1. Rubén Moreno Quicios, Mechanical Engineering, Specialization in Energetic
Techniques, ETSII-UPM (Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain)
Abstract of Master´s Thesis, Submitted 10 March 2014
“Restoration of Otto-Cycle Engine and Design and Manufacturing of Engine Test
Bench”
The goal of this thesis was to build a portable engine test bench. It will be used for
teaching purposes within the thermal machine department, to show the students the
fundaments of engine testing. The students will be trained in the essential diagnosis
of an engine, control of a test bench, data acquisition, and safety use of the system.
For this reason, an analog and simple design was preferred. The engine had to allow,
as well, an easy handling and study. A classical Otto cycle engine was decided to be
most suitable option for this purpose.
The project was conducted in the turbine and internal combustion engine laboratory
of the ETSII UPM. The main duties of the project were to completely restore and old
Otto Cycle engine and a hydraulic dynamometer, to build a portable test bench
structure, to design and manufacture the cooling system for both the engine and the
dynamometer, to build a gas exhaust system and to design and install the control
panel and the safety devices which allow a correct and secure operation of the test
bench.
The engine power had to be restricted. Due to the working requirements of the
hydraulic dynamometer, a water reservoir had to be installed, along with a constant
pressure water feeding system to provide a constant braking torque to the engine.
The configuration was tested and fine-tuned, and the operation procedure was
established.
As a result, a fully operational test bench was achieved. It will be used to show the
students how to measure features as torque, revolutions, power or fuel consumption.
It will allow, as well, easily tuning and modifying basic engine set ups to understand
the effect they have on the engine performance.