ISO 15550:2016 PDF

Overview

ISO 15550:2016 - "Internal combustion engines - Determination and method for the measurement of engine power - General requirements" - is the ISO “Core” standard that defines the framework, reference conditions and general methods for measuring and declaring engine power, fuel consumption and lubricating-oil consumption for commercial internal combustion engines. It applies to reciprocating (spark- or compression-ignition) and rotary piston engines, naturally aspirated or pressure‑charged, and can be used for both test‑bed and on‑site measurements.

This core document is intended to be used together with application‑specific “Satellite” standards to form a complete test and declaration protocol for particular engine applications.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope of applicability: Reciprocating internal combustion engines (excluding free‑piston types) and rotary piston engines for land, rail, marine, automotive, motorcycle, agricultural, earth‑moving and small craft use.
• Standard reference conditions: Defines the atmospheric and ambient conditions used as a basis for power declaration and correction.
• Test methods: Describes at least two test methods (Test method 1 and Test method 2) including test designation, extent, measurement techniques, conditions and procedures.
• Measurement items: Procedures for determining engine shaft power, fuel consumption and lubricating oil consumption.
• Power correction methodology: Equations and correction factors to adjust measured power to standard atmospheric conditions (including α correction factors for different engine types).
• Exhaust smoke measurement: Guidance on measurement and correction of smoke (light absorption coefficient) for compression‑ignition engines.
• Test reporting: Required test report contents for type testing and production testing.
• Terminology and symbols: Harmonized terms and symbols referenced from ISO vocabularies to ensure consistent declarations.

Practical applications and who uses it

ISO 15550:2016 is used by:

• Engine manufacturers for consistent power declaration and certification.
• Test laboratories and OEM test‑beds to perform repeatable power and fuel‑consumption tests.
• Regulatory bodies and certification organizations requiring harmonized measurement data.
• OEMs and system integrators verifying engine performance for vehicles, marine craft, agricultural and construction machinery.
• Quality assurance and R&D teams standardizing measurement methods across product lines.

Benefits include harmonized test practices, comparable performance data across engines and reduced duplication between different industry standards.

Related standards

ISO 15550 is the “Core” document and is intended to be used alongside relevant Satellite standards such as:

• ISO 3046‑1 (land/rail traction/marine definitions)
• ISO 1585 / ISO 2534 (automotive propulsion)
• ISO 4106 (motorcycles)
• ISO 9249 (earth‑moving machinery)
• ISO 8665 (small craft)
• ISO 2710‑1 and ISO 11614 (vocabulary and smoke/opacity apparatus)

Keywords: ISO 15550, engine power measurement, internal combustion engines, power declaration, test methods, fuel consumption, power correction, standard reference conditions.