| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/H050353/1 |
| Title: |
Turbo-Discharging: Reducing CO2 Emissions from Current and Future Vehicles |
| Principal Investigator: |
Garner, Professor CP |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
Sch of Mechanical and Manufacturing Eng |
| Organisation: |
Loughborough University |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research |
| Starts: |
05 July 2010 |
Ends: |
04 January 2012 |
Value (£): |
121,031
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Transport Ops & Management |
|
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Transport Systems and Vehicles |
|
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
|
08 Mar 2010
|
Low Carbon Vehicles Panel Meeting
|
Announced
|
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
Turbo-Discharging is a fundamentally new approach to using internal combustion (IC) engine air systems to improve fuel economy, reduce engine CO2 emissions and simultaneously increase engine torque. Using a novel divided exhaust flow arrangement, the blow-down flow and the associated energy usually lost as part of the exhaust flow is recovered by a turbine. During the main displacement flow the turbine is by-passed and the crankshaft does not have to do any work exhausting the burnt gases through the turbine. The result is the recovery of the blowdown energy without negatively impacting the engine crankshaft torque. This energy is then innovatively used to depressurise the exhaust system which generates extra crankshaft torque during the exhaust stroke giving a primary torque increase and CO2 emission reduction.Secondary benefits include increased energy availability from the blowdown pulse and potentially improved low speed torque (through increased pressure drop across the turbine). There will be less hot exhaust gas residuals within the cylinder which will extend the knock limit of turbocharged spark ignition engines allowing further downsizing than is currently possible.Importantly, the effect on the combustion system is negligible allowing the Turbo-Discharging approach to be used with all current and future IC engines without significant redesign. The impact on CO2 emissions could therefore be much larger than costly technologies offering larger CO2 reductions in only small niche markets.Turbo-Discharging requires the addition of a turbine and compressor (as used in a conventional turbocharging system) and does not require complexities such as wastegating or variable geometry turbines. The cost is therefore small, placing the technology in a very competitive position compared with many other CO2 reducing technologies. With engine manufacturers requiring combined technologies to meet future CO2 emission targets, this technology will be very attractive to industry. Initial contact with industrial has shown that experimental demonstration of this technology is needed before they will invest. This project will experimentally study, develop and demonstrate Turbo-Discharging as a feasible, cost effective and novel approach to reducing IC engine CO2 emissions, ultimately leading to industrial collaboration and implementation of Turbo-Discharging on-vehicle.
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
http://www.lboro.ac.uk |