TURNING MOMENT DIAGRAMS

AND FLYWHEEL
CONTENT
 Introduction.
 Turning Moment Diagram for a Single Cylinder, Double
Acting Steam, Engine. Four Stroke Cycle Internal
Combustion Engine and for a Multicylinder Engine.
 Fluctuation of Energy.

 Determination of Maximum Fluctuation of Energy.

 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Energy.

 Flywheel.

 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Speed.

 Energy Stored in a Flywheel.

 Dimensions of the Flywheel Rim.

 Flywheel in Punching Press.

TURNING MOMENT DIAGRAM FOR A SINGLE
CYLINDER DOUBLE ACTING STEAM ENGINE
 When the turning moment is positive (i.e. when the
engine torque is more than the mean resisting torque)
as shown between points B and C (or D and E) in Fig.,
the crankshaft accelerates and the work is done by
the steam.
 When the turning moment is negative (i.e. when the
engine torque is less than the mean resisting torque)
as shown between points C and D in Fig., the
crankshaft retards and the work is done on the steam.
 If T = Torque on the crankshaft at any instant, and
Tmean = Mean resisting torque.
 Then accelerating torque on the rotating parts of the
engine
= T – Tmean
 If (T –Tmean) is positive, the flywheel accelerates.
 if (T – Tmean) is negative, then the flywheel retards.
TURNING MOMENT DIAGRAM FOR A FOUR
STROKE CYCLE INTERNAL COMBUSTION
ENGINE
TURNING MOMENT DIAGRAM FOR A
MULTI-CYLINDER ENGINE
FLUCTUATION OF ENERGY
 The fluctuation of energy may be determined by
the turning moment diagram for one complete
cycle of operation
 The mean resisting torque line AF cuts the turning moment diagram
at points B, C, D and E. When the crank moves from a to p, the work
done by the engine is equal to the area aBp, whereas the energy
required is represented by the area aABp.
 In other words, the engine has done less work (equal to the area a
AB) than the requirement. This amount of energy is taken from the
flywheel and hence the speed of the flywheel decreases. Now the
crank moves from p to q, the work done by the engine is equal to the
area pBbCq, whereas the requirement of energy is represented by the
area pBCq. Therefore, the engine has done more work than the
requirement. This excess work (equal to the area BbC) is stored in the
flywheel and hence the speed of the flywheel increases while the crank
moves from p to q.
 Similarly, when the crank moves from q to r, more work is taken
from the engine than is developed. This loss of work is
represented by the area C c D. To supply this loss, the flywheel
gives up some of its energy and thus the speed decreases while
the crank moves from q to r. As the crank moves from r to s,
excess energy is again developed given by the area D d E and the
speed again increases. As the piston moves from s to e, again
there is a loss of work and the speed decreases. The variations of
energy above and below the mean resisting torque line are called
fluctuations ofenergy.
 The areas BbC, CcD, DdE, etc. represent fluctuations of energy
 A little consideration will show that the engine
has a maximum speed either at q or at s. This is
due to the fact that the flywheel absorbs energy
while the crank moves from p to q and from r to s.
 On the other hand, the engine has a minimum
speed either at p or at r. The reason is that the
flywheel gives out some of its energy when the
crank moves from a to p and q to r.
 The difference between the maximum and
the minimum energies is known as
maximum fluctuation of energy.
DETERMINATION OF MAXIMUM
FLUCTUATION OF ENERGY
 Turning moment diagram for a multi-cylinder
engine is shown by a wavy curve in Fig.
 The horizontal line AG represents the mean
torque line.
 Let a1, a3, a5 be the areas above the mean
torque line and a2, a4 and a6 be the areas below
the mean torque line. These areas represent
some quantity of energy which is either added or
subtracted from the energy of the moving parts of
the engine.
 Let the energy in the flywheel at A = E, then from Fig. we have
 Energy at B = E + a1
 Energy at C = E + a1– a2
 Energy at D = E + a1 – a2 + a3
 Energy at E = E + a1 – a2 + a3 – a4
 Energy at F = E + a1 – a2 + a3 – a4 + a5
 Energy at G = E + a1 – a2 + a3 – a4 + a5 – a6 = Energy at A (i.e.
cycle repeats after G)
 Let us now suppose that the greatest of these energies is at B and
least at E. Therefore,
 Maximum energy in flywheel = E + a1
 Minimum energy in the flywheel = E + a1 – a2 + a3 – a4
 ∴ Maximum fluctuation of energy,
Δ E = Maximum energy – Minimum energy
= (E + a1) – (E + a1 – a2 + a3 – a4) = a2 – a3 + a4
 COEFFICIENT OF FLUCTUATION OF
ENERGY
 Defined as the ratio of the maximum fluctuation of
energy to the work done per cycle.
 Mathematically

 Work done per cycle = Tmean × θ

 where Tmean = Mean torque, and
 θ = Angle turned (in radians), in one revolution.
= 2π, in case of steam engine and two stroke internal combustion
engines
= 4π, in case of four stroke internal combustion engines.
 The mean torque (Tmean) in N-m may be obtained by
using the following relation :

where P = Power transmitted in watts,

N = Speed in r.p.m., and
ω = Angular speed in rad/s = 2 π N/60
 The work done per cycle may also be obtained by
using the following relation : Work done per cycle

where n = Number of working strokes per minute,

= N, in case of steam engines and two stroke
internal combustion engines,
= N /2, in case of four stroke internal
combustion engines.
FLYWHEEL
 A flywheel used in machines serves as a
reservoir, which stores energy during the period
when the supply of energy is more than the
requirement, and releases it during the period
when the requirement of energy is more than the
supply.
 a flywheel controls the speed variations caused
by the fluctuation of the engine turning moment
during each cycle of operation.
 In machines where the operation is intermittent
like
 punching machines
 shearing machines
 rivetting machines,
 crushers, etc.,

 the flywheel stores energy from the power source

during the greater portion of the operating cycle
and gives it up during a small period of the cycle.
Thus, the energy from the power source to the
machines is supplied practically at a constant
rate throughout the operation.
 The function of a governor in an engine is entirely
different from that of a flywheel.
 It regulates the mean speed of an engine when there
are variations in the load, e.g., when the load on the
engine increases, it becomes necessary to increase
the supply of working fluid.
 On the other hand, when the load decreases, less
working fluid is required. The governor
automatically controls the supply of working fluid to
the engine with the varying load condition and keeps
the mean speed of the engine within certain limits.
 As discussed above, the flywheel does not maintain a
constant speed, it simply reduces the fluctuation of
speed. It does not control the speed variations caused
by the varying load.
COEFFICIENT OF FLUCTUATION OF
SPEED
 The difference between the maximum and
minimum speeds during a cycle is called the
maximum fluctuation of speed.

 The ratio of the maximum fluctuation of speed to

the mean speed is called the coefficient of
fluctuation of speed.
COEFFICIENT OF STEADINESS

 The reciprocal of the coefficient of fluctuation of

speed is known as coefficient of steadiness
and is denoted by m