MORSETEST

Introduction:Thebasictaskinthedesignanddevelopmentof
I.C.Enginesistoreducethecostofproductionandimprovethe
efficiencyandpoweroutput.Inordertoachievetheabovetask,the
engineerhastocomparetheenginedevelopedbyhimwithother
enginesintermsofitsoutputandefficiency.Hencehehastotestthe
engineandmakemeasurementsofrelevantparametersthatreflectthe
performanceoftheengine.Ingeneralthenatureandnumberoftests
tobecarriedoutdependonalargenumberoffactors.Inthischapter
onlycertainbasicaswellasimportantmeasurementsandtestsare
described.
ImportantPerformanceParametersofI.C.Engines:The
importantperformanceparametersofI.C.enginesareasfollows:
FrictionPower,
IndicatedPower,
BrakePower,
SpecificFuelConsumption,

AirFuelratio
ThermalEfficiency
MechanicalEfficiency,
VolumetricEfficiency,
Exhaustgasemissions,
Noise

1.3.MeasurementofPerformanceParametersinaLaboratory
1.3.1.MeasurementofFrictionPower:Frictionpowerincludesthe
frictionallossesandthepumpinglosses.Duringsuctionandexhaust
strokesthepistonmustmoveagainstagaseouspressureandpower
requiredtodothisiscalledthepumpinglosses.The

frictionlossismadeupoftheenergylossduetofriction
betweenthepistonandcylinderwalls,pistonringsand
cylinderwalls,andbetweenthecrankshaftandcamshaftand
theirbearings,aswellasbythelossincurredbydrivingthe
essentialaccessories,suchaswaterpump,ignitionunitetc.

Followingmethodsareusedinthelaboratorytomeasure
friction
power:
Willanslinemethod;
Fromthemeasurementofindicatedpowerandbrakepower;
Motoringtest;
Retardationtest;
MorseTest.
1.3.1.2.FromtheMeasurementofIndicatedPowerandBrake
Power:Thisisanidealmethodbywhichfrictionpowerisobtained
bycomputingthedifferencebetweentheindicatedpowerandbrake
power.Theindicatedpowerisobtainedfromanindicatordiagram
andbrakepowerisobtainedbyabrakedynamometer.Thismethod
requireselaborateequipmenttoobtainaccurateindicatordiagramsat
highspeeds.

1.3.1.3.MorseTest:Thismethodcanbeusedonlyformulti
cylinderICengines.TheMorsetestconsistsofobtainingindicated
poweroftheenginewithoutanyelaborateequipment.Thetest
consistsofmaking,inturn,eachcylinderoftheengineinoperative
andnotingthereductioninbrakepowerdeveloped.Inapetrolengine
(gasolineengine),eachcylinderisrenderedinoperativeby
shortingthesparkplugofthecylindertobemadeinoperative.Ina
Dieselengine,aparticularcylinderismadeinoperativebycuttingoff
thesupplyoffuel.Itisassumedthatpumpingandfrictionarethe
samewhenthecylinderisinoperativeaswellasduringfiring.
Inthistest,theengineisfirstrunattherequiredspeedandthebrake
powerismeasured.Next,onecylinderiscutoffbyshortcircuiting
thesparkplugifitisapetrolengineorbycuttingofthefuelsupplyif
itisadieselengine.Sinceoneofthecylindersiscutoffrom
producingpower,thespeedoftheenginewillchange.Theengine
speedisbroughttoitsoriginalvaluebyreducingtheloadonthe
engine.Thiswillensurethatthefrictionalpoweristhesame.
Iftherearekcylinders,then
Totalindicatedpower
whenallthecylindersareworking=ip1+ip2+ip3+...+ipk
=ipj
j=1

Wecanwriteipj=Bt+Ft..(1)

j=1

whereipjistheindicatedpowerproducedbyjthcylinder,kisthe
numberofcylinders,

Btisthetotalbrakepowerwhenallthecylindersareproducingpower
andFtisthetotalfrictionalpowerfortheentireengine.
Ifthefirstcylinderiscutoff,thenitwillnotproduceanypower,but
itwillhavefrictionallosses.Then
wecanwriteipj=B1Ft..(2)
j=2

whereB1=totalbrakepowerwhencylinder1iscutoffand

Ft=Totalfrictionalpower.
SubtractingEq.(2)fromEq.(1)wehavetheindicatedpowerofthe
cutoffcylinder.Thus

ip1=BtB1..(3).

Similarlywecanfindtheindicatedpowerofallthecylinders,viz.,
ip2,ip3,..ipk.Thenthetotalindicatedpoweriscalculatedas

(ip)total=ipj.(4)

j=1

Thefrictionalpoweroftheengineisthereforegivenby

Ft=(ip)totalBt(5)
Theprocedureisillustratedbysomeexamplesworkedoutattheend
ofthechapter.

NEEDOFMORSETEST
The i.p. and the mechanical efficiency of a multi-cylinder auto engine
is
found
out
in
a
very
short time by this test. During the test the engine is run at a constant
speed
and
at
same
throttle
opening. First the b.p. of the engine with all cylinders operative is
measured
by
means
of
dynamometer. Next, the b.p. of the engine is measured with each
cylinder
rendered
inoperative
one by one by shorting the spark plug in case of petrol engine or by
cutting
off
the
fuel
supply
in
case
of
diesel
engine.
When any cylinder is rendered inoperative, the speed abruptly goes
down.
Before
taking
any reading, the initial speed must be restored by adjusting the load.
It is assumed that the f.p. of the inoperative cylinder remains the same
as
it
were
when
the
cylinder was operative. Considering the case of a 4-cylinder engine,

When cylinder No.l is rendered inoperative, it does not develop any

power; on the contrary

some power is lost due to movement of piston inside the cylinder.

Then,

When the Morse test is carried out:

(i) The b.p. should be measured as soon as possible after making cylinder
inoperative.
(ii) The dynamometer load should be adjusted soon to bring the speed to its
constant value
for the test; otherwise the engine may race. In order to plot i.p., b.p. and r\m a
series
of tests should be conducted at predetermined engine speeds because b.p. varies
with
load and speed.

6MEASUREMENTOFI.POFMULTICYLINDERENGINE(MORSE
TEST)

ThismethodisusedinmulticylinderenginestomeasureI.Pwithouttheuseof
indicator.TheBPoftheengineismeasuredbycuttingoffeachcylinderinturn.
Iftheengineconsistsof4cylinders,thentheBPoftheengineshouldbe
measuredfourtimescuttingeachcylinderturnbyturn.Thisisapplicableto
petrolaswellasfordieselengines.Thecylinderofapetrolengineismade
inoperativebyshortingthesparkplugwhereasincaseofdieselengine,fuel
supplyiscutofftotherequiredcylinder.

Iftherearencylindersinanengineandallareworking,then(B.P)n=(I.P)n
(F.P)n

WhereF.Pisthefrictionalpowerpercylinder.

Ifonecylinderisinoperativethenthepowerdevelopedbythatcylinder(IP)is
lostandthespeedoftheenginewillfallastheloadontheengineremainsthe
same.Theenginespeedcanberesortedtoitsoriginalvaluebyreducingthe
loadontheenginebykeepingthrottlepositionsame.Thisisnecessaryto
maintaintheFPconstant,becauseitisassumedthattheFPisindependentof
loadanddependsonlyonspeedoftheengine.

Whencylinder1iscutoff;then
(B.P)n1=(I.P)n1(F.P)n..(12)
BysubtractingEq.(23.7)fromEq.(23.6),weobtaintheIPofthecylinderwhich
isnotfiringi.e.,(B.P)n(B.P)n1=(IP)n(IP)n1=I.P1

SimilarlyIPofallothercylinderscanbemeasuredonebyonethenthesumof
IPsofallcylinderswillbethetotalIPoftheengine.

ThismethodofobtainingIPofthemulticylinderengineisknownasMorse
Test.

Illustrativeexamples:

Example:Agasolineengineworkingonfourstrokedevelopsabrakepowerof20.9kW.
AMorsetestwasconductedonthisengineandthebrakepower(kW)obtainedwheneach
cylinderwasmadeinoperativebyshortcircuitingthesparkplugare14.9,14.3,14.8and
14.5respectively.Thetestwasconductedatconstantspeed.Findtheindicatedpower,
mechanicalefficiencyandbrakemeaneffectivepressurewhenallthecylindersarefiring.
Theboreoftheengineis75mmandthestrokeis90mm.Theengineisrunningat3000rpm.

Given:brakepowerwhenallcylindersareworking=Bt=20.9kW;Brakepowerwhen
cylinder1isinoperative=B1=14.9kW;Brakepowerwhencylinder2isinoperative=B2
=14.3kW;Brakepowerwhencylinder3isinoperative=B3=14.8kW;Brakepowerwhen
cylinder4isinoperative=B4=14.5kW;

N=3000rpm;d=0.075m;L=0.09m;

Tofind:(i)(ip)total;(ii)mech;(iii)bmep;

Solution:

(ip)total=ip1+ip2+ip3+ip4=(BtB1)+(BtB2)+(BtB3)+(BtB4)

4Bt(B1+B2+B3+B4)=4x20.9(14.9+14.3+14.8+14.5)

25.1Kw

Bt

20.9
(ii)mech=

=
=0.833=83.3%

(ip)total
25.1

60,000Bt
60,000x20.9
(iii)bmep=

LAnK
0.09x(/4)x0.0752x(3000/2)x4

=5.25x105N/m2=5.25bar.

MORSE TEST ON MULTI CYLINDER

PETROL ENGINE

Ex.No. :

Date:

Aim :
To conduct morse test on given multi cylinder petrol engine in order to
determine the indicated power developed in the each cylinder of the engine and
to determine the mechanical efficiency.

Apparatus Required :
Multi cylinder petrol engine with ignition cut off arrangement

Loading arrangements

Tachometer

Theory and Description :

For slow speed engine the indicated power is directly calculated from the
indicator diagram. But in modern high speed engines , it is difficult to obtain
accurate indicator diagram due to inertia forces , and therefore , this method
cannot be applied . In such cases the morse test can be used to measure the
indicated power and mechanical efficiency of multi cylinder engines . The
engines test is carried out as follows . The engine is run at maximum load at
certain speed . The B.P is then measured when all cylinders are working .

Then one cylinder is made in operative by cutting off the ignition to that
cylinder . As a result of this the speed of the engine will decrease . Therefore ,
the load on the engine is reduced so that the engine speed is restored to its initial
value . The assumption made on the test is that frictional power is depends on
the speed and not upon the load on the engine .

Definitions :
Break power : (BP)
The useful power available at the crank shaft of the engine is called brake power
of the engine . The brake power of the engine are determined by

1.
Rope brake dynamometer.

T = WRe

W
= net load

Re
= effective radius of the brake drum
2.
Prony brake dynamometer

T = WL

W
= Load

L
= Distance at which the load is applied

Observation and Tabulation :

(1)
Brake power B.P =........... KW

(2)
Rated Speed N =...........Rpm

(3)
Type of loading : =...........

(4)
Radius of brake drum : R =........... m

(5)
Radius of Rope r = =........... m

(6)
Number of cylinders = 4

S No

Conditions
Loading

Speed
BP KW

W1 kg
W2

W1 W2
Net load
Rpm

kg

kg

W in N

All cylinders are

working

First
cylinder

was cut off and

remaining are in

working

Second
cylinder

was cut off and

remaining are in

working

Third
cylinder

was cut off and

remaining are in

working

Fourth
cylinder

was cut off and

remaining are in

working

Note : The speed should be same for all readings

3. Hydraulic dynamometer B.P = WN

C
W = Load

N = Speed in RPM
C = Dynamometer constant

4. Electrical dynamometer

Indicated power : ( I P )
The power actually developed inside the engine cylinder due to the combustion
of the fuel are called indicated power .
IP = FP + BP ; FP = Frictional power

Frictional power (FP) :

The power loss due to friction between the moving parts are called as frictional
power .

Mechanical efficiency : (mech )

It is defined as the ratio of Brake power to indicated power .

mech=B.Px
100
I.P

Procedure :
From the name plate details , determine the maximum load that can be given to
the

engine
For example : B.P = 12.5 kw , N = 2000 rpm

B.P
=
__2NT__

60 x 1000

=
60 x 1000 x 12.5
=
59.68 N-m

2 x 2000

T
=
W.Re
Say Re = 0.4m

..W
=
T__
=
59.68 =
149.2N

Re

0.4

~
150 N

max : load that can be given to the engine was

75%
w =
75 x 150
= 112.5N

100

max
=
net load =
112.5 =
11.25kg

10

Check the engine for fuel availability, lubricant and cooling water
connections .

Release the load completely on the engine and start the engine in no load
conditions and allow the engine to run for few minutes to attain the rated
speed.

Apply the load and increase the load upto maximum load. (All four
cylinders should be in working ) . Now note the load on the engine and
speed of the engine say the speed is

N rpm

Cut-off the ignition of first cylinder, Now the speed of engine decreased .
Reduce the load on the engine and bring the speed of the engine to N rpm.
Now note the load on the engine.

Bring the all four cylinders are in working conditions and cut off the 2nd , 3rd
and 4th cylinder in turn and adjust the load to maintain same N rpm and
note the load .

Result:
Morse test was conducted on given petrol engine and indicated power
developed in each cylinder are determined and mechanical efficiency are
also determined .