Automotive Systems

Investigation upon the RPMs at engines maximum power and torque

Question

An engine against a dynamometer having formula b.p = Watt gave the following results.

Table 1: Experiments results

Speed
1000 1400 2000 2500 3000 3800 4200 4750
(rev/min)
Load
163.4 172 167 163.7 158 147.5 138 119
(N)
Plot the engine characteristic curve and from it deduce the approximate speed(s), RPM, at which
it develops its maximum power and torque

Results

In order to determine the RPM at which the engine develops its maximum torque and power, the
torque and power developed by the engine were determined using the following formulas:

(/) ()
, . () =
20

, . ()
=

For example, consider the engine speed at 1000 RPM for a load of 163.4 N. Its corresponding
brake power and torque are:

1000 163.4
, . () = = 8170
20

8170
= = 78.0
1000
2 ( 60 )

Similar, for the others engine speeds and loads, their corresponding brake power and torque were
calculated and are tabulated in table 2.

Table 2: Corresponding Brake power and Torque for their respective Load and Speed
Speed
1000 1400 2000 2500 3000 3800 4200 4750
(rev/min)
Load
163.4 172 167 163.7 158 147.5 138 119
(N)
Brake
power 8170 12040 16700 20462.5 23700 28025 28980 28262
(W)
 Torque
78.0 82.1 79.7 78.2 75.4 70.4 65.9 56.8
(Nm)

Analysis

Graphs of torque against speed and power against speed were plotted to determine the maximum
speed and torque occurring at the corresponding values of speed (See attached graphs of Power
against RPM and Torque against RPM).

Conclusion

From the graph of Power against RPM, the engine develops its maximum power (29000 W) at an
RPM of 4300 or about 72 revolutions per second.

From the graph of Torque against RPM, the engine develops its maximum torque (82.2 N/m) at
an RPM of 1450 or about 25 revolutions per second.