Given certain parameters, find the percentage of energy that becomes

  • Thread starter Thread starter dboozer
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Energy Parameters
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the percentage of energy converted into various forms from the fuel energy entering an engine, given specific efficiencies and heat losses. The scope includes homework-related problem-solving and energy balance concepts in thermodynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant states the brake fuel conversion efficiency is 0.3, mechanical efficiency is 0.8, and combustion efficiency is 0.94, leading to a total fuel energy input of 190 kW.
  • Another participant suggests an energy balance approach, indicating that energy coming in equals energy going out in various forms, including friction and heat losses.
  • A participant provides definitions for mechanical efficiency, fuel conversion efficiency, and volumetric efficiency, highlighting their relevance to the problem.
  • One participant calculates that 6% of the energy is lost as exhaust chemical energy, resulting in 178.6 kW delivered to the engine, with further breakdowns into brake work, friction work, heat losses, and exhaust energy types.
  • Another participant questions the clarity of the problem regarding the conversion of power values (kW) to work (J) and points out potential mistakes in the calculations for brake power and friction power, suggesting different values based on definitions of efficiencies.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the calculations of brake power and friction power, indicating that there is no consensus on the correct values or methods to arrive at them. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the accuracy of the calculations presented.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note confusion regarding the conversion of power values to work and highlight potential errors in earlier calculations without reaching a definitive resolution on these points.

dboozer
Messages
12
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


The brake fuel conversion efficiency of an egine is 0.3. The mechanical efficiency is 0.8. The combustion efficiency is 0.94. The heat losses to the coolant and oil are 60 kW. The fuel chemical energy entering the engine per unit time, (m_f * Q_HV), is 190 kW. What percentage of this energy becomes
Brake work
Friction work
Heat losses
Exhaust chemical energy
Exhaust sensible energy

Homework Equations


?

The Attempt at a Solution


I don't know how to start this problem.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
energy balance...energy coming in is equal to all the energy going out in various forms...friction, transferred to coolant, potential energy left in the fuel because the system did not get to burn it, etc

hope this helps a bit
 
Thanks for the help gsal. Your post gave me some ideas, especially the bit about the energy left in the unburned fuel... I'm amazed something as simple as energy balance escaped me.

I looked up some definitions to see if they'd help.

Mechanical Efficiency: Ratio of useful power delivered per cycle to the indicated power per cycle

The gross indicated power per cycle (Pig) is the power delivered to the piston during the compression and expansion strokes only.

[itex]\eta_m = \frac{P_b}{P_{ig}}=1-\frac{P_f}{P_{ig}}[/itex]

Fuel Conversion Efficiency: Ratio of work produced per cycle to the amount of fuel energy supplied.

[itex]\eta_f = \frac{P}{\dot{m_f}Q_{HV}}[/itex]

Volumetric Efficiency
Volume flow-rate of air into the intake system divided by the rate at which volume is displaced by the piston

[itex]\eta_v = \frac{m_{air}}{\rho_{air}V_d}[/itex]

if ρair is the atmospheric air density, then the volumetric efficiency is the pumping performance of the entire system

if ρair is the air density at the inlet manifold, then the volumetric efficiency is the pumping performance of the inlet port and valve only.
 
Last edited:
Since the combustion efficiency is 0.94 and the energy content of the fuel entering the engine is 190kW, 6% of this energy (11.4 kW) is lost as exhaust chemical energy.

This means that 178.6 kW of fuel energy is delivered to the engine per cycle.

Of this 178.6 kW, 60 kW are lost to the coolant and oil. Only 118.6 kW remain.

Since the brake fuel conversion is 0.3, only 30% of the remaining energy (35.58 kW) is converted to work by the engine. The rest of the energy is used to increase the temperature (83.02 kW is sensible energy).

80% (28.464 kW) of this power is useful, and the remaining 7.116 kW is lost to friction.

Thus
Brake Work = 28.464 kW
Friction Work = 7.116 kW
Heat losses = 60 kW
Exhaust Chemical Energy = 11.4 kW
Exhaust Sensible Energy = 83.02 kW

TOTAL = 28.464 + 7.116 + 60 + 11.4 + 83.02 = 190 kW

To answer the question,
Brake Work = 14.98%
Friction Work = 3.75%
Heat Losses = 31.58%
Exhaust Chemical Energy = 6%
Exhaust Sensible Energy = 43.69%

TOTAL = 100%
 
Last edited:
Nicely done.
 
The fact that the question ask us to find in terms of work is very confusing,given that the fuel energy is given in terms of kW i.e (rate of flow of fuel*heating value of fuel)
Does anyone know how to arrive at work(J) from the power values(kW)?

Also,there is a mistake in the calculations for brake power and friction power.
By definition:
Fuel conversion efficiency(0.3)= Brake power(P_b)/fuel chemical energy(190kW)
=>P_b=57kW

Mechanical efficiency= Brake power(P_b)/Indicated power(P_i)
=>P_i=71.25kW

P_f=14.25kWand therefore, sensible exhaust energy loss=118.6kW-71.25kW=47.35kW

adding up,=190kW
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 44 ·
2
Replies
44
Views
8K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
7K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K