Mechanical Efficiency and Frictional Power Losses-The Use of Fuel From Eopss Against Base Fuel From Tema Oil Refinery, Ghana.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Mechanical efficiency, a measure of friction losses in the engine, is thus an important topic in engine development and therefore engine testing.  This study focuses on the performance of motor vehicle engines with the use of petrol fuel from Electrical Operated Pump Petrol Service Stations (EOPSS) against the base petrol fuel from the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) using a test engine in the laboratory. Specifically, the study is to identify the quality of both the petrol fuel from Electrically Operated Pump Stations (EOPSS) against the base petrol fuel from the Tema Oil Refinery. To measure and compare the mechanical efficiency and frictional losses of an engine using petrol fuel from these different sources. A comparative study of an engine mechanical efficiency and frictional losses with the use of these two petrol fuels was done using engine dynamometer. A Morse test was carried out to establish how properties of these petrol fuels influence the internal combustion engine performance characteristics such as mechanical efficiency and frictional losses.The results of the tests showed that petrol fuel from the Electrically operated pump petrol service stations compared with the base petrol fuel from Tema Oil Refinery gave different engine mechanical efficiency and frictional loss power. It concluded that the quality of petrol fuel sold from the electrically operated pump petrol service stations   compared with the base fuel from TOR are not the same and that most of the stations had poor quality fuel which had influenced over engine efficiency and frictional power loss.

Keywords:    EOPSS; Fuel Quality; Engine, Mechanical Efficiency; Frictional losses