Super Turbocharging the Direct Injection Diesel Engine Received November 20, 2016; Accepted August 10, 2017
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Nonlinear Engineering 2018; 7(1): 17–27 Albert Boretti* Super Turbocharging the Direct Injection Diesel engine https://doi.org/10.1515/nleng-2017-0067 Received November 20, 2016; accepted August 10, 2017. 1 Introduction Abstract: The steady operation of a turbocharged diesel Superchargers boost the intake pressure at the expenses direct injection (TDI) engine featuring a variable speed of a compression work extracted from the crankshaft. The ratio mechanism linking the turbocharger shaft to the energy of the exhaust gases is completely lost. Turbocharg- crankshaft is modelled in the present study. Key param- ers boost the intake pressure by using the energy of the ex- eters of the variable speed ratio mechanism are range of haust gases that expand through a coaxial turbine at the speed ratios, efficiency and inertia, in addition to the abil- price of an increased back pressure. ity to control relative speed and flow of power. The device Turbochargers are typically more efficient that super- receives energy from, or delivers energy to, the crankshaft chargers and have better performances over the full range or the turbocharger. In addition to the pistons of the inter- of speeds and loads. As superchargers are driven by the nal combustion engine (ICE), also the turbocharger thus crankshaft through variable speed ratio mechanisms, the contributes to the total mechanical power output of the boost is however independent of the energy in the exhaust engine. The energy supply from the crankshaft is mostly gases. In a turbocharger, the boost depends on the en- needed during sharp accelerations to avoid turbo-lag, and ergy in the exhaust gases, as the work in the turbine is to boost torque at low speeds. At low speeds, the maxi- equal to the work in the compressor at the equilibrium mum torque is drastically improved, radically expanding speed. Typically, a turbocharger is controlled by a waste the load range. Additionally, moving closer to the points gate on the turbine that reduce the amount of energy re- of operation of a balanced turbocharger, it is also possi- covered in the turbine to run the compressor. While at high ble to improve both the efficiency η, defined as the ra- speeds, the turbine is waste gated, at low speeds the en- tio of the piston crankshaft power to the fuel flow power, ergy available in turbine is minimal and the boost is re- and the total efficiency η*, defined as the ratio of piston duced. Lack of boost is also experienced during sharp ac- crankshaft power augmented of the power from the tur- celerations, as the energy to the turbine is insufficient to bocharger shaft to the fuel flow power, even if of a mini- deliver the requested work to the compressor (turbo-lag). mal extent. The energy supply to the crankshaft is possible A turbocharger therefore wastes part of the recoverable en- mostly at high speeds and high loads, where otherwise the ergy in the exhaust at high speed or during sharp decel- turbine could have been waste gated, and during decelera- erations, and does not have enough energy at the turbine tions. The use of the energy at the turbine otherwise waste during sharp accelerations and at low speeds. In a super- gated translates in improvements of the total fuel conver- charger, all the exhaust gas energy is lost. sion efficiency η* more than the efficiency η. Much smaller While in a turbocharger the speed of rotation may vary improvements are obtained for the maximum torque, yet over a wide range, with a supercharger the speed of the again moving closer to the points of operation of a bal- compressor is limited by the characteristics of the mecha- anced turbocharger. Adopting a much larger turbocharger nism linking crankshaft to the compressor shaft. In super- (target displacement x speed 30% larger than a conven- chargers, volumetric compressors are also used in addition tional turbocharger), better torque outputs and fuel con- to centrifugal compressors. version efficiencies η* and η are possible at every speed In traditional turbochargers, the turbocharger shaft vs. the engine with a smaller, balanced turbocharger. This is not connected to the crankshaft, and the power to result motivates further studies of the mechanism that compressor is perfectly balanced by the power from tur- may considerably benefit traditional powertrains based on bine, with the turbine waste gate giving the opportu- diesel engines. nity to control the operating point by reducing the flow through turbine. If the turbocharger shaft is connected *Corresponding Author: Albert Boretti: Department of Mechanical to the crankshaft through a variable speed ratio mecha- and Aerospace Engineering, Benjamin M. Statler College of Engi- nism, this opens a new world of opportunities, as the tur- neering and Mineral Resources, West Virginia University, Morgan- bocharger may be run at a different speed from the equilib- town, WV 26506, USA, E-mail: [email protected] 18 | Albert Boretti, Super Turbocharging the Direct Injection Diesel engine rium speed and power can be delivered to or drawn from mechanism is composed of a traction drive variator (TDV) the crankshaft. This innovation, that is studied here, it is and a traction drive epicyclic (TDE) that vary the speed aimed to improve boost and waste heat recovery, and ul- to the centrifugal supercharger. The mechanism receives timately to deliver higher total fuel conversion efficiency a 3:1 overdrive from the engine. The TDV regulates the and torque, at any speed. drive ratio from 0.35:1 (underdrive) to 2.82:1 (overdrive). As the extra work from turbine can be collected at the The TDE produces a fixed 12.67:1 ratio speed increase. The crankshaft, the turbocharger can thus be selected much mechanism may spin the centrifugal compressor from 13.3 larger than within a traditional turbocharger installation. up to 107.2 times the engine speed in continuously vari- The control of the turbocharger speed, and therefore of able amount [5]. The CVT of [5] is similarly in design to the flow of power to or from the crankshaft from or tothe the toroidal CVT proposed for flywheel based purely me- turbocharger shaft, and of pressure boost, is now achieved chanical kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) of F1 [6]. by controlling the speed ratio across the mechanism. A two-direction, double toroidal CVT was previously pro- posed by Torotrak for the F1 KERS [6]. With the Torotrak V-Charge [5], the compressor speed may be everything be- 1.1 VanDyne Super Turbocharger tween 4.43 and 35.73 times the engine speed. For an engine speed of 3,000 rpm, the speed of the compressor may thus The name super turbocharger is not a novelty. The Van- be changed between 13,300 and 107,200 rpm. The speed Dyne Super Turbocharger (or SuperTurbo) [1–4] is a ratio turbocharger shaft to engine crankshaft is wide. This turbocharger connecting the turbocharger shaft to the CVT appears appropriate to control the speed ratio and crankshaft. The invention of reference [2] drives the tur- flow of energy between turbocharger and crankshaft. bocharger up to a specific speed or intake manifold pres- sure. When the exhaust energy provides more work than it takes to drive the intake compressor, the invention re- 1.3 F1 MGU-H covers that excess energy to add torque to the crankshaft. By changing the gear ratio of a Continuously Variable A turbocharged gasoline direct injection (DI) engine part Transmission (CVT), in principle the SuperTurbo may draw of a hybrid electric powertrain and featuring an F1-style power from the crankshaft working as a supercharger, motor-generator-unit (MGU-H) fitted on the turbocharger or deliver energy to the crankshaft working as a turbo- shaft has been recently studied in [8]. Figure 1 presents the compounder. The SuperTurbo’s supercharger function en- schematic of a turbocharger with a motor/generator unit hances the transient response of a downsized and tur- side of compressor (a) or between compressor and turbine bocharged engine, and the turbo-compounding function (b) as used in F1, for example by Renault or Ferrari dur- offers the opportunity to extract the available exhaust en- ing the 2014 season. The MGU-H receives or delivers en- ergy from the turbine rather than opening a waste gate. ergy to the same energy storage (ES) of the hybrid power In the practical application of reference [4], a high- unit that comprises a motor-generator unit on the drive- speed traction drive is utilized to provide speed reduction line (MGU-K) in addition to the internal combustion en- from the high-speed turbine shaft while a second traction gine (ICE). The energy supply from the ES is mostly needed drive provides infinitely variable speed ratios through a during sharp accelerations to avoid turbo-lag, and to boost CVT. However, the speed ratio turbocharger shaft to en- torque at low speeds. At low speeds, it also improves the gine crankshaft is limited. The mechanism is made up of ratio of engine crankshaft power to fuel flow power, as well gear pairs, swash plate pump, control lever, electric mo- as the ratio of engine crankshaft plus turbocharger shaft tor, hydraulic lines but lacks of a modern CVT such as power to fuel flow power. The energy supply to the ESis the toroidal CVT of Tototrak [5, 6] or the Nissan Extroid possible at high speeds and loads, where otherwise the toroidal CVT [7] to control speed ratio and flow of energy turbine could have been waste gated, and during deceler- between turbocharger and crankshaft. ations. This improves the ratio of engine crankshaft plus turbocharger shaft power to fuel flow power. However, in this case, the power delivered to the turbocharger shaft 1.2 Torotrak variable speed supercharger goes to recharge the battery through the MHU-H and does not flow directly to the wheels.