The Fourier transform as a new approach of evaluating the internal combustion engine indicator diagram

In this paper, the authors present an introduction to the new method of evaluating the indicator diagram of internal combustion engine. For several years, it was observed that analyses of combustion processes have been hardly changed since they were conducted for the first time. At the moment, the diagrams are plotted more and more precisely owing to the new sensors and digital processors. Despite all of these high technical advantages, which were obviously unavailable in the past, theoretical approach for describing indicator diagram has not changed in significant way. Nowadays, the indicator diagrams are still evaluated very generally and are presented in much too idealistic way as a smooth curve of pressure changes, without any disturbances, which are being detected very easily now. Furthermore, it appears that performance improvements of the IC engines are in need of developing new methods for analysis and evaluation. The Fourier transform is a new way to look at the combustion process in the engines. It is basically a mathematical instrument for analysing different types of signals, which are transformed, from time domain into frequency domain. It enables identifying specific sinusoidal components of arbitrary signals and separates relevant ones from the noise. This allows one to see significant differences in two or more apparently similar signals and detect the crucial parts. If we treat pressure changes in time like a common signal, we can compute Fourier transform and see basic components of the diagram.