Complete Automation of a Single Cylinder Diesel Test Engine

A single-cylinder Caterpillar diesel test engine was automated to run under close control without attention. Four types of data were logged on a single, 6-color, 12-point strip chart recorder using only 2 ft/day of specially ruled chart paper. The 16 data points recorded included 8 linear items (0-100 scale) such as pressures, fuel flow rate, speed, torque, and oil level; 5 iron-constantan (0-300 F) temperatures, and a chromel-alumel exhaust temperature (875-1300 F); also included were two 4-figure digital values for blowby rate and for fuel rate via an automated balance, each recorded in a unique fashion without a printer. Any conditions outside set limits actuated an alarm. Special equipment protected the engine against sudden, test-running (hot) shutdown if power, air, or fuel supply failed, or if control of critical variables failed.