In engineering, the Miller cycle is a combustion process

used in a type of four-stroke internal combustion

engine. The Miller cycle was patented by Ralph Miller
(engineer), an American engineer, in the 1940s.
A Miller-cycle engine is very similar to an Otto-cycle engine. The
Miller-cycle uses pistons, valves, a spark plug, etc., just like an
Otto-cycle engine does. There are two big differences:

A Miller-cycle engine depends on a supercharger.

A Miller-cycle engine leaves the intake valve open during part

of the compression stroke, so that the engine is compressing
against the pressure of the supercharger rather than the
pressure of the cylinder walls. The effect is increased
efficiency, at a level of about 15 percent.
In the Miller cycle, the intake valve is left open longer than it
would be in an Otto cycle engine. In effect, the compression
stroke is two discrete cycles: the initial portion when the intake
valve is open and final portion when the intake valve is closed.
This two-stage intake stroke creates the so called 'fifth'
cycle that the Miller cycle introduces.
As the piston initially moves upwards in what is traditionally
the compression stroke, the charge is being pushed back out
the still-open valve. Typically this loss of charge air would
result in a loss of power. However, in the Miller cycle, the
piston is over-fed with charge air from a supercharger, so
pushing some of the charge air back out into the intake
manifold is entirely planned.

A key aspect of the Miller cycle is that the compression stroke

actually starts only after the piston has pushed out the 'extra'
charge and the intake valve closes. This happens at around 20%
to 30% into the compression stroke. In other words, the actual
compression occurs in the latter 70% to 80% of the
compression stroke
Thus the Miller cycle uses the supercharger for the portion of
the compression where it is best, and the piston for the portion
where it is best. In total, this reduces in the power needed to
run the engine by 10% to 15%.

The intake air is first compressed by the supercharger and

then cooled by an intercooler. This lower intake charge
temperature, combined with the lower compression of the
intake stroke, yields a lower final charge temperature than
would be obtained by simply increasing the compression of
the piston. This allows ignition timing to be altered to beyond
what is normally allowed before the onset of detonation, thus
increasing the overall efficiency still further.

Due to the reduced compression stroke of a Miller cycle engine, a

higher overall compression ratio (supercharger compression plus
piston compression) is possible, and therefore a Miller cycle
engine has a better efficiency
 Miller-cycle Technical Details
There are basically four means that the Miller-cycle uses to
obtain its increased efficiency.
1)Smaller engine (lower
displacement)

2)reduced compression stroke and pumping losses

(from late closing of the intake valve)

3)cooler intake charge (intercooled air)

4)combustion improvements
 Engine Size vs Frictional Losses
When the displacement of an engine is reduced, there is
a substantial reduction in frictional losses
The graph below indicates the fuel efficiency increase as
displacement is decreased

normally use an engine over 3.0L, the reduction in size to 2.3L

provides an improvement in fuel efficiency of around 13 percent
The lower friction associated with the smaller engine also
improves efficiency.
 Theoretical vs Actual Compression Ratio
The theoretical compression ratio is simply a comparison of
the volume above the piston when it is at bottom dead centre
(BDC), to the volume above it at top dead centre (TDC).

However, in practice, the actual compression ratio is

determined by the valve timing,

the length of the power (expansion) stroke is also determined

by the opening point of the exhaust valve.

in most engines these days, these two strokes are

approximately the same. This means that the actual
compression stroke is roughly equal to the expansion stroke.
In miller cycle,the compression ratio is "artificially" reduced
down to 8:1.

In miller cycle, compression stroke is reduced but the power

or expansion stroke remains the same.
 Thermal Efficiency
By increasing the compression ratio, the thermal efficiency
of an engine is also increased

Due to the late closing of the intake valves (reduced

compression ratio), less heat is added to the intake charge by
the piston during this stroke. The loss in thermal efficiency of
reduced compression ratio from 10 to 8:1 is only about six
percent.
This slight loss in thermal efficiency from the decrease in
compression ratio is more than made up for by a much denser
charge supplied by the compressor. Cool dense air is pushed
through twin intercoolers into the cylinders. This reduces the
combustion chamber temperature at TDC of the compression
stroke and so lowers the potential for detonation to occur and
also production of NOx.
 Pumping Losses
This refers to the energy required to rotate an engine during
two of the three non-power producing strokes

The late closing of the intake valve eliminates the

substantial amount of energy normally required to overcome
friction (as well as pumping losses), in the process of
completing a normal compression stroke.
 Volumetric Efficiency
The term volumetric efficiency refers to the ability of an
engine to fill its cylinders with a volume of air equal to their
displacement (100 percent Ve). The greater the Ve then the
greater will be the output of that engine.

half the intake charge back out the intake valves would be a
reduction in volumetric efficiency.

In the Miller-cycle engine, where the compressor comes to the

rescue. Any loss of intake charge through "back flow" is more
than compensated for by the density of the charge provided by
the compressor.
 Combustion Improvements

On the Miller engine, the intake port has been shortened to

promote smooth but strong intake air flow. A mask is added
to the intake side of the combustion chamber to
concentrate the air flow to the centre of the cylinder;
strengthening the tumble motion.
Tumble promotes more ideal intake dynamics and
combustion events that enhances the anti-knocking
performance of the engine.
high performance coupled with between 10 and 15 percent
less fuel consumption .
Miller Cycle is widely employed in large-scale applications
such as generators and ship motors, the only manufacturer
to ever sell a Miller Cycle powered automobile is Mazda with
their Mx-6 and Millenia/929 (both of which are out of
production in North America, although the Millenia is still
being sold in Japan).
This engine utilises well proven conventional technology, but
further enhances it to take into account growing
international concerns for the environment and resource
preservation.
While, in the fullness of time, engines which use alternative
forms of energy may come to pass, Miller-cycle technology
will be seen to have advanced the cause of efficiency and
responsibility.