DIESEL POWER PLANT

ME Board Exam Problems

ME Board Exam – April 2003

Problem #14

An 850-kWh diesel generating unit has a generator efficiency of 90 percent. If the mass
of the fuel is 209 kilograms, then compute for the engine fuel rate.

Given:
Generator Output, Pgen = 850 kW-h
Generator Efficiency, gen = 90%
Mass of the fuel, mf = 209kilograms

Required:
Engine fuel rate = ?

Solution:
Generator Output = 850 kW-h

Brake Power Output = 850 kW-h / 0.90

= 944.44 kW-h

mf 209 kg.
Engine fuel-rate  
Pb 944.44 kW-h
kg
 0.2212
kW-h

ME Board Exam – October 2002

Problem #14

A single-acting, four cylinder, 4-stroke cycle diesel engine with a bore to stroke of 21.59
x 27.94 cm., operating at 275 rpm, consumes 8.189 kg/hr of fuel whose heating value is 43,961.4
kJ/kg. The indicated mean effective pressure is 475.7 kPa. The load on the brake arm, which is
93.98 cm is 113.4 kg. What is the brake arm mean effective pressure in kPa?
Given:
Bore Diameter, D = 21.59 cm.
Stroke Length, L = 27.94 cm.
Angular speed, N = 275 rpm
Number of cylinder, n = 4
Single acting, 4-stroke cycle
Mass flow rate of fuel, mf = 8.189 kg/hr
Heating value of fuel, Qh =43,961.4 kJ/kg
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure, Pim = 475.7 kPa
Length of brake arm, r = 93.98 cm
Load , F = 113.4 kg

Required:
Brake Mean Effective Pressure, Pbm , in kPa

Solution:

VD  piston volume displacement

   275 
    0.2159   0.2794     4
2

4  2  60 
m3
 0.09376
sec

Torque, T  F  r  113.4  0.00981  0.9394   1.045 kN-m

 275 
Brake Power  2 TN  2  1.045   
 60 
 30.09 kW
BrakePower
Brake mean effective pressure, Pbm 
VD
30.09

0.09376

 320.98 kPa
ME Board Exam – April 2002

Problem #6

A 20 cm x 35 cm diesel engine with 4 cylinders and operating on a four-stroke, has a

rated power of 160 kW and is running at 250 rpm. Find the volume displacement per brakepower
developed.

Given:
Bore Diameter, D = 20 cm.
Stroke Length, L = 35 cm.
Angular speed, N = 250 rpm
Number of cylinder, n = 4
4-stroke cycle
Rated power = 160 kW

Required:
Volume displacement per brakepower developed

Solution:

 2
VD  D LNn
4
  250 
  0.20   0.35     4
2

4  2 
m3
 5.498
min

VD 5.498
Volume displacement per brakepower, 
Pb 160
m3
 0.0344
min-kW
ME Board Exam – October 2001

Problem #17

A 25 cm x 38 cm cylinder, four-stroke and 4 cylinders engine running at 260 rpm. The

engine rate is 150 kW. Determine engine displacement per brakepower.

Given:
Bore Diameter, D = 25 cm.
Stroke Length, L = 38 cm.
Angular speed, N = 260 rpm
Number of cylinder, n = 4
4-stroke cycle
Rated power = 150 kW

Required:
Engine displacement per brakepower

Solution:

 2
VD  D LNn
4
  260 
  0.25   0.38     4
2

4  2  60 
m3
 0.16166
sec

VD 0.16166
Volume displacement per brakepower, 
Pb 150
m3
 0.001
sec-kW
ME Board Exam – April 1999

Problem #46

An engine burns a liter of fuel each 12 minutes. The fuel has specific gravity of 0.8 and a
heating value of 45 MJ/kg. The engine has an efficiency of 25%. What is the brake horsepower
of the engine?

Given:
Fuel volumetric flow rate = 1 liter per 12 minutes
Heating value of fuel, Qh = 45 MJ/kg
Brake thermal efficiency, tb = 25%

Required:
Engine brake horsepower, Pb

Solution:
Brake Power
Brake Thermal Efficiency,tb 
mf Qh
Brake Power  m f  Q h  Brake Thermal Efficiency
Solving for mass of fuel, m f
1 liter 1 min 1kg
mf     0.8
12 min 60 sec liter
kg
 1.111103
sec
Brake Power   1.111103   45 106   0.25 
1 Hp
 1248.5 watts 
746 watts
 16.7 Hp

ME Board Exam – October 1997

Problem #19

In a double-acting, 2 stroke compression ignition engine, 8-cylinder, the diameter of the

cylinder is 700 mm, stroke 1350 mm and the piston rod diameter is 250 mm. When running at
108 rpm, the indicated mean effective pressures above and below the pistons are 5.8 bar and 4.9
bar respectively. Calculate the brake power of the engine with a mechanical efficiency of 80% in
kilowatts.
Given:
Bore Diameter, D = 700 mm = 0.70 m, Stroke Length, L = 1350 mm = 1.35 m
Angular speed, N = 250 rpm, Number of cylinder, n = 8, 2-stroke, double-acting
Indicated mean effective pressure, Pmi = 5.8 bar (above the pistons)
Indicated mean effective pressure, Pmi = 4.9 bar (above the pistons)
Mechanical efficiency, m = 80%
Required:
Engine brakepower, Pb

Solution:
Solving for the indicated power at the head end (above the piston)

VD1  D 2 LNn
4
  108 
  0.70   1.35     8
2

4  60 
m3
 7.481
sec
Indicated Power above piston  Pmi  VD1
 kN 2 
 100 kPa   1 m   7.481 m 
3
 5.8 bar    
 1 bar   1 kPa   sec 
 
 4,339 kW
Solving for the indicated power at crank end (below the piston)

VD2   D 2  d 2  LNn
4
  108 
  0.70    0.25    1.35     8
2 2

4    60 
m3
 6.527
sec
Indicated Power below the piston  Pmi  VD2
 kN 2 
 100 kPa   1 m   7.481 m 
3
 4.9 bar    
 1 bar   1 kPa   sec 
 
 3,198 kW
Total Indicated Power  4,339 kW  3,198 kW
 7,537 kW
Brake Power  7,537 kW m  7,537 kW  0.80
 6, 030 kW
ME Board Exam – April 1997

Problem #5

A six cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine with 76 mm bore x 89 mm stroke was run in the
laboratory at 2000 rpm, when it was found that the engine torque was 153.5 N-m with all the
cylinders firing but 123 N-m when one cylinder was out. The engine consumed 12.2 kg of fuel
per hour with a heating value of 54,120 kJ/kg and 252.2 kg of air at 15.6C per hour. Determine
the indicated power.

Given:
Bore, D = 76 mm dia.
Stroke, L = 89 mm.
Speed, N = 2000 rpm
Torque, T6 = 153.5 N-m = 0.1535 kN-m (all cylinders firing)
Torque, T5 = 123 N-m = 0.123 kN-m (one cylinder out)
Fuel consumption, mf = 12.2 kg./hr
Air consumption, ma= 252.2 kg./hr at 15.6C
Heating value of fuel, Qh = 54,120 kJ/kg

Required:
Indicated Power, Pind ?

Solution:
Indicated Power = Brake Power + Friction Power
Pind = Pb + Pf
Solving for Pb and Pf :

2 TN
Pb 
60
2  0.1535   2000 

60
 32.15 kW

  5  2  0.123  2000  
Pf  32.15       6
 6 60 
 6.19 kW

Pind  Pb  Pf
 32.15 kW  6.19 kW
 38.34 kW
ME Board Exam – April 1996

Problem #2

A single-acting, four cylinder, 4-stroke cycle diesel engine with a bore to stroke of 21.59
x 27.94 cm, operating at 275 rpm, consumes 8.189 kg/hr of fuel whose heating value is 43,961.4
kJ/kg. The indicated mean effective pressure is 475.7 kPa. The load on the brake arm, which is
93.98 cm is 113.4 kg. What is the brake arm mean effective pressure in kPa?

Given:
Bore Diameter, D = 21.59 cm = 0.2159 m, Stroke Length, L = 27.94 cm = 0.2794 m
Angular speed, N = 275 rpm, Number of cylinder, n = 4, 4-stroke, single-acting
Fuel heating value, Qh = 43,961.4 kJ/kg , mass flow rate of fuel, mf =8.189 kg/hr
Indicated mean effective pressure, Pmi = 475.7 kPa
Brake arm length = 93.98 cm = 0.9398 m , Brake arm load = 113.4 kg.
Required:
Brake mean effective pressure, Pmi

Solution:

VD  piston volume displacement

 2
 D LNn
4
   275 
    0.2159   0.2794     4
2

4  2  60 
m3
 0.09376
sec

T  Torque  113.4  0.00981  0.9394   1.045 kN-m

 275 
Brake Power  2 TN  2  1.045   
 60 
 30 kW
BrakePower
Brake mean effective pressure, Pbm 
VD
30

0.09376

 319.97 kPa
ME Board Exam – October 1995

Problem #35

A diesel electric plant supplies energy for Meralco. During a 24-hour period, the plant
consumed 200 gallons of fuel at 28C and produced 3930 kW-h. Industrial fuel used is 28API
and was purchased at P 5.50 per liter at 15.6C. What should the cost of fuel be to produce one
kW-h?
Given:

Required:
Cost of fuel to produce one kW-h

Solution:

Solving for density at 15.6o C :

o 141.5
API   131.5
S.G.15.6
141.5
28   131.5
S.G.15.6
S.G.15.6  0.887
kg
Density at 15.6o C  0.887  1  0.887
li
Solving for density at 28o C :
S.G.t  S.G.15.6 1  0.0007  t  15.6  
S.G.28  0.887 1  0.0007  28  15.6  
S.G.28  0.879
kg
Density at 28o C  0.879  1  0.879
li
P 5.50
Pr ice per kg   P 6.20 per kg.
0.887
200 gal 3.7854 li 0.879 kg P 6.20
Cost per kW-h    
3930 kW-h gal li kg
 P1.05 per kW-h