Technical and economic modeling and optimization of a Ford-Philips engine for power production

Abstract

In this study, for the first time, the effects of various parameters including engine rotational speed, engine pressure, heater temperature, and piston stroke on technical (energy and exergy) and economic (cost savings and payback period) performance of a Ford-Philips 4-215 engine is investigated. Considering the different engine losses, a thermodynamic model of the engine is employed and validated with available experimental data. The results reveal that the increase in engine pressure and heater temperature, augments the capacity and efficiency of the engine, respectively, and increasing the engine rotational speed and piston stroke first shortens the payback period and thereafter makes it longer. Moreover, the engine parameters are designed from six different technical and economic standpoints, and the optimal parameters are selected using two well-known decision methods, namely, the linear programming technique for multidimensional analysis of preference (LINMAP) and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). In one of the cases, from energy and economic viewpoints, engine parameters have been designed and the maximum electric power and minimum payback period have been gauged at 260.46 kW and 6.10 years, respectively. In another case, from the exergy perspective, the maximum exergy efficiency and minimum exergy destruction are 65.17 % and 6.81 kW, respectively. Finally, by performing a three-objective optimization (energy, exergy, and economic), the maximum output power and exergy efficiency are evaluated 258 kW and 44.5%, respectively at a 5-year payback period.