Electrically assisted turbocharger

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Schematic of an example EAT system (Aeristech) HTT Basic Schematic.JPG
Schematic of an example EAT system (Aeristech)

An electrically assisted turbocharger (EAT) is an arrangement where an electric motor assists the gas-driven turbocharger in providing forced induction, particular at times when exhaust gas flow is insufficient to produce the desired boost. [1] Some systems integrate the motor inside a turbocharger, while others use a separate electric supercharger.

Contents

Systems

BorgWarner

BorgWarner tested the idea in the 1990s, but never produced a part for production vehicles because of high power consumption, until the Mercedes-Benz M256 engine (2017), which used a 48-volt electrical system. [2]

As of January 2023, BorgWarner markets two EAT solutions: a standalone "electric compressor" (i.e. supercharger) named eBooster and a turbocharger with a single-shaft motor attached named eTurbo. [3]

Garrett Motion

In October 2019, Garrett Motion announced its first electric turbocharger for market passenger vehicles, with expected launch in 2021. [4] The design adds an electric motor between the turbocharger's turbine wheel and compressor wheel.

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL 43 convertible uses the Mercedes-Benz M139 engine, which features the integrated Garrett Motion EAT. [5]

Volkswagen TDI

The TDI line used by the Audi brand has seen 4.0 V8 TDI 310-320kW, used on the Audi SQ7 and more. It has 2 turbochargers and 1 electric supercharger. [6]

Volvo

In 2010, Volvo started to experiment with electrically assisted turbochargers. The result was unveiled in 2014, a 450hp 2.0L High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept engine, which used a 48-volt electrical system for the electric booster. The engine has three turbos, with the electric "turbo" driving the exhaust turbines of the twin-turbo. [7] Despite initial reports that the Volvo XC90 T6 would have a related improvement, [8] only the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 actually received a Twin Engine starter-generator-supercharger in addition to the mechanical twincharger arrangement. [9]

In 2019, Volvo reiterated plans to replace the mechanical supercharger with an electric one. [10]

Abandoned

In the late 1990s, Turbodyne also investigated EAT designs. [11]

An electric supercharger also uses an electric motor to power the compressor, however the electric motor is the sole power source in an electric supercharger.

A turbocharger that can divert some of the exhaust gas to produce electricity (using the vehicle's alternator) is sometimes called a hybrid turbocharger. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turbocharger</span> Exhaust-powered forced-induction device for engines

In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garrett Motion</span> American industrial company

Garrett Motion Inc., formerly Honeywell Transportation Systems and Honeywell Turbo Technologies, is an American company primarily involved in engineering, development and manufacturing of turbochargers and related forced induction systems for ground vehicles from small passenger cars to large trucks and industrial equipment and construction machinery. It originated as part of Garrett AiResearch's Industrial Division in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1954, after which they entered a contract to provide 5,000 turbochargers for the Caterpillar mining vehicle. It manufactured turbochargers for railroads and commercial trucks. The business produced approximately $3.6 billion in revenue in 2021. Garrett Motion is also involved in motorsports providing turbochargers and forced induction systems, solutions and related equipment to racing teams and various forms of automobile racing and professional competitions. In 2004, the business became part of American industrial conglomerate Honeywell International, Inc., as their Transportation Systems division. In 2018, it was spun off to become an independent company under the Garrett Motion name with corporate headquarters in Rolle, Switzerland.

Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG, is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG. AMG independently hires engineers and contracts with manufacturers to customize Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles. The company has its headquarters in Affalterbach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

A wastegate is a valve that controls the flow of exhaust gases to the turbine wheel in a turbocharged engine system.

The anti-lag system (ALS) is a method of reducing turbo lag or effective compression used on turbocharged engines to minimize turbo lag on racing or performance cars. It works by retarding the ignition timing and adding extra fuel to balance an inherent loss in combustion efficiency with increased pressure at the charging side of the turbo. This is achieved as an excess amount of fuel/air mixture escapes through the exhaust valves and combusts in the hot exhaust manifold spooling the turbocharger creating higher usable pressure.

A twincharger refers to a compound forced induction system used on some internal combustion engines. It is a combination of an exhaust-driven turbocharger and a mechanically driven supercharger, each mitigating the weaknesses of the other.

Mild hybrids (MHEV) are generally cars with an internal combustion engine (ICE) equipped with a minimally extended battery and an auxiliary electric combined motor and generator in a parallel hybrid configuration that is not enough for an electric-only mode of propulsion but does allow the engine to be stopped whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, and then restarted once power is required again. Mild hybrids may employ regenerative braking and some level of power assist to the internal combustion engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supercharger</span> Air compressor for an internal combustion engine explaning

In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turbo-compound engine</span> Reciprocating engine combined with a blowdown turbine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">G-Power</span> German car tuning manufacturer

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An electric supercharger is a specific type of supercharger for internal combustion engines that uses an electrically powered forced-air system that contains an electric motor to pressurize the intake air. By pressurizing the air available to the engine intake system, the air becomes more dense, and is matched with more fuel, producing the increased horsepower to the wheels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-AMG ONE</span> Plug-in hybrid sports car

The Mercedes-AMG ONE is a limited-production plug-in dual hybrid sports car manufactured by Mercedes-AMG, featuring Formula One-derived technology. The Project One concept car was unveiled at the 2017 International Motor Show Germany by the seven-time F1 world champion and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 driver, Lewis Hamilton and Head of Mercedes-Benz, Dieter Zetsche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé is an executive car (E-segment) introduced in 2018 by Mercedes-AMG. It is marketed as a five-door variant of the AMG GT two-door sports car. Despite the name and style, the GT 4-Door Coupé is closely related to E63 wagon with its performance chassis, and is featured by the AMG-specific rear frame and a different front axle for better kinematics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz M139 engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The M139 is a turbocharged inline-four engine produced by Mercedes-Benz. It is the successor of the M133 engine. It is also the first four-cylinder engine by AMG to be specified with two outputs, to be assembled by hand using "one man, one engine" philosophy, and to be equipped with combined port and direct fuel injection system. At 310 kW (416 hp) on its introduction, M139 was the world's most powerful four-cylinder engine in serial production with specific output of 208 hp per litre or 104 hp per cylinder. The current top trim of the M139 produces 350 kW (469 hp), giving it a specific output of 235 hp (175 kW) per litre or 117 hp (87.5 kW) per cylinder, making it the current most powerful four-cylinder engine in serial production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W206)</span> Motor vehicle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volkswagen-Audi V8 engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Volkswagen-Audi V8 engine family is a series of mechanically similar, gasoline-powered and diesel-powered, V-8, internal combustion piston engines, developed and produced by the Volkswagen Group, in partnership with Audi, since 1988. They have been used in various Volkswagen Group models, and by numerous Volkswagen-owned companies. The first spark-ignition gasoline V-8 engine configuration was used in the 1988 Audi V8 model; and the first compression-ignition diesel V8 engine configuration was used in the 1999 Audi A8 3.3 TDI Quattro. The V8 gasoline and diesel engines have been used in most Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, Bentley, and Lamborghini models ever since. The larger-displacement diesel V8 engine configuration has also been used in various Scania commercial vehicles; such as in trucks, buses, and marine (boat) applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes V6 hybrid Formula One power unit</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Mercedes V6 hybrid Formula One power unit is a series of 1.6-liter, hybrid turbocharged V6 racing engines which features both a kinetic energy recovery system (MGU-K) and a heat energy recovery system (MGU-H), developed and produced by Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains for use in Formula One. The engines were in use since the 2014 season by the Mercedes works team. Over years of development, engine power was increased from 840 horsepower at 15,000 rpm, to 1,030 horsepower at 15,000 rpm. Customer team engines were used by Williams, McLaren, Lotus, Manor Racing, Force India, Racing Point Force India, Racing Point and Aston Martin.

References

  1. "Electric Boost". www.autospeed.com. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  2. Davies, Alex. "This Little Fan Could Fix the Turbocharger's Biggest Problem—And Make Cars Way More Efficient" via www.wired.com.
  3. "Electric Boosting Technologies". BorgWarner.
  4. "Garrett To Launch Industry's First Electric Turbo".
  5. "Nerd's Eye View: Mercedes AMG M139 Engine with E-turbo and Liquid Immersion Battery Cooling". MotoIQ. 11 April 2021.
  6. "V8-Diesel im Audi SQ7: Zukunft, Konkurrenz - Fette Acht statt sechs in Reihe". MOTOR-TALK.de. May 9, 2016.
  7. "Volvo's Drive-E Engine Family Adds Triple-Boosted 4 Cylinder Concept". EngineLabs. 7 October 2014.
  8. "Volvo Bets Its Future on Small, Turbocharged Engines". The 2016 XC90 (on sale early next year) is the first of this new generation of Volvos. It's powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a turbocharger and a supercharger.
  9. "Volvo Cars introduces Twin Engine technology in world's most powerful and cleanest SUV". www.media.volvocars.com (Press release). Volvo Car Corporation. 8 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07.
  10. "Volvo to Start Using Electric Superchargers". Car and Driver. 17 May 2019.
  11. "AlliedSignal and Turbodyne to Jointly Develop Mass Production Capabilities". www.theautochannel.com. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  12. "Hybrid Turbocharger, Ship Marine Engine Turbocharger, High Speed Motor for Marine Applications, Marine Power Generation, High Speed Generator, Marine Engine Heat Recovery". www.calnetix.com. Retrieved 20 June 2022.