Design and development of an oil preheating system to study the performance of a diesel engine

When a diesel engine is cranked while the engine is cold, there is surface to surface contact between the moving parts of the engine such as the crank shaft and its journal bearings, the crank pin and the big end journal bearing of the connecting rod etc. The lubricating oil in the sump requires some time to absorb heat from the combustion process of the engine and reach its optimum operating temperature and viscosity and form a complete lubrication film between all the moving and contact surfaces of the engine. There is high friction and wear between the moving components of the engine until the lubrication film has been formed .It is estimated that approximately 40% of the total wear in an engine during its operating lifespan occurs when the engine is idling to reach its optimum operating temperature. Therefore if oil can be pre heated to its optimum operating temperature before cranking the engine, the oil will form a complete lubrication film in a shorter period of time and it would be possible to reduce idling time, wear and tear between components, fuel consumption, emissions and save time and money in terms of running costs of the engine during the long term operation of the engine. The objectives of this project are to fabricate an oil pre heating system to suit the operating requirements of a 2 cylinder 4stroke Kirloskar diesel engine and to conduct performance tests on the Kirloskar engine equipped with the oil pre heating system to study and analyze the effect of pre heating oil its efficiency parameters.