Heat Engine Lab

Cycle:

T_H: 600KT_C: 300KCR: 8:1

Heat Engine Simulator — Thermodynamic Cycles

Heat engines convert thermal energy into mechanical work by cycling a working fluid through compression, combustion, and expansion processes. This simulator lets you compare the ideal Carnot cycle against the Otto (gasoline) and Diesel cycles, showing how real constraints limit efficiency below the theoretical maximum. Changing the hot-source temperature or compression ratio immediately updates the P-V and T-S diagrams.

What you can do in this simulation

Select Carnot, Otto, or Diesel cycle and set the operating temperature limits
Adjust compression ratio for Otto and Diesel cycles and observe efficiency changes
Trace the cycle on interactive P-V (pressure-volume) and T-S (temperature-entropy) diagrams
Compare computed thermal efficiency against the Carnot maximum for the same temperature limits
Display net work output and heat input/rejection for each cycle

Concepts covered

thermal efficiency · Carnot cycle · Otto cycle · compression ratio · entropy · thermodynamics

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