Faulty Diagrams

FAULTY DIAGRAMS
Faulty Diagrams
Please find following some examples for cylinder pressure diagrams which shows
some typical failures.
General:
C
F
H
A
G
E
A: Cylinder pressure axis ( scaling in Bar) only valid for green cylinder pressure curve
B: Crankshaft angle in
C: Derivative axis ( scaling 5 up to +5 Bar ) only valid for blue derivative curve
D: 0 Bar line of derivative axis
E:Cylinder pressure curve
F:Derivative curve ( pressure rising / falling from one measuring point to the next )
G: TDC line. This line shows where TDC position is recognised by the TDC sensor of
PREMET XL.
H: movable cursor ( value of reading are shown in info box on the right)
pcur = pressure of cursor ( bar)
acur = angle of cursor ( deg of crankshaft )
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LEHMANN & MICHELS GmbH & Co. KG Sales & Service Center Rellingen
Siemensstrae 9 25462 Rellingen Germany Tel + 49 4101 5880 - 0
Fax + 49 4101 5880 129 www.lemag.de lemag@lemag.de
FAULTY DIAGRAMS
Theoretical background:
Some considerations about the accuracy of power calculation for diesel engines by use of
electronically engine indicators
By Dr.-Ing. Otto-Christian Zeides, Head of Development Department, LEHMANN & MICHELS GmbH
& Co. KG, Hamburg
It is a common practice in ship operation to use indicators to measure the cylinder pressure of diesel
engines. The final aim is often to calculate the indicated power of each cylinder as well as the total
engine power derived from the measured cylinder pressures.
More and more the well known mechanical indicators are replaced by electronical indicators.
For both types of indicators the results gives reason for discussion between the user, the
manufacturer of the instruments as well as the engine maker.
This article was written to give an insight to the influences on the accuracy of power calculations using
electronic engine indicators. The experiences of the author presented here were gained during years
of development, operation and service of such kind of instruments. This for different companies and
institutions and on board of numerous ships, at power plants and engine test bed trials.
Basics
The basic of the power calculation through measuring the cylinder pressure is the formula (1) for the
work performed inside of the cylinder :
W = (p x dV)
With
(1)
W = work performed inside of the cylinder

P = pressure inside the combustion chamber
V = volume inside the combustion chamber
This we all know as the area inside the p/V diagram ( or banana curve ).
Simply to get the indicated work/power all we have to do is :

-
measure the pressure p inside the combustion chamber continuously,

measure the volume V of the combustion chamber at exact the same time,
build the integral of the product of both measured values for one working cycle.
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
Then we have the work performed inside of this cylinder for this working cycle.
On the way to calculate the indicated power as an intermediate step the so called mean indicated
pressure pmi or MIP is calculated.
The area W is the same as for an assumed constant pressure MIP over one working cycle :
MIP = 1/ Vh x (p x dV)
With
(2)
MIP = mean indicated pressure

Vh = full stroke volume
P = pressure inside the combustion chamber
V = volume inside the combustion chamber
Based on formula (2) the indicated power of the cylinder is calculated as :

Pi = MIP x n x Vh x c
With
(3)
MIP = mean indicated pressure

Vh = full stroke volume
n = revolution
c = constant ( depends on engineering units, stroke type )
Unfortunately the measurement of the cylinder pressure and the volume inside of a running engine on
board of a ship with easy to handle long lasting instruments is not a simple task compared to
measuring a pressure at room temperature for example.
Measurement of cylinder pressure on a running diesel engine

Because of the gas dynamics to have exact cylinder pressure readings it is necessary to measure
directly inside the combustion chamber. Today there are no sensors available that can be mounted
directly into the combustion chamber of an diesel engine on board a ship and last for a sufficient while.
Therefor compromises has to be found between existing cylinder pressure sensors, mounting
possibilities and accuracy of pressure measurement.
The usual way to measure cylinder pressure is to use an indicator pipe with indicator cock for transient
measurement.
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
This gas passage in turn has an influence on the accuracy of the pressure measurement at the
location where the sensor is mounted. The shape and amplitude of the pressure curve measured at
the indicator cock location can be somewhat different from the real pressure curve measured inside
the combustion chamber. On some engines we can observe piping waves. This is mainly affected by
the length and geometry of the gas passage and the speed of the engine.
There exist some investigations to compensate the influence of the gas passage onto the measured
cylinder pressure at indicator cock location.
For only measuring the peak pressure a tuned orifice inside the indicator pipe is installed from some
engine makers. This gives an peak pressure measured at indicator cock location comparable to the
peak pressure inside the combustion chamber. But the phase lag of the measured pressure curve and
moreover the shape of the pressure curve are different from the expected behaviour. This results in
great differences ( could be more then 50 % ! ) between the real and calculated indicated power.
Another solution is to measure the cylinder pressure inside and outside the combustion chamber
simultaneously and to find mathematical formulas describing the influence of the gas passage and
later to compensate for these influences. This has to be done at engine test bed at different load
conditions for each engine. But during the life of the engine especially running with heavy fuel oil there
exists changes to the geometry and how to predict this influences.
During one working cycle not only the pressure is changing periodically but also the temperature is
changing rapidly. The pressure sensors must be able to withstand the high temperatures as well as
the dynamic changing of pressure and temperature.
For best performance and short time measurements water cooled piezoelectric sensors are still the
reference. But they are too expensive and difficult to handle for use as routine instruments on board of
a ship.
Another thing to mention are the contents of the exhaust gases. High temperature corrosion, erosion
by abrasive parts and deposition/carbonisation can lead to reduced lifetime and lesser accuracy of the
sensors. Periodic checks of the accuracy of the whole pressure measurement chain are advisable.
With todays cylinder pressure sensors comparable results to water cooled sensors are possible with
some kind of reduced accuracy caused by thermal shocks. The influence on the accuracy of the
power calculation cant be predicted exactly because of so different engines and mounting situations.
The typical accuracy of cylinder pressure sensors over the temperature range are in the range of 1 to
2%. So the accuracy of the power calculation anyhow cant be better even if sometimes found in data
sheets or experienced during trials.
Volume measurement on a running diesel engine

To my knowledge there exists no practical measurement procedure for direct dynamical volume
measurement of the combustion chamber volume inside a running engine .
Therefor indirect measurement procedures have to be chosen.
From the mechanical indicator we know the indicator drive on some engines to perform measurement
of the banana curves. But these mechanical solutions doesnt exists on most of todays engines.
Today manufacturers of electronical indicators use different solutions for measuring the volume inside
of the combustion chamber :
a) The cheapest way is not to measure the volume at all. The measurement of the cylinder pressure
is performed at equidistant time stamps. After finishing the measurement a software is used to
extract a working cycle out of the measured cylinder pressures. During this process a cylinder
pressure curve is generated which assigns to each cylinder pressure the theoretical volume. After
that its possible to calculate the indicated power. Because this solution completely ignores the non
uniformity of the rotation of an diesel engine used on board a ship the results for the indicated
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
power are very poor. Simply speaking, the measured cylinder pressure doesnt belong to the
volume used for power calculation. Also a lot of information about the engine must be present to
find the exact top dead centre position for each cylinder.
b) One single pick up is used to mark the top dead centre position of one cylinder at the fly wheel of
the engine. This solution is also cheap and easy to install but gives uncertainty later during
analysis. The instrument is measuring the cylinder pressure at equidistant time stamps and also
the time needed for one revolution. Later on this time is divided into 360 or 720 steps and to each
step the nearest cylinder pressure is assigned. Theoretically we have a cylinder pressure curve
with a resolution of 1 or degree crank angle. But again we ignore the non uniformity of the
revolution of the engine. And also again we ignore that the engine is a dynamical system with a
certain length. If the pick up gives a signal on the fly wheel we assume that a particular cylinder is
at the calculated position according the firing order and the relation between the crank angle and
the connecting rod length and shaft diameter. From torsional vibration calculation we know that at
certain positions across the crank shaft we have at the same time different angular velocities. The
result of this is that even with exact firing order inserted in the instrument the pressure curves are
shifted in the crank angle axis ( exactly here this is only the time axis ). We see fluctuations of the
deviation of the indicated power between the different cylinders of an engine. But they are not real.
One strategy to counterfight this is to perform a top dead centre correction after the measurement
has taken place.
c) One single pick up is used to mark the top dead centre position of one cylinder at the fly wheel of
the engine and a second pick up is used to sense some more marks around the fly wheel at
equidistant positions, for example the teeths of the turning gear. This system is better suited to
follow the non uniformity of the revolution of the engine depending on the number of points.
Between the fixed points the system can interpolate non existing points to get a higher theoretical
resolution in crank angle. For good results the resolution in crank angle should be 1 degree or
better. Engines with only a few powerful cylinders like big two stroke main engines can give
problems when having too less fixed points. Also the accuracy of the fixed points has to be
considered. The problems with the long crank shaft and the dynamical behaviour are still valid.
d) A crank angle sensor with exactly 360 or more equidistant points is used to have a initially correct
crank angle measurement without compromises. This is more expensive compared to the other
solutions. Special solutions are necessary on engines with no free shaft end. The problems with
the long crank shaft and the dynamical behaviour are still valid but the initial errors are reduced
significantly compared to the other solutions.
Based on the mechanical dimensions of the crankshaft drive (stroke length or shaft diameter,
connecting rod length ) and the measured crankshaft angle it is possible to calculate the theoretical
position of each cylinder at any time by the following simplified formula :
x(
) = r x (1-cos
) + (r x r ) / (2 x l) x sin
x sin
With
(4)
= crank shaft angle

r = crank shaft radius or stroke / 2
l = connecting rod length
By knowing the diameter of the cylinder ( bore ) based on the previous calculated piston position the
theoretical volume of the combustion chamber of each cylinder at any time can be calculated.
Each volume has to be assigned to the appropriate measured cylinder pressure to get the exact MIP
and followed the exact indicated power Pi.
Special attention has to be paid to the exact top dead centre position of the measured pressure
curves. A deviation of 1 degree crank angle can lead to an error in indicated power calculation of up to
8 %.
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
Example of a comparison normal diagram with faulty indicator

cock diagram:
Blue diagram
Normal condition
3
1
Green diagram
Faulty indicator
cock
1:
pscav readings are very high. indicator cock is working as a non return valve and doesnt allow
pressure release into the combustion room totally.
2:
after reaching the Pmax the pressure goes down, but on a certain pressure range the indicator
cock is again working as a non return valve.
3:
The Pmax reading of the cylinder with faulty indicator cock is very low, because the internal
dynamic calibration of the PREMET during the measurement cant be done. All readings of the
PREMET are done in relation to the Pscav pressure. If the Pscav readings are wrong (causing
of the influence of faulty indicator cock / or wrong SETUP ) all other readings a faulty.
4: This diagram is the same engine but this cylinder has a normal working indicator cock.
Comments: To make sure that the measurements taken by the PREMET can be used as a diagnostic
tool
is essential that all indicator cocks in good conditions as well as all indicator pipes/ bores
are free of carbon.
All information which are taken from measurements done with faulty indicator cocks are
absolute useless. All calculation; MIP, Pind are wrong
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
Example of a comparision of measurements taken on one engine with injection

failures
1. normal condition
Start of burning
Max derivative reading
Above picture show the cylinder which works best on this engine. The cylinder pressure curve
(green)
shows normal condition as well as the derivative curve (blue) .
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
2. low injection
Max derivative after
start of burning
very low)
Start of burning
Above diagram show the same engine as before, but this cylinder shows a injection failure. From the
derivative curve you clearly see start of burning but later on the burn of fuel is poor.
The highness of the derivative curve after start of burning is very low.
As a rough information you can say, all cylinder must be working in the same range and the max.
derivative reading should not be more than 6 Bar/deg.
If this readings is higher than 6 Bar/deg it will stress the mechanical parts of the engine too much.
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
3. leaky injection nozzle

These kind of vibrations on
both curves indicates a leaky
injection nozzle
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
4. PREMET XL (MS fuel) system

Derivative curve
Injection pressure curve

(optional for PREMET )
Cylinder pressure curve
As a matter of fact, the best tool for analysing cylinder pressure diagram as well as injection pressure
is the system PREMET XL / MS+fuel).
With these system you have the best overview about your engine condition.
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FAULTY DIAGRAMS
Example of not proper working injection pump::
Start of injection
Injection presure is
falling rapidly (this
indicates a failure )
Example of leaky injection nozzle:
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Faulty Diagrams

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Faulty Diagrams

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FAULTY DIAGRAMS

W = work performed inside of the cylinder

Simply to get the indicated work/power all we have to do is :

measure the pressure p inside the combustion chamber continuously,

MIP = mean indicated pressure

Based on formula (2) the indicated power of the cylinder is calculated as :

MIP = mean indicated pressure

Measurement of cylinder pressure on a running diesel engine

Volume measurement on a running diesel engine

= crank shaft angle

Example of a comparison normal diagram with faulty indicator

Example of a comparision of measurements taken on one engine with injection

Max derivative reading

3. leaky injection nozzle

4. PREMET XL (MS fuel) system

Injection pressure curve

Cylinder pressure curve

Example of leaky injection nozzle:

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