Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
(OP)
Maybe this type of thing is already on the market...if not, I may be providing for free the description of a patentable product - in which case I'm copyrighting it here and now! [big smile]
Thumbnail sketch: piezo-electric transducers - connected using low-thermal-conductivity piping - are hooked up to each cylinder of a reciprocating engine, and used to provide instantaneous pressure values at one-millisecond intervals or other suitable time scale to an appropriate display screen, on the Y axis. If desired, different trace colors can be used for multiple cylinders simultaneously.
A rotary encoder is used to provide a degree displacement 0-359° for use in developing and tracing the position of the pistons. The angular displacement would be plugged into a formula using crank throw and connecting rod length, and TDC would be specified for each piston as being at yay degrees of encoder displacement. The derived positions for each piston would be displayed on the X axis.
Purpose would be to provide real-time engine performance data as an index to valve timing adjustments by way of an on-the-fly "indicator diagram."
Let the ridicule begin...
Thumbnail sketch: piezo-electric transducers - connected using low-thermal-conductivity piping - are hooked up to each cylinder of a reciprocating engine, and used to provide instantaneous pressure values at one-millisecond intervals or other suitable time scale to an appropriate display screen, on the Y axis. If desired, different trace colors can be used for multiple cylinders simultaneously.
A rotary encoder is used to provide a degree displacement 0-359° for use in developing and tracing the position of the pistons. The angular displacement would be plugged into a formula using crank throw and connecting rod length, and TDC would be specified for each piston as being at yay degrees of encoder displacement. The derived positions for each piston would be displayed on the X axis.
Purpose would be to provide real-time engine performance data as an index to valve timing adjustments by way of an on-the-fly "indicator diagram."
Let the ridicule begin...
CR
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]





RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
http://www.mtu.edu/mechanical/research/thrusts/aps...
John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
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RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
CR
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
CR
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
Kistler also makes a spark plug pressure sensor that has been used in development of some of the larger CAT/Mak gas engines.
A company in Holland called Sensata provides their CPOS sensor that is also used on some medium speed engines.
A company called Optrand is recently pushing a fiber optic cylinder pressure transducer to help reduce costs, haven't actually seen one yet but was recently reading up on it.
ABB has the Cylmate system, mainly for larger engines but have heard they are starting to look at some of the medium speed market as well.
Not sure if these would apply to steam engines but they seem to becoming more common on larger diesel engines.
Hope that helps, MikeL.
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
A more robust solution would be a load cell under the cylinder head bolt.
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
https://www.kistler.com/us/en/applications/automot...
I know they make several different sensors, CAT has used them in the test cells at the Tech Center and in Kiel.
Maybe for larger engines a better fit, I've never dealt with cylinder pressure monitoring in engines less than about 4500 bhp.
MikeL.
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
CR
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
I worked on a graduate's project where my responsiblity was to provide an instaniuos pressure/rotation plot (scope displayed).
The project was interesting but never saw where it was devolped: using cylinder tangental air injection to reduce wall quench and stratified charge
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
I remember back in college a very long time ago, watching a PV diagram of a GM six cylinder engine on an oscilloscope. This was all part of their dynamometer kit.
--
JHG
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
RE: Reciprocating Engine "Indicating" System - Does Such A Beast Exist?
CR
"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]