Carnot, Otto, Diesel and Joule Cycles

The Carnot, Otto, Diesel and Joule cycles describes the processes common in combustion displacement and gas turbine engines.

Carnot Cycle

The Carnot cycle is the ideal cycle with the best possible efficiency for a machine operating between two temperature levels Tmax and Tmin.

Heat addition and heat rejection occur isothermally in the cycle between point 1 and 2, and 3 and 4.

Formula: μ = 1 - Tmin / Tmax

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Carnot Efficiency (μ)-- 0..1

Otto Cycle

The Otto cycle is a constant-volume cycle where addition of heat or combustion takes place isochorically.

Heat addition and heat rejection occur isothermally in the cycle between point 2 and 3, and 4 and 1.

Formula: μ = 1 - ε^(1 - κ)

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Otto Efficiency (μ)-- 0..1

Diesel Cycle

The Diesel cycle is a constant-pressure cycle where the addition of heat and combustion takes place isobaric.

Heat addition and heat rejection occur isothermic in the cycle between point 2 and 3, and 4 and 1.

Formula: μ = 1 - (Φ^κ - 1) / (ε^(κ - 1) × κ × (Φ - 1))

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Diesel Efficiency (μ)-- 0..1

Joule Cycle

The Joule cycle is a comparison cycle for gas turbines with continuous flow.

Formula: η = 1 - T1 / T2

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Joule Efficiency (η)-- 0..1
Carnot, Otto, Diesel and Joule Cycles | MEPKit Engineering Tools | MEPKit