Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

The Mercedes-Benz DB-601A Engine: The Results of an American Examination of a Specimen Captured by the Allies
Raymond W. Young
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Raymond W. Young, (1941),"The Mercedes-Benz DB-601A Engine", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 13 Iss 11 pp. 300 - 305
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 300 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING November, 1941

The Mercedes-Benz DB-601A Engine

The Results of an American Examination of a
Specimen Captured by the Allies
by Raymond W . Young
(Concluded from p. 279)

IV. DISCUSSION OF PERFORMANCE can aircraft engine performance curves at economy up to 16,000 ft., relatively small
CHARACTERISTICS altitude usually show power output versus changes in specific fuel consumption resulted.
altitude on the basis either of constant manifold The action of the compensator was most notice-
Sea Level Power Characteristics pressure to the critical altitude at which full able in the low speed range. At 25,000 ft. the
In Fig. 29 are plotted the data obtained throttle is attained; or of constant horse-power compensator becomes much more effective
during a dynamometer calibration of the to the full throttle point at critical altitude. particularly as the operating r.p.m. of the engine
DB-601A engine. The family of curves on the With mechanically driven superchargers the is decreased.
left hand side of the figure gives the sea level full throttle point at critical altitude is quite The general setting scheme of the DB-601A
power characteristics for various r.p.m. in the sharply defined. In the case of the DB-G01A fuel injection system provides maximum econ-
operating range, plotted against absolute mani- characteristics, however, it will be observed omy for full throttle operation at low altitudes
fold pressure in inches of mercury. From these that there is no very definite critical altitude over a wide range of engine speeds with specific
curves it will be noted that the automatic boost point and that the power output fluctuates fuel consumption values varying from 0·435 at
control takes charge to restrict the manifold considerably in the altitude range where the 1,800 r.p.m. to 0·48 at 2,400 r.p.m. For high
pressure to a limiting value of 39 in. of mercury automatic controls probably disturb each other altitude operation at 25,000 ft. the setting
absolute at engine speeds above 1,900 r.p.m. with resultant hunting of the engine. Varia- provides maximum power fuel How with result-
Below 1,900 r.p.m. the full throttle manifold tions of the engine oil temperature also will ant specific fuel consumption of 0·56 at the
pressure is less than the boost limit established affect the supercharger coupling slip and con- normal rated speed of 2,400 r.p.m. A check
by the automatic regulator. The normal rating tribute to the unusual shape of tile performance under sea level take-off conditions gave a
of the engine at 2,400 r.p.m. is thus established curves. Changes in the temperature of the specific fuel consumption of 0 • 54 lb. per b.h.hr.
at 995 horsepower. For take-off the automatic induction air within the manifold will also vary
regulator is overruled by the pilot's throttle the power output.
for a time interval of one minute established by These test data show that the DB-601A pro- Heat Rejection
an automatic clock mechanism, to produce an duces on a military rating basis at 2,500 r.p.m., In Fig. 31 are plotted the values of coolant
excess boost in the manifold which, at an engine 1,000 b.h.p. at 11,500 ft. This is approximately How and heat rejection to the coolant against
speed of 2,500 r.p.m., gives the take-off rating a 3,000 ft. reduction in altitude compared to the engine r.p.m. These data were taken under
of 1,150 horse-power at 43·2 in. of mercury published performance previously given. How- sea level full throttle operating conditions with
absolute manifold pressure. The take-off ever, ram at high speed will compensate con- a coolant out mean temperature of 188 deg. F.
power at 2,500 r.p.m. versus absolute manifold siderably for this indicated loss. Considering the values at 2,400 p.r.m. full
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pressure characteristics are shown at the upper throttle, the heat rejection to the coolant is
left hand portion of Fig. 29. The sea level Fuel Consumption Characteristics 48 per cent of the horse-power output while at
power ratings are somewhat flexible since it is 1,900 r.p.m. full throttle the coolant heat rejec-
possible to adjust the oil How into the fluid The full throttle specific fuel consumption
characteristics of the DB-G01A engine at tion is 51 per cent of the brake horse-power.
coupling of the supercharger and, by changing These values are quite conventional for aircraft
the slip, vary the effective impeller ratio. Thus various operating speeds and for three different
altitudes are given in Fig. 30. It will be noted engines operating at relatively low coolant
it may be desirable for bomber installations temperatures.
involving take-off with heavy loads to increase that two sets of values are shown:—
The heat rejection to the oil characteristics
the effective impeller ratio for the maximum (a) Dotted lines for the fuel injection pump for the DB-601A engine are illustrated in Fig.
boost possible with the quality of fuel available operating under sea level conditions. 32 together witli the oil How plotted against
(b) Solid lines for the injector operating under engine speed in r.p.m. These values represent
Altitude Power Characteristics altitude conditions with compensation for full throttle operation at sea level; and the
reduction in density to agree with aeroplane heat rejection to the oil, therefore, includes the
The right hand portion of Fig. 29 illustrates installation.
the variation of power output with altitude for heat rejection from the fluid coupling oil which
two r.p.m. ratings of the DB-601A. The The effect of the compensator on power out- is operating under maximum slip conditions at
characteristic shape of these curves is somewhat put was found to be negligible and on fuel sea level. Subtracting 1,000 b.t.u. per minute
different from that produced by engines with
conventional mechanical drive superchargers
and, therefore, is worthy of comment. Ameri-
 November, 1941 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING 301
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for the coupling heat rejection, the resultant

value of 2,750 b.t.u. per minute heat rejection
to the oil for the engine at 1,000 horse-power is
approximately 750 b.t.u. per minute greater
than the Cyclone operating at the same output. (b) During the slipping process, an appreciable the impeller ratio, remains substantially
amount of energy is dissipated into the oil constant. The effective impeller ratio for
Supercharger Fluid Coupling Characteristics within the fluid coupling in the form of heat. take-off and initial climb is of the order of
In order to obtain information on the actual The heat rejection curve shows that during 7·5 to 1. With both oil pumps delivering
performance characteristics of the DB-601A maximum slip at sea level the oil carries full capacity to the fluid coupling above
supercharger fluid coupling, as well as of the away approximately 1,000 b.t.u. per minute 12,000 ft, the impeller ratio at minimum slip
supercharger itself, the complete unit with its which must be dissipated through the oil is established at 10·2 to 1 with respect to
accessory drive section was set up on a special cooler system. For take-off power and the crankshaft speed.
test rig as shown in Fig. 33. Test data on the speed conditions, the supercharger fluid
fluid drive coupling were taken over a con- drive coupling rejects 1,200 b.t.u. per min- In Fig. 35 are plotted against altitude three
siderable range of values for engine speed and ute to the oil. While this additional oil variables—impeller tip speed, load coefficient,
power; oil temperature, pressure and flow; and cooling requirement is the price that must and supercharger outlet pressure, which indicate
compressor output. In Fig. 34 are shown the be paid for a hydraulic device which gives the functioning of the fluid coupling on super-
graphical relation between altitude on the a smooth and variable speed drive for the charger performance under a constant engine
horizontal axis and heat rejection to the oil in supercharger impeller, there are several speed of 2,400 r.p.m. The secondary pump
the fluid coupling; slip of the coupling; effect operating conditions which may compensate regulation is such as to supply the necessary
ratio of the impeller to crankshaft speed; for the indicated increase in oil cooler amount of oil with increasing altitude to the
coupling oil pressure and coupling oil flow. The capacity, particularly in the case of fighter fluid coupling as to increase the impeller tip
operating condition of the engine for these installations. With cold engine take-offs speed (lower curve) and maintain an almost con-
specific curves was the normal rating at 2,400 and high rate of climb, the aeroplane quickly stant discharge pressure up to 12,000 ft.(upper
r.p.m. One point for a take-off condition at passes through the altitude at which curve). Beyond this altitude the coupling is
2,500 r.p.m. is also indicated. maximum slip in the fluid drive occurs and hydraulically locked and higher tip speed of the
attains its operating altitude before the oil impeller cannot be attained. It will be noted
From the results plotted in Fig. 34 the charac- in the entire system has had time to become
teristics of the fluid coupling are as follows for that the maximum impeller tip speed is slightly
thoroughly heated. Since a majority of below 1,100 feet per second. This value is
the conditions indicated: flight missions in this war are reported to be approximately 150 ft. per second lower than
(a) The slip varies from approximately 28 per carried out above 12,000 ft. where coupling the current standards for American and British
cent at sea level to 2 per cent at slightly over slip becomes negligible, the matter of in- supercharger design.
12,000 ft. (depending on the sylphon* adjust- creased oil cooler capacity may not involve
ment) when the full capacity of both oil the degree of heat dissipation indicated by The middle curve of Fig. 35 shows the
pumps is delivered to the coupling. The laboratory tests. characteristics of the load co-efficient Q/N, at
slip characteristics may change somewhat 2,400 engine r.p.m., with the variations in tip
with oil temperature, viscosity and the (c) From the curve showing the ratio of impeller speed of the impeller. The load coefficient
amount of oil through the drain hole in the speed to crankshaft for various conditions of Q/N is the quantity of air in cubic feet delivered
periphery of the coupling housing. slip and altitude, it will be noted that up to per revolution of the supercharger' impeller.
4,000 ft. (and subject to adjustment of the The load coefficient curve is rather flat con-
* It is regretted Hint m last month's instalment "sylphon" wns automatic controls) the slip, and therefore sidering the wide variations in tip speed of the
printed as "syphon" throughout.—KI>ITOK.
 302 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING November, 1941

with its dull black finish and a dangling mass of evidence that at the time this engine was con-
wires, controls, fuel, oil and coolant lines, etc;, structed, any shortage of tin, chromium,
it soon became evident upon dismantling that tungsten, etc., existed for the German aircraft
impeller and that the throttling control is good design, high quality and excellent work- industry. There is also a noticeable similarity
established at the outlet instead of the inlet to manship lay beneath a somewhat homely ex- in the application and composition of many
the compressor. terior. No useless eflort in man-hours of finish materials with those used in American aero-
has been expended where there is not a direct engines. The one exception is the almost total
Supercharger Performance return in increased reliability or performance. lack of magnesium alloys which were greatly
In Fig. 36 are reproduced curves selected The general workmanship indicates the applica- exploited prior to the war by the German light
from rig test data on the DB-601A super- tion of suitable machine tools, skilled operators metal industry.
charger to illustrate its characteristics under and efficient inspection personnel. Handiwork
two specific conditions as compared with the in polishing of stressed parts is of the highest Operation
performance of the current Cyclone super- order and consistent in extent to the require-
ments for high specific output, reliability and No little thought and considerable ingenuity
charger. These two conditions are defined by of design have been directed to the simplifica-
impeller tip speeds of 800 and 1,100 ft. per long service life in a mass production aircraft
power plant. tion of engine operation through the use of
second which represent take-off, and altitude automatic controls. For military power plants
performance above 12,000 ft. this requirement in time of war is of utmost
Supercharger characteristics are generally Design
importance due not only to the burden of com-
defined by the relationship between the load The DB-601A general design reflects a bat manoeuvres which keep the pilot occupied,
coefficient Q/N and two variables (a) tempera- ruggedness and reliability which has always but also to the inability of inexperienced pilots
ture rise ratio and (b) pressure coefficient. characterized Mercedes-Benz products. The
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properly to control manually the many adjust-

(a) The temperature rise ratio is a measurement relatively low rating of the engine indicates ments which are required for optimum per-
of the overall efficiency and is the ratio of conservatism in output for the sake of improved formance of an aero-engine under varying
calculated adiabatic temperature rise based reliability and increased service life. This conditions of output and altitude.
on observed pressure ratio to the actual safety factor has been effected despite the stand- Another interesting phase of military opera-
observed temperature rise. ardization of mounts and attachments first tion which is reflected in the design and installa-
(I) The pressure coefficient is an indication of employed by the Germans to facilitate engine tion of the DB-601A is the requirement for an
the ability of the compressor to provide changes. This latter procedure has greatly unfaltering take-off with a stone-cold engine.
boost at a given tip speed; and is the ratio reduced the necessity for complicated mainten- This is particularly required of fighter and inter-
of the energy from the pressure ratio actual- ance operations on the powerplant while in- ceptor power plants. It has been reported
ly obtained to the calculated energy im- stalled. However, routine maintenance opera- from abroad that take-off with a cold engine
parted to the air stream when accelerated tions on spark plugs, injection nozzles, strainers in the German fighting aeroplanes is accom-
to the tip speed of the impeller. and magneto are easily accomplished on the plished on a few seconds' notice. A supple-
The flat spread of the DB-601A supercharger DB-601A. mentary tank filled with a mixture of ether and
performance curves indicates a characteristic Careful attention has been paid to seemingly petrol are used for priming. A secondary
of the vaneless diffuzer which, however, is unimportant details which may mean the tank containing fuel mixed with a small per-
somewhat inferior to the vane type in efficient difference between success and failure in a given centage of oil is used during take-off and climb.
conversion of velocity energy to pressure. I t design. Specific reference in this connexion The take-off is made almost immediately after
has been reported that early models of the DB- is made to the dowling practice and serrating starting the engine and the switch to straight
601A engine incorporated a vane type diifuzer. of joints referred to throughout the above petrol is not made until the normal operating
The reason for a subsequent change to the vane- detailed description for the purpose of eliminat- temperatures of coolant and oil have been at-
les diffuzer may possibly have been made to ing chafing and ultimate trouble; also the tained. Such high output operation with a
decrease the supercharger diameter; facilitate surface hardening procedure by means of shot cold engine and resultant sluggish oil circulation
production; or through the flatter performance blasting on stressed steel surfaces in intimate may be the reason for the use of so many anti-
curve to eliminate a possible surging condition. contact to reduce fretting and the possibility friction bearings in the connecting rods and
The reasonably satisfactory comparison with of fatigue failures. accessory drives of the D13-601A engine.
the Cyclone vane diffuzer supercharger indicates
that the DB-601A impeller is of good design
and compensates to some extent for the defi- Adaptability to Mass Production Performance
ciency of its vaneless diffuser. From the manufacturing point of view, the
design represents, with possibly several minor Despite wishful thinking to the contrary, the
exceptions, good mass production practice for performance of the DB-601A with respect to
military aircraft power-plants with the use of sea level and altitude output, fuel consumption,
V. CONCLUSIONS and weight seems to be quite on a par with
Since no report on a subject of such current modern machine tools especially adapted for
specific operations. While the grinding of gears other contemporary power-plants of the same
interest as the D13-601A aircraft engine is general type.
likely to be considered complete without some is on a par with American practice, it is some-
conclusions, the writer will undertake herewith what surprising to note that highly stressed
bolts do not have ground threads. Potentialities of the DB-601A
to summarize, and in some cases reaffirm, the
impressions gained and observations made During the normal course of development, a
during his rather limited study of this power- military aircraft power plant will undergo an
Materials increase in power output averaging 6 to 8 per
plant.
The high quality of German aircraft steels is cent per year for a given type. This higher
reflected in the marked absence of magnaflux performance may be accomplished by several
Workmanship and Quality of Finish indications. In so far as the strategic alloying or all of the following modifications:
While the engine first presented a somewhat constituents are concerned, with the possible (a) Increasing the degree of supercharging.
discouraging appearance upon being unpacked, exception of nickel, there is no appreciable (Concluded on p. 305)
 November, 1941 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING 305
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The Mercedes-Benz DB-601A Engine

(Concluded from page 302) planes are using 92 octane such an output is (a) To my associates in W.A.C. who conducted
(b) Improving supercharger or induction quite within reason. the tests; compiled the d a t a ; constructed
system efficiency. Since the impetus of war with its ever-increas- the curves; drew the sketches; and made
(c) Increasing crankshaft r.p.m. ing demands for higher aeroplane speeds and the photographs:
(d) Increasing compression ratio. heavier bomb and armament loads, dictates the Messrs. P. Bancel, K. Campbell, J. H.
In the stress of war-time necessity the degree necessity for powerplants of greatly increased Critchley, J. R. Douglass, P. Graef, O.
of increasing power output yearly for a given output, it is not at all unlikely that the basic Hollerith, H. Jones, W. G. Lundquist,
type may attain 10 to 12 per cent, when proper design of the DB-601A has been incorporated E. F. Pierce, J. Spurting, J. Talbert,
emphasis has been established on the necessity into an " X " type engine. Such a develop- M. H. Young.
of continuing development despite the urge for ment would be a logical production set-up (b) To Mr. W. H. Sprenkle and Mr. E. K. von
mass production of a current model. Assum- utilizing known and service-proven components, Mortens of Pratt & Whitney for the use of
ing that the DB-601A engine under discussion is and accordingly may well be the 2,400 horse- the sketch showing the accessory gear train
a model released for production in 1939, it is power power plant recently reported to be of the DB-601A and for their kind offer to
not unlikely that in 1940 this engine attained under construction in Germany. discuss certain features of the engine
a military rating of 1,175 horse-power and that In conclusion and by way of acknowledgment, accessories investigated at Hartford.
the current rating in 1941 is 1,400 horse-power. I wish herewith to tender my sincere thanks (c) To Mr. R. M. Hazen of the Allison Engineer-
In view of the reports from abroad that German to the following: ing Company for data on the V-1710-C-15.