--- title: "Diesel plant components and fuel supply" subject: "Power Plant Equipment" chapter: 5 key: "semester_7/power_plant_equipment:diesel-components-fuel-supply" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/power_plant_equipment/diesel-components-fuel-supply site: BCT Engineering --- # Diesel plant components and fuel supply Power Plant Equipment · Chapter 5: Diesel Power Plant - Asked in: 2081 Baisakh, 8 marks - Video: [Diesel Power Plant || working and layout || Diesel Engine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly9CI9nXaC8) — Aeran Classes - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/power_plant_equipment/diesel-components-fuel-supply - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/power_plant_equipment/chapter-5 ## Question Sketch the main components of diesel power plant. Explain fuel supply system in Diesel power plant. ## Short answer Main components are diesel engine, alternator with exciter, fuel supply, air intake, exhaust, cooling, lubrication, starting system, governor and control panel. Fuel supply sequence: storage tank, transfer pump and strainer, day tank, fine filter, booster pump, injection pump, injectors; excess fuel returns to day tank. ## Answer A **diesel power plant** uses a compression-ignition engine as prime mover to drive an alternator. Its main components are shown below. ```text Air filter -> Intake Exhaust -> Silencer -> Stack | ^ Fuel system +---v----------+---+ coupling +-----+ ----------->| DIESEL ENGINE |===========| Alt |->Bus +--+-----------+---+ +-----+ | | | Cooling system Lube system Exciter (pump, HX, tower) (pump, filter, cooler) Starting system: compressed air / battery-motor Governor controls fuel to hold speed ``` #### Main components 1. **Diesel engine:** prime mover (2- or 4-stroke). 2. **Alternator and exciter:** convert mechanical power into electrical power. 3. **Fuel supply system:** stores, filters and injects fuel. 4. **Air intake system:** air filter, ducts, supercharger. 5. **Exhaust system:** manifold, silencer, chimney. 6. **Cooling system:** pumps, heat exchanger, cooling tower/radiator. 7. **Lubrication system:** oil pump, filter, cooler. 8. **Starting system:** compressed air or electric starter. 9. **Governor and control panel.** #### Fuel supply system ```text Storage tank -> transfer pump -> strainer -> Day tank -> fine filter -> booster pump -> injection pump -> injectors -> cylinders (surplus back to day tank) ``` 1. **Storage tanks** hold bulk fuel received from tankers through an unloading pump. 2. **Transfer pump and strainer** move fuel to the **day tank**, which holds a few hours' supply close to the engine. 3. **Fine filters** remove dirt and water to protect the injection pump and nozzles. 4. **Booster pump** feeds fuel at low pressure to the **fuel injection pump**. 5. The **injection pump** raises the pressure (about 100–200 bar) and meters the quantity set by the governor. 6. **Injectors** atomise the fuel into hot compressed air at the end of the compression stroke, where it self-ignites. Injection arrangements: **common rail** (one pump, common high-pressure header), **individual pump** for each cylinder (most common), and **distributor** system. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What is the prime mover in a diesel power plant? A. A steam turbine B. A compression-ignition diesel engine C. A gas turbine D. A water wheel Answer: B. The plant uses a compression-ignition diesel engine driving an alternator. (Key point: Prime mover and generator) 2. What does the exhaust system do? A. Removes exhaust gases and reduces noise with a silencer; heat may be recovered B. Supplies air C. Meters fuel D. Starts the engine Answer: A. Manifold, silencer and chimney carry away gases and quieten the engine; waste heat can be reused. (Key point: Role of exhaust system) 3. Why does the fuel pass through fine filters before the injection pump? A. To remove dirt and water that would damage the pump and nozzles B. To increase fuel pressure C. To heat the fuel D. To meter the fuel Answer: A. Clean fuel protects the precision injection pump and nozzles. (Key point: Day tank and filters) 4. Which statement is correct? A. The injection pump meters fuel and raises it to about 100-200 bar; injectors atomise it into hot compressed air where it self-ignites B. The injectors raise the pressure; the pump atomises C. Fuel ignites by spark D. The booster pump supplies 200 bar fuel Answer: A. The pump gives pressure and metering, while injectors atomise the fuel into the hot compressed air. (Key point: Injection pump and injector) ## Close variants set in other exams - [Fuel supply system of diesel plant](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Adiesel-fuel-supply) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 5, asked 3× ## Related in Power Plant Equipment - [Diesel fuel supply and lubrication functions](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Adiesel-fuel-supply-lubrication) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 5 - [Diesel layout, starting and fuel supply systems](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Adiesel-layout-starting-fuel) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 5 - [Diesel fuel storage, supply and applications](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Adiesel-fuel-storage-applications) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 5 - [Diesel components and starting air system](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Adiesel-starting-air-system) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 5 - [Layout of diesel power plant](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Adiesel-plant-layout) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 5, asked 3× - [Diesel components, lubricating and cooling functions](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fpower_plant_equipment%3Adiesel-components-lube-cooling) — Power Plant Equipment, chapter 5 ## Related in other subjects - [Types of power supply system for industrial plant](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Findustrial_power_distribution_and_illumination%3Aindustrial-supply-system-types) — Industrial Power Distribution and Illumination, chapter 1, asked 2× - [Typical water supply system and components](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fwater_supply_engineering%3Atypical-ws-system-components) — Water Supply Engineering, chapter 1, asked 4× - [Load duration curve; diesel plant; ROR flow duration](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fhydropower_engineering%3Aload-duration-diesel-import-fdc) — Hydropower Engineering, chapter 3 - [Components of a hydroelectric power plant](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Ffluid_machines%3Ahydroelectric-plant-components) — Fluid Machines, chapter 2