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Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Performance of an Atkinson Cycle Engine

  • Research Article-Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

In this study, an Otto cycle engine was converted to the Atkinson cycle engine using the method of late intake valve closing and increasing the compression ratio. Firstly, the thermodynamic analysis was conducted. In the analysis, the variation of specific heats with temperature, heat losses, pumping, and mechanical friction losses was taken into account. In-cylinder pressure variations, torque, power, thermal efficiency and brake-specific fuel consumption variations with speed were obtained. For the experimental study, a new camshaft was designed and manufactured using a circular arc curve. The IVC timing of the Atkinson engine was delayed by a 20° crankshaft angle with respect to standard timing. The compression ratio was increased from 8.5 to 9.5. Tests were conducted at 1400–3400 rpm speed range at WOT. Experiments were conducted at three different operating conditions: Otto cycle for the standard engine, late closing of the intake valve at 20 ° CA at 8.5 compression ratio and late closing of the intake valve at 20 ° CA at 9.5 compression ratio. In the tests, the variation of torque, power, BSFC and thermal efficiency with speed were investigated. The results showed that torque, power, BSFC and thermal efficiency were improved with Atkinson CR9.5 operation compared to the standard Otto cycle operation at high speeds. It was obtained that the torque and power of the Atkinson CR9.5 cycle engine increased by 6.7% and the thermal efficiency increased by 12.8% at 3400 rpm speeds. In addition, BSFC of the Atkinson CR9.5 engine decreased by 12.7%.

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Abbreviations

BDC :

Bottom dead center

CA :

Crank angle

CR :

Compression ratio

EDM :

Electrical discharge machining

EVC :

Exhaust valve closing

EVO :

Exhaust valve opening

Exp. :

Experimental

IVC :

Intake valve closing

IVO :

Intake valve opening

LIVC :

Late intake valve closing

TDC :

Top dead center

WOT :

Wide open throttle

\(A\) :

Area of the piston (m2)

BSFC :

Brake-specific fuel consumption (g/kWh)

\(D\) :

Cylinder bore (m)

\(f_{c}\) :

The mass of fuel burned per cycle (kg)

\(h_{c}\) :

Coolant side convective heat transfer coefficient (W/m2K)

\(h_{g}\) :

Gas side convective heat transfer coefficient (W/m2K)

\(Hu\) :

Lower heating value (kJ/kg)

\(k_{c}\) :

Thermal conductivity of the cylinder (W/mK)

\(L_{b}\) :

Length of connecting rod (m)

\(L_{c}\) :

Piston stroke (m)

\(M_{e}\) :

Engine torque (Nm)

\(\dot{m}_{f}\) :

The mass flow rate of fuel (g/h)

\(n\) :

Engine speed (rpm)

\(n_{k}\) :

Polytropic exponent

\(\dot{Q}\) :

Heat transfer rate (W)

\(P\) :

Pressure (kPa)

\(P_{e}\) :

Output power (kW)

\(P_{m}\) :

Mean cycle pressure (kPa)

\(R_{c}\) :

Crank radius (m)

\(T\) :

Temperature (K)

\(U\) :

Average gas velocity in the cylinder (m/s)

\(V\) :

Volume (m3)

\(V_{s}\) :

Stroke volume (m3)

\(W\) :

Work (kJ)

\(X_{y}\) :

Percentage of fuel burned (%)

\(\eta_{t}\) :

Thermal efficiency (%)

\(\theta\) :

Crankshaft angle (°)

\(\theta_{0}\) :

The crank angle at the start of combustion (°)

\(\Delta \theta\) :

Combustion duration (°CA)

\(\Delta x\) :

Wall thickness of cylinder (m)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Automotive Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

    Can Cinar, Abdullah Onur Ozdemir & Tolga Topgül

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Halil Erdi Gulcan

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  1. Can Cinar
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  2. Abdullah Onur Ozdemir
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Correspondence to Can Cinar.

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Cinar, C., Ozdemir, A.O., Gulcan, H.E. et al. Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Performance of an Atkinson Cycle Engine. Arab J Sci Eng 46, 7841–7850 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-05595-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-05595-7

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