Abstract :
Improving the performance of an internal combustion engine, while maintaining lower emission levels and
better fuel efficiency is a big challenge for the engine researchers. In this research work, an attempt is made to study the
combined effect of thermal barrier coating and enhanced air swirl on the performance and emission characteristics of a
naturally aspirated diesel engine. A 100 micron layer of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia has been coated on the piston crown
surface to reduce the heat loss to the coolant. A swirler device has been fabricated and installed at the inlet side of the
engine manifold to improve the swirl and hence the mixing characteristics of the incoming air with the fuel. As the
increase in cylinder temperature and improved turbulence of incoming air reduces the ignition delay, the combustion of
fuel inside the cylinder is improved and it reflects in the performance metrics such as brake power, torque, brake thermal
efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption. Because of the improved swirl and reduction of heat loss, the modified
engine build performs better in comparison with the baseline engine characteristics. The benefits included improvement
in the brake thermal efficiency by 1.55%, reduction of BSFC by o.44%, increase in rated power by 1.41%, brake torque
by 1.18%. However hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide emission levels are found to increase by 17.30% and 11.13%
respectively. Carbon monoxide emissions are decreased by 32.20%. The findings of the experimental study are
discussed in detail and are presented in this paper.
Keyword :
TBC, YSZ, Swirl, Engine Performance, Emission.