COMBUSTIO

N KINETICS
Shankar Raman Dhanushkodi, PhD
Working fluid
• Working fluid (system) may convert heat from a warm source into
useful work
• dispose of the remaining heat to a cold sink, thereby acting as a heat
engine
 Compression

Heat Addition

Power Cycles Expansion

Heat rejection
 Carnot cycle ( Isothermal cycle)

Otto cycle (Constant volume cycle)

Examples of Brayton cycle (Constant Pressure cycle)

power cycle
Diesel Cycle

Dual Cycle ( Limited pressure cycle)

Processes
•  Adiabatic: 
• thermodynamic process
• occurs without transferring heat or mass 
• No transfer to thermodynamic system and its environment.
• Unlike an isothermal process, transfers energy to the surroundings only as 
work.
• Reversible:
• direction can be reversed to return the system to its original state
• Induces infinitesimal changes to some property of the system's surroundings
• Isentropic: both adiabatic and reversible
Otto Cycle
Otto Cycle
Dual Cycle
Brayton Cycle
Diesel Cycle
Classification of C.I. engine Combustion chambers

C.I. Engine
Combustion
Chambers

Direct Injection or Indirect Injection

or Divided
Open Chamber Chamber

High Swirl Compression Pre-combustion Air Cell

Low Swirl Medium Swirl
M Type Swirl Chamber Energy Cell
C.I. Engine Combustion Chambers
C.I. Engine Combustion Chambers
 Fuel ratio may thus vary from
Constant supply of air enters
about 100:1 at no load to 20: 1
the cylinder.
at full load.

Combustion in
CI engine : Air The poor distribution of fuel

fuel ratio in
and its limited intermixing with Hence ci engines are operated
air results in objectionable with excess air (air: fuel ratio
smoke if operated near 20:1 to 23: 1 i.E. Excess air 35
chemically correct air: fuel to 50%)

Diesel engines ratio (14.5: 1) for diesel.

Diesel engines are also termed

as lean burn engines.
 Stages of combustion in C.I. engine.

• First Stage: Ignition Delay period during which some fuel has been
admitted but has not yet been ignited. The ignition delay is counted
from the start of injection to the point where P-θ curve separates
from the pure air compression curve.
 Stages of combustion in C.I. engine.

• Second Stage: Rapid or Uncontrolled combustion: pressure rise is

rapid because during the delay period the fuel droplet have had time
to spread themselves over a wide area and they have fresh air all
around them. It is counted from the end of Delay period to the Point
of Maximum pressure on the P-θ diagram.
Stages of combustion in C.I. engine.

Third Stage: Controlled Combustion: the temperature and pressure

are so high that the fuel droplets injected during the last stage burn
almost as they enter and any further pressure rise can be controlled
by Injection rate. It is counted from the point of maximum pressure
to maximum cycle temperature.
About 70 to 80 % of the total heat of the fuel is evolved during this
period.
 Stages of combustion in C.I. engine.

• Fourth Stage: Afterburning: Because of poor distribution of the fuel

particles, combustion continues during part of the remainder of the
expansion stroke.
Total heat evolved by the end of the combustion process is
95 to 97 % and 3 to 5% of heat goes as unburnt fuel in
exhaust.
Propagation of premixed fuels

LAMINAR COMBUSTION SUPERSONIC TURBULENT

COMBUSTION COMBUSTION
 Bunsen burner 1855

Gas mixed burners

Propagation of
Produces less pollutant
premixed fuels
Mixing fuel in air takes time

Turbulent convection adopted to mix fuel with

air
Laminar combustion

Produces perfectly flame is obtained at Propagates through Propagation speed

premixed, the tip of the the tube filled with is different for
quiescent flames burner mixture premixed flames

Color: green-bluish LPG flames are

Hydrogen flames
coloration and greener and
are purple and
much lower brighter, and
tenuous
luminous intensities alcohol
Flame quenching
• the extinction of a flame by an
excessive heat-loss towards relatively-
cold solid boundaries nearby
• Quenching distance is typically of 2
mm for normal hydrocarbon flames
• Decrease with pressure, temp and
increase with air fuel ratio
• prevents the propagation of
combustion along narrow tubes or
orifices and through fine wire-meshes
What is Ignition
delay?
• Abnormal combustion, called
detonation,
• end charge auto-ignites before
the flame front reaches it
• This time required in the
chemical preparation phase is
called “Ignition Delay”.
Ignition delay
Ignition delay is the period during which some fuel has been
admitted but has not yet been ignited. The ignition delay can be
roughly divided into two parts: Physical delay and chemical delay.
PHYSICAL DELAY

• PHYSICAL DELAY: The period of physical delay is

the time between the beginning of injection
and the attainment of chemical reaction
conditions. In the physical delay period, the
fuel is atomized, vaporized, mixed with air ,
and raised in temperature.
CHEMICAL DELAY
• CHEMICAL DELAY: in this period, pre-flame
reactions start slowly and then accelerate
until local inflammation or ignition takes
place. At high temperatures, chemical
reaction is quicker and physical delay is
longer than chemical delay.
How it affects the combustion
process?

• If ignition delay period is longer than the time required

for the flame front to burn through the unburnt charge,
there will be no knocking.
 • If the Ignition delay period is long, a large amount of fuel will be
injected and accumulated in the chamber. The auto-ignition of this
large amount of fuel may cause high rate of pressure rise and high

Diesel
maximum pressure which may cause Knocking in diesel engines.

Knock
 Diesel • A long delay period not only increases the
amount of fuel injected by the moment of
ignition, but also improves the homogeneity of

Knock
the fuel- air mixture and its chemical
preparedness for explosion type of self-ignition
similar to detonation in SI engines.
How it affects the combustion
process?

• Only when the critical temperature is reached, and the

ignition delay is shorter than the time it takes for the
flame front to burn through the unburnt charge, there
will be knocking.
 Pre-ignition
• The increase in the rate of heat transfer to the walls may
cause local overheating specially of the spark /ignition
plug, which may reach a temperature high enough to
ignite the charge before the passage of spark. This
phenomenon is called Pre-ignition.
 Pre-ignition
• Pre-ignition may also be caused by overheated exhaust
valves or glowing carbon deposits in the combustion
chamber.
 The diesel knock can be controlled
Methods by reducing delay period. The delay
is reduced by the following.
of
• High charge temperature
controlling • High fuel temperature.
Diesel •
•
Good turbulence.
A fuel with short induction period.
Knock • By using Ignition accelerators like amyl
nitrate
 Sr. Detonation in S I Engine Knock in C I Engine
No.
1 Detonation occurs near the end of Knocking occurs near the beginning of
combustion combustion. i.e. at the end of first stage of
combustion.
Detonation and
2 Detonation in S I Engine is of a Knocking in C I engine is of imperfectly
Knocking homogeneous charge causing very mixed charged and hence the rate of
Comparison heavy rate of pressure rise pressure rise is normally lower

3 Pre-ignition may occur. Fuel is injected into the cylinder only at the
end of the compression stroke and there is
no question of pre- ignition or premature
ignition.
Detonation and Knocking Comparison
Sr. Detonation in S I Engine Knock in C I Engine
No.
4 Detonation is easily distinguished Knocking is not easy to distinguish from
from normal combustion. normal combustion.
5 Larger cylinder promotes detonation Diesel knock is reduced with increase in size
of cylinder.
6 Compression ratio in S.I. engine is In C.I. engines, higher compression ratio
limited by Detonation causes lesser ignition delay and hence lesser
possibility of diesel knock.
7
 C.I. Engines are classified on the basis
of method of generating swirl. There are
four types of combustion chambers.
C.I. Engine 1. Open Combustion
chambers
Combustion 2. Divided or turbulent swirl
chambers
Chambers 3. Pre-combustion chambers
4. Air cell combustion
chambers.
 Air cell combustion chamber: The type of swirl
used in this combustion chamber is combustion
induced swirl. Here there is no organized air swirl.
The advantage for this type of combustion
chamber are

C.I. Engine The maximum pressure on the main chamber is

Combustion fairly low and hence it gives smooth running and
easy starting.
Chambers
This type of combustion chamber is most suitable
for comparatively small engines of medium duty
where a relatively high fuel consumption can be
tolerated.
Advantages and drawbacks of C. I. Engine combustion chambers
Combustion Advantages Drawbacks
Chamber Type

1. Direct 1. Good supply of oxygen 1. Inaccurate setting of

injection (DI) to the combustion valves can damage piston
or Open chamber. crown
combustion 2. Lower surface area/ 2. Engine runs rough at low
chamber volume reduce heat losses. speeds.
3. higher efficiency 3. injector nozzle holes may
(efficient combustion) get blocked by carbon
4. lower fuel consumption deposits(multi-hole nozzle)
5. Good cold starting 4. High injection pressures
ability (glow plug is not are necessary.
required.)
Advantages and drawbacks of C. I. Engine combustion chambers
Combustion Advantages Drawbacks
Chamber Type
2. Ricardo 1. Minimized 1. Cold weather starting
(Compression) exhaust gas odour. problems occurs.
swirl combustion 2. Relatively low 2. Inefficient scavenging.
chamber injection pressure 3. Slightly more fuel
can be used. consumption than DI
3. Reduced delay engines.
period.
Advantages and drawbacks of C. I. Engine combustion chambers

Combustion Advantages Drawbacks

Chamber Type
3. Pre- 1. Blockage due to 1. Heater plug is
combustion carbon deposit of required for cold
chamber Pintle type nozzle is starting.
eliminated 2. Low thermal
2. Lower injection efficiency.
pressure is required 3. High fuel
3. Low quality fuel can consumption
be used
4. Smooth engine
operation
Advantages and drawbacks of C. I. Engine combustion chambers

Combustion Advantages Drawbacks

Chamber Type
4. Air cell or 1. Minimum shock 1. Starting difficulty
Energy cell loading of working when cold. Hence glow
combustion components due to plug is needed.
chamber high degree of 2. Inefficient scavenging
controlled combustion. of the energy cell.
2. Reduced exhaust gas 3. costly cylinder head
pollution (complicated moulding
3. Relatively low and machining involved
injection pressure may in manufacturing.)
be used.
Advantages and drawbacks of C. I. Engine combustion chambers

Combustion Advantages Drawbacks

Chamber Type
5. M- 1. Low peak pressure 1. Low volumetric
combustion 2. Low rate of pressure efficiency
chamber rise. 2. Cold starting requires
3. Low smoke level glow plug
4. Multi-fuel capability 3. At starting and idling
conditions hydrocarbon
emissions may occur.
 Turbulent/swirling flow of air and coal.

The physical
processes Turbulent/convective/molecular diffusion of gaseous
reactants and products.
influencing
pulverized Convective heat transfer through the gas and between
coal the gas and coal particles.

combustion
Radiative heat transfer between the gas and coal particles
and between the coal/air mixture and the furnace walls.