Example Problems in Engine Performance Parameters
Fuel Equivalent Power
1. A fuel has a heating value of 30 MJ/kg. If it is consumed at a rate of 0.5 kg/s,
what is the fuel equivalent power?
Given:
HV = 30 MJ/kg
m = 0.5 kg/s
Required:
Fuel Equivalent Power
Solution:
MJ kg
Pfe=HV x m=30 x 0.5 =15 MW
kg s
2. For a specific fuel with a heating value of 42,000 kJ/kg, if it is being consumed
at a rate of 0.3 kg/s, what is the fuel equivalent power?
Given:
HV = 42,000 kJ/kg
m = 0.3 kg/s
Required:
Pfe
Solution:
kJ kg
Pfe=HV x m=42,000 x 0.3 =12600 kW
kg s
3. Gasoline has an energy content of 33.6 MJ/li. If an engine’s conversion
efficiency is 25%, what is the Fuel Equivalent Power (Pfe) of gasoline in
kilowatts (kW) for an engine that consumes 10 liters of gasoline per hour?
Given:
Fuel type = Gasoline
HV = 33.6 MJ/li
Conversion efficiency = 25%
m = 10 li/hr
Required:
Pfe
Solution:
MJ li MJ 1 hr 1 W
Pfe=HV x m x conversion eff .=33.6 x 10 x 0.25=84 x x =23.33 kW
li hr hr 3600 s J
1
s
4. Natural gas has an energy content of 38 MJ/m3. If a natural gas power plant
has an efficiency of 30%, what is the Fuel Equivalent Power (Pfe) of natural
gas in Gigawatts (GW) for a power plant that consumes 5000 cubic meters of
natural gas per hour?
Given:
Fuel type = Natural gas
HV = 38 MJ/m3
Eff = 30%
m = 5000 m3/hr
Required:
Pfe
Solution:
3 6
MJ m 10 1 G
Pfe=HV x m x Eff =38 3
x 5000 x 0.30 x x =57 GW
m hr 1 M 109
Air-Fuel Ratio
1. Calculate the air-fuel ratio (A/F) for the given masses of air and fuel.
Mass of air = 30 kg
Mass of fuel = 2kg
Given:
Mair = 30 kg
Mfuel = 2 kg
Required:
A/F
Solution:
A 30 kg
= =1 5
F 2 kg
2. Calculate the mass of fuel (Mfuel) required if the Air-fuel ratio is 15 and the
mass of air is 25 kg.
Given:
A/F = 15
Mair = 25 kg
Required:
Mfuel
Solution:
A Mair 25 kg
= = =15
F Mfuel Mfuel
25
Mfuel= =1.67 kg
15
3. Calculate the mass of air (Mair) and mass of fuel (Mfuel) in the mixture when
A/F is 20 and Total mass of mixture (Mtotal) = 15 kg
Given:
A/F = 20
Total mass = 15 kg
Required:
Mass of air (Mair)
Solution:
A Mair
=
F Mfuel
A Mfuel Mair Mfuel
+ = +
F Mfuel Mfuel Mfuel
A Mair + Mfuel
+1=
F Mfuel
A Total mass
+1=
F Mfuel
Total mass
Mfuel=
A
+1
F
15 15
Mfuel= = =0.714 kg
20+1 21
Mair=Mtotal−Mfuel=15−0.714=14.286 kg
4. Calculate the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the complete combustion of
gasoline, assuming it is composed of pure octane (C8H18).
Given:
Fuel type: gasoline
x=8
y = 18
z=0
ϕ=1
Required:
A/F
y z
137.3 (x+ − )
A 4 2
=
F ϕ (12 x+ y +16 z )
18
137.3 (8+ )
A 4
=
F 1¿¿
Indicated Horsepower (IHP)
1. A reciprocating 2-stroke engine has a cylinder with a bore of 0.1 meters and a
stroke of 0.15 meters. The engine operates at a pressure of 8 bar during the
combustion cycle. Calculate the indicated horsepower (IHP) for this engine
assuming that the engine operates at 2000 rpm.
Solution:
Given:
Type of engine = 2 stroke
100 cm
Bore, d = 0.1 meters = 0.1 m x =10 cm
1m
Stroke, l = 0.15 meters = 15 cm
14.5038 psi
IMEP, P = 8 bar = 8 x̄
1 ¯¿=116.03 psi ¿
N = 2000 rpm
Number of cylinder, n = 1
Required:
IHP
Solution:
IHP=P x L x A x N x n
2
lb π (10 cm)
IHP=116.03 2
x 15 cm x 1∈ ¿ x x ¿¿¿
in 2.54 cm 4
−lb 1hp
IHP=16683235.42869∈ x
min 33,000 ft−lb/min
IHP=¿ 42.13hp
2. An internal combustion 2-stroke engine operates at a compression ratio of
10:1 and has a total volume of 500 cm3. The engine operates at a pressure of
10 atm during the combustion cycle. Calculate the indicated horsepower
(IHP) for this engine if the engine speed is 2500 rpm.
Given:
Engine type = 2 stroke
Compression ratio, cr = 10:1
Cylinder volume = 500 cm3
14.70 psi 2
P = 10 atm = 10 atm x =147 lb /i n
1 atm
N = 2500 rpm
Required:
IHP
Solution:
IHP=Px L x A x N x n
Note that:
Total Volume
Compressio Ratio=
ClearanceVolume
3
500 c m
10= ; cv =50 c m3
cv
3
PD=TV −CV ; PD=550−50; PD=450 c m
IHP=P x L x A x N x n
Note that A x L = PD
lb 3
IHP=P x PD x N x n=147 2
x 450 c m x ¿ ¿
in
3. A two-stroke engine has a cylinder with a bore of 0.08 meters and a stroke of
0.1 meters. The engine operates at a pressure of 12 bar during the
combustion cycle. Calculate the indicated horsepower (IHP) for this engine
assuming the engine operates at 3000 RPM.
Given:
Engine = 2 stroke
Bore = 0.08 m = 8 cm
Stroke = 10 cm
14.5038 psi
P = 12 bar = 12 x̄
1 ¯¿ =174.0456 psi ¿
N = 3000 rpm
Required:
IHP (indicated horsepower)
Solution:
2
lb π ( 8 cm )
IHP=P x L x A x N x n=174.0456 2
x 10 cm x 1∈ ¿ x x ¿¿¿
in 2.54 cm 4
4. You are analyzing a 4-stroke internal combustion engine with the following
specifications:
Bore = 0.12 meters
Stroke = 0.15 meters
Compression Ratio = 12:1
Total volume = 600 cm3
The engine operates at a pressure of 14 bar during the combustion cycle
Engine speed = 2500 rpm
Calculate the indicated horsepower (IHP) for this 4-stroke engine.
Given:
Bore = 0.12 m = 12 cm
Stroke = 15 cm
CR = 12:1
Total volume = 600 cm3
14.5038 psi
14 x̄
P = 14 bar = lb
1 ¯¿=203.0532 2 ¿
in
N = 2500 rpm
Required:
IHP
Solution:
2
lb π ( 12 cm )
IHP=P x L x A x N x n=203.0532 2
x 15 cm x 1∈ ¿ x x¿¿¿
in 2.54 cm 4
IHP=66.35 hp
Brake Horsepower (BHP)
1. Calculate the Brake Horsepower (BHP) using the given indicated horsepower
which is 150 hp and mechanical efficiency of 90%.
Given:
Indicated Horsepower (IHP) = 150 hp
Mechanical efficiency = 90%
Required:
BHP
Solution:
IHP 150 hp
BHP= = =166.67 hp
Efficiency 0.90
2. Calculate the Brake Horsepower (BHP) using the provided torque and engine
speed.
Torque produced by the engine (Torque) = 300 lb-ft
Engine speed (rpm) = 4000 rpm
Given:
Torque = 300 ft-lb
N = 400 rpm
Required:
BHP
Solution:
4000 rev 1 hp 2π
BHP=Torque x N =300 ft−lb x x x
min 33,000 ft−lb /min 1 rev
BHP=228.48 hp
3. Calculate the Indicated Horsepower (IHP) using the provided Brake
Horsepower and Frictional Horsepower.
Brake Horsepower (BHP)=200 hp
Frictional Horsepower (FHP) = 25 hp
Given:
BHP = 200 hp
FHP = 25 hp
Required:
IHP
Solution:
BHP = IHP + FHP
IHP=BHP−FHP=200−25=175 hp
Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP)
1. Calculate the Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) for the given engine.
Brake Horsepower (BHP)=200 hp
Stroke = 0.3 meters
Area of the piston (A)=0.01 m2
N = 2500 rpm
n=4
Given:
BHP = 200 hp
l = 0.3 m
A = 0.01 m2
n=4
N = 2500 rpm
Required:
BMEP
Solution:
33000 ft−lb/min
200 hp x
BHP 1 hp lb
BMEP= = =24937.97 2
( )
LANn rev 3.28 ft
3
in
0.3 m x 0.01 m2 x 2500 x4x
min 1m
Mechanical Efficiency
1. Calculate the mechanical efficiency of the engine using the provided values.
Indicated Horsepower = 180 hp
Brake Horsepower = 160 hp
Solution:
160
Meff = =0.89=89 %
180
2. Calculate the indicated horsepower (IHP) if the mechanical efficiency is 85%
and Brake Horsepower (BHP) = 200 hp.
Solution:
BHP 200
Meff = =0.85=
IHP IHP
200
IHP= =235.294 hp
0.85
Volumetric Efficiency
1. Calculate the volumetric efficiency for the given values.
Vactual = 2000 cm3
Vtheoretical = 2500 cm3
Solution:
Vactual 2000
VE= x 100= x 100=80 %
Vtheoretical 2500
2. Calculate the theoretical maximum volume the cylinder could hold at
atmospheric pressure for the given volumetric efficiency.
VE =85%
Vactual = 1800 cm3
Solution:
3
Vactual 1800 c m
VE= =0.85=
Vtheoretical Vtheoretical
Specific Fuel Consumption
1. Calculate the SFC for the given values:
Fuel consumption = 50 li/hr
Brake power output (BHP) = 100 kW
Solution:
li
50
FC hr
SFC= = =0.5 kW −li /hr
BHP 100 kW
Thermal Efficiency
1. Calculate the Thermal Efficiency for the given values:
Brake horsepower = 200 hp
Heat input from fuel per seconds = 600,000 Kj
Solution:
746 W 1 J /s
200 hp x x
Useful Work BHP 1 hp 1W
Eff = fuel ¿= Fuel ¿= =0.025 %
Heat input ¿ Heat Input ¿ 600,000 x 1000 J /s