Diesel power engine.edited.docx - 1 Working of a Diesel...

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Working of a Diesel Power Engine
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Working of a Diesel Power Engine
A diesel power engine or station is defined as a station of production where the diesel
powered engine is employed as the chief component in electrical energy production. Power
stations operating on diesel produce power ranging from 2 MW to 50 MW and are mostly used
standbys ensuring continuity of power supply in areas like radio stations, hospitals, industries,
telephone exchanges and cinema theatres ( Baldi, Theotokatos, and Andersson 2015 ).
Additionally, they are also suitable for generation of mobile power which makes them very
common in ships, submarines and railways. The diesel, used as the primary mover, burns inside
the engine and the products used as the acting fluid for mechanical energy production. The
engine then drives an alternator which serves to convert mechanical to electrical energy.
How it works
The diesel power engine works by compressing only the air. The compressed air
temperature inside the cylinder increases much to a level that causes the atomized diesel fuel
injected into the combustion chamber to spontaneously ignite. The process starts by drawing air
from the atmosphere into the compressor where it is compressed. The compressed air is then sent
through the filter into the diesel engine. The filter functions to remove dirt and dust from the
compressed air ensuring that only clean air is passed on to the diesel engine. Fuel oil from the
tank is also passed through the filter where it is sieved thus ensuring that the oil introduced into