Lecture No 4

Diesel
Electric
power

Introduction to Diesel Power Station

Introduction:
A generating station in which diesel engine is
used as the prime mover for the generation of
electrical energy is known as diesel power station.
A Diesel power station (also known as Stand-by
power station) uses a diesel engine as prime
mover for the generation of electrical energy.
This power station is generally compact and thus
can be located where it is actually required.
This kind of power station can be used to produce
limited amounts of electrical energy.
In most countries these power stations are used as
emergency supply stations.

Operation:
The diesel burns inside the engine and the
combustion process causes rotational mechanical
energy that turns the engine shaft and drives the
alternator.
The alternator in turn, converts mechanical energy
into electrical energy.
This type of electricity generating power station will
probably be used a long time into the future, due to
a need for reliable stand-by electrical source for
emergency situations.
However, diesel power plants emit green house
gases that pollute the environment and also require
frequent servicing.

Cont:
The diesel engine has the highest thermal
efficiency of any regular internal or external
combustion engine due to its very high
compression ratio.
Low-speed Diesel engines (as used in ships
and other applications where overall engine
weight is relatively un important) often have a
thermal efficiency which exceeds 50 percent.
Diesel engines are manufactured in two stroke
and four stroke versions. Use in locomotives,
trucks, heavy equipment and electric
generating plants

Main components of Diesel

Electric Plant
The essential components of Diesel
electric power plants are:
1.Engine
2.Engine fuel system
3.Engin air intake system
4.Engine exhaust system
5.Engine cooling system
6.Engine lubrication system
7.Engine starting system

Engine, Engine fuel, and air intake system

1.This is main component of the plant which

develops power. generally engine is
coupled directly to the generator.
2. This includes fuel storage tank, fuel
transfer pumps, and connecting pipe work.
fuel transfer pumps are required to transfer
fuel from delivery point to storage tanks
and from storage to engine through filters
3.This include air filters and ducts .filter
remove the dust from the air to be supplied
to the engine

Two stroke 2nd largest Diesel Engine in

the world
Total engine weight: 2300
tons (The crankshaft
alone weighs 300 tons.)
Maximum power:
108,920 hp at 102 rpm

Stroke cycle
The complete cycle of operation is
performed in four strokes or two
revolution of the engine. The four
strokes are:
1.Suction stroke
2.Compression stroke
3.expantion(power) stroke
4. Exhaust stroke

1.Suction
Intake
stroke

During the intake stroke, the

piston moves downward,
drawing a fresh charge of
vaporized fuel/air mixture.
The illustrated engine
features apoppetintake
valve which is drawn open by
the vacuum produced by the
intake stroke. Some early
engines worked this way;
however, most modern
engines incorporate an extra
cam/lifter arrangement as
seen on the exhaust valve.
The exhaust valve is held

2.Compression stroke

Compression
As the piston rises,
the poppet valve is
forced shut by the
increased cylinder
pressure. Flywheel
momentum drives
the piston upward,
compressing the
fuel/air mixture

3.expantion(power) stroke

Power
At the top of the
compression
stroke, the spark
plug fires,
igniting the
compressed fuel.
As the fuel burns
it expands,

4. Exhaust stroke

Exhaust
At the bottom of the
power stroke, the
exhaust valve is
opened by the
cam/lifter
mechanism. The
upward stroke of the
piston drives the
exhausted fuel out of
the cylinder.

Pressure/volume diagram of air

standard cycle

Compression pvn =
constant
Expansion pvn =
constant

The diesel cycle analysis shows that the

efficiency increases as the compression
ratio is increased, but reduces slightly
as the load ratio is increased.
However, increasing the compression
ratio has a diminishing effect on
increasing the ideal cycle efficiency,
and that for a practical engine, there
are no benefits in increasing the
compression ratio above approximately
20:l.

This is true because increases in frictional

losses (associated with the higher pressures)
and increases in heat transfer (because of
the higher temperatures and pressures, and
the adverse surface-area-to-volume ratio)
outweigh any gains in the ideal cycle
efficiency. Combustion is initiated by selfignition of the fuel (hence the term
compression ignition engines), and the main
requirement of the fuel is that it is sensible to
self-ignition.

Engine output
Thermal efficiency = 859.85 x kw (indicated power)
Wt. of fuel(kg) x heat /unit wt. of
fuel/hour(kg)

Brake Power (kw) = indicated power (kw) losses (kw)

B.Ther.Effic =

859.85 x kw (Break power)

Wt of fuel(kg) x heat /unit wt of

fuel/hour(kg)
Mechanical effic: =

Break power
indicated power

1 kw = 859.85kcal/h

Pump-Line-Injector (PLI) Systems

In-line fuel-injection pumps have one pump element for
each engine cylinder. These are arranged in a row. The
camshaft of the in-line fuel-injection pump is driven by
the gear wheels or chains of the combustion engine.
The in-line fuel-injection pump runs at half the speed of
the engine and always synchronously to the piston
movements of the diesel engine. The fuel reaches the
nozzle-holder assemblies with the injection nozzles via
high-pressure lines.

 The most important part of the fuel injector is the nozzle. The nozzle has a
needle that closes under a spring load when it is not spraying. Although less
prone to blockage, open (needleless) nozzles are not used because they
dribble. When an injector dribbles, combustion deposits build up on the
injector, and the engine exhaust is likely to become smoky. The needleopening and needle-closing pressures are determined by the spring load and
the projected area of the needle. The pressure to open the needle is greater
than that required to maintain it in an open position, because in the closed
position, the projected area of the needle is reduced by the seat contact
area. A high needle-closing pressure is desirable because it maintains a high
seat pressure, thereby giving a better seal. This also is desirable because it
keeps the nozzle holes free from blockages caused by decomposition of
leaked fuel.

Turbocharging
A turbocharger, or turbo, is a centrifugal compressor powered by a
turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies
with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine
(forced induction), thereby resulting in greater performance (for
either, or both, power and efficiency). They are popularly used with
internal combustion engines (e.g., four-stroke engines like Otto
cycles and Diesel cycles).

Example 2.14. A diesel power station

has fuel consumption of 028 kg per
kWh, the calorific
value of fuel being 10,000 kcal/kg.
Determine :
(i) the overall efficiency,
(ii) efficiency of the
engine if alternator efficiency is 95%.

solution
Heat produced by 028 kg of oil = 10,000 x 028 =
2800 kcal
Heat equivalent of 1 kWh = 860 kcal
Overall efficiency = Electrical output in heat units
Heat of combustion
= 860/2800 = 0307 = 307%
Engine efficiency = Overall efficiency
Alternator efficiency

30. 7
0. 95
=

323%

Example 2.15. A diesel power station

has the following data :
Fuel consumption/day = 1000 kg
Units generated/day = 4000 kWh
Calorific value of fuel = 10,000 kcal/kg
Alternator efficiency = 96%
Engine mech. efficiency = 95%
Estimate (i) specific fuel consumption,
(ii) overall efficiency, and
(iii) thermal efficiency of engine.

solution