Course detail

Theory of Energy Transformation, Power Units

FSI-QTS Acad. year: 2025/2026 Winter semester

The course introduces students to the theory of propulsion units with a focus on thermodynamics of working cycles, combustion and heat transfer. The theory of energy transformation is included. The course covers all types of propulsion i.e., the use of hydrocarbon floats, alternative boats, hydrogen, sysnthetic fuels, and electricity.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

6

Supervisor

prof. Ing. Josef Štětina, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Automotive Engineering

Entry knowledge

Prerequisites and co-requisites The student must have knowledge corresponding to subjects of theoretical basis of bachelor study in the field of engineering education, especially thermodynamics and Heat Transfer.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The credit is conditional on active participation in the exercises, proper preparation of the elaborations and fulfilling the conditions of any control test. The examination verifies the knowledge acquired in lectures and exercises, is written, including a test in e-learning, and may have an oral part verifying knowledge after the written part.

Classes are compulsory, attendance is checked by the teacher. The form of substitution of lessons missed for serious reasons and in exceptional cases is solved individually with the course supervisor.

Aims

To provide knowledge for practical and theoretical, experimental and scientific activities in the field of power units, especially for motor vehicles.


Students learn individual concepts from the theory of power units, get acquainted with basic systems of power units, determination of their characteristic dimensions, and gain knowledge of computational models of these systems.

The study programmes with the given course

Programme N-ADI-P: Automotive and Material Handling Engineering, Master's, compulsory

Programme N-AAE-P: Advanced Automotiv Engineering, Master's, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

39 hours, optionally

Syllabus


  1. History of the development and distribution of power units. Fundamentals of thermodynamics of working gas cycles.

  2. Theory of thermal gas cycles (ideal and theoretical).

  3. Cycles of a two-stroke internal combustion engine. Characteristics of internal combustion engines, measurements, and their applications. Energy conversions, the efficiency of propulsion systems.

  4. Fuels for internal combustion engines, combustion, thermochemistry. Hydrogen. Syntetic fuel.

  5. Indication of internal combustion engines, measurement of power unit parameters.

  6. Combustion engine emissions, theory of formation, measurement, methods of emission reduction, emission regulations.

  7. Real combustion engine cycles. Modeling of real combustion engine cycles.

  8. Regulation of internal combustion engines. Supercharging of internal combustion engines.

  9. Modeling of turbocharging of internal combustion engines.

  10. Cylinder charge replacement.

  11. External and internal mixture preparation of spark ignition engines.

  12. Diesel engine mixture preparation.

  13. Theory of ignition, lubrication, and cooling of engines.

Laboratory exercise

20 hours, compulsory

Syllabus


  1. Rules of work in laboratories and measurements of internal combustion engines. Safety rules.

  2. Testing of internal combustion engines.

  3. Measurements on the cylinder test bench.

  4. External speed characteristics.

  5. Measurement of emissions.

  6. Indications.

  7. Detonation combustion.

  8. Optimization of richness, ignition advance.

  9. Emission measurements.

  10. Mechanical and volume efficiency.

Computer-assisted exercise

6 hours, compulsory

Syllabus


  1. Basic MATLAB calculations of internal combustion engine cycles.

  2. Introduction to the GT-SUITE environment and access to 0D and 1D modeling

  3. Modelling of real cycles in the GT-SUITE environment.