Efficiency of Otto Cycle as a Function of Compression Ratio

by Derrick Lewinson

Submitted : Fall 2009

The Otto cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that mimics a single cylinder of an automobile engine. In this project a cylinder was given with constant volume heat capacity and universal gas constant. The cylinder first, experiences constant heating and then starts to expand with heat, then once it reaches a certain temperature it experiences constant cooling and then starts to compress and once it reaches a certain temperature it begins its cycle again. This cycle also includes constant volume heating and cooling temperatures. In this problem the compression ratio is given along with two of the four temperatures and the remaining temperatures and efficiency of the cycle is then calculated. Using integrated functions and Maclaurin Series the calculations of the missing temperatures and the efficiency of the Otto cycle for different compression ratios is possible. With that solution a data chart and graph is constructed. As the compression ratio increases the efficiency of the interval increases over the given interval two thru ten.

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