∆h𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 = 2860 kJ/kg
D x L = 34 cm x 38 cm qF = 44,800 kJ/kg TCW2 = 68 oC TEG = 190 oC
N = 350 rpm mA/mF = 52:1 mO = 35 kg/min TA = 20 oC
IMEP = 370 KPa mCW = 60 kg/min TO1 = 32 oC cpdg = 1.005 kJ/kg-K
mF = 44 kg/h TCW1 = 27 oC TO2 = 60 oC cpo = 2.1 kJ/kg-K

Air Filter Silencer

∆h𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚 = 2860 kJ/kg TEG = 190 oC
cpdg = 1.005 kJ/kg-K TA = 20 oC
mA/mF = 52:1 Diesel Engine: 6 cylinder
4-stroke, 34 cm x 38 cm TCW2 = 68 oC
Fuel Day Tank
IMEP: 370kPa, ƞ𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ : 63.6%
mF = 44 kg/h 350rpm
qF = 44,800 kJ/kg Injection Pump

TO2 = 60 oC TCW1 = 27 oC TO1 = 32 oC

mO = 35 kg/min
cpo = 2.1 kJ/kg-K Oil Tank mCW = 60 kg/min

Reference:
 Nag, P.K. (2008). Power Plant Engineering 3rd Ed. Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.
 Pbrake = Pind ƞmech= 13,403.63 kJ/min(0.636)
𝐐𝐞
𝐏𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐞 = 𝟖, 𝟓𝟐𝟒. 𝟕𝟏 𝐤𝐉/𝐦𝐢𝐧
𝐐𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 QCW = mCW Cp ∆TCW
𝐏𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐞 kg kJ
𝐐𝐅 QCW = 60 (4.186 ) 68 − 27 C
min kg−C

𝐐𝐂𝐖 𝐐𝐂𝐖 = 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟗𝟕. 𝟓𝟔 𝐤𝐉/𝐦𝐢𝐧

QO = mO Cp ∆TO
𝐐𝐎 kg kJ
QO = 35 (2.1 ) 60 − 32 C
min kg−C

Q F = mf q f 𝐐𝐎 = 𝟐, 𝟎𝟓𝟖 𝐤𝐉/𝐦𝐢𝐧
kg 1h kJ
QF = 44 x 44,800 QE = Qdg + Qv
h 60 min kg
𝐐𝐅 = 𝟑𝟐, 𝟖𝟓𝟑. 𝟑𝟑 𝐤𝐉/𝐦𝐢𝐧 Qdg = mdg Cp ∆Tdg
Pbrake = Pind ƞmech mg = ma + mf ma = 52 mf
Pind = Imep LANnc kg kg 1h
mg = 52 44 + 44 = 38.867 kg/min
h h 60min
π 350 rev
Pind = 370kPa 0.38m 0.34m 2 ( ) (6) kg 1h
4 2 min mv = 1.26mf = 1.26 44 𝑥 = 0.924 kg/min
h 60min
Pind = 13,403.63 kJ/min
mdg = mg − mv = 38.867 − 0.924 = 37.943 kg/min
 Qdg = mdg Cp ∆Tdg
kJ
Qdg = 37.943 kg/min (1.005 ) 190 − 20 C
kg−C
Qdg = 6,482.56 kJ/min
kJ
Qv = mv ∆hsteam = 0.924 kg/min (2860 )
kg
Qv = 2,642.64 kJ/min
QE = Qdg + Qv
QE = 6,482.56 kJ/min + 2,642.64 kJ/min
𝐐𝐄 = 𝟗, 𝟏𝟐𝟓. 𝟐 𝐤𝐉/𝐦𝐢𝐧
QF = 32,853.33 kJ/min
Pbrake = 8,524.71 kJ/min Ein = Eout
QCW = 10,297.56 kJ/min QF = Pbrake + QCW + QO + QE + Qloss

QO = 2,058 kJ/min Qloss = QF − Pbrake − QCW − QO − QE

mdg = 37.943 kg/min 𝐐𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 = 𝟐, 𝟖𝟒𝟕. 𝟖𝟔 𝐤𝐉/𝐦𝐢𝐧
mv = 0.924 kg/min
 QF = 32,853.33 kJ/min
Pbrake = 8,524.71 kJ/min
QCW = 10,297.56 kJ/min
QO = 2,058 kJ/min
QE = 9,125.2 kJ/min
Qloss = 2,847.86 kJ/min

EIN = 𝐐𝐅 = 𝟑𝟐, 𝟖𝟓𝟑. 𝟑𝟑 𝐤𝐉/𝐦𝐢𝐧

EOUT Percentage
Pbrake 8,524.71 kJ/min 25.95 %
QCW 10,297.56 kJ/min 31.34 %
QO 2,058 kJ/min 6.26 %
QE 9,125.2 kJ/min 27.78 %
Qloss 2,847.86 kJ/min 8.67 %