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CHAPTER 1

TURBO CHARGING - INTRODUCTION AND
HISTORY



1.1 AN INTRODUCTION


A turbocharger is basically an air pump. It is a centrifugal compressor
driven by the exhaust gas turbines. By utilizing the exhaust energy of the
engine it recovers a substantial part of energy which would otherwise go
waste. It is a forced induction device used to allow more power to be
produced by an engine of a given size. A turbocharged engine can be more
powerful and efficient than a naturally aspirated engine because the turbine
forces more air, and proportionately more fuel, into the combustion chamber
than atmospheric pressure alone. The compact nature of a turbocharger
means it is often a more space -efficient solution for increasing power output
than fitting a larger engine.

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Turbochargers were originally known as turbo superchargers when all
forced induction devices were classified as superchargers; nowadays the
term "supercharger" is usually applied to only mechanically driven forced
induction devices.


Of the total heat input to an engine, about 27 to 38 percent goes into
the exhaust. Whole of this energy cannot be utilized but a part of it can be
used to run a gas turbine, which, in turn, will supply more air to the engine
by driving a compressor. Such utilization of the exhaust energy boosts
engine power and results in better thermal efficiency and fuel consumption.
Usually, it is the high speed of the exhaust gases which escape from the
engine cylinder, which drives a gas turbine, which is directly coupled to the
centrifugal compressor which supplies extra air to the engine. The speed of
the turbo charger ranges from 20,000 to 80,000 rpm.


Fig 1 : cut away view of a turbo charger model
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1.2 HISTORY OF TURBO CHARGING


The history of turbo charging is almost as old as that of the internal
combustion engine. As early as 1885 and 1896, Gottlieb Daimler and Rudolf
Diesel investigated increasing the power output and reducing the fuel
consumption of their engines by pre-compressing the combustion air. The
turbocharger was invented by Swiss engineer Alfred Buchi in 1925, who
was the head of diesel engine research at Gebruder Sulzer engine
manufacturing company in Winterhur. He received a patent for using a
compressor driven by exhaust gasses to force air into an internal combustion
engine to increase power and achieved a power increase of more than 40 %.




Fig 2 : an article clipping from THE NEWYORK TIMES (Published: September 15,
1919) about the first use of turbo charged engine
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Ships and locomotives equipped with turbocharged Diesel engines
began appearing in the 1920s, though they were less common than engine-
driven centrifugal superchargers. Turbochargers were also used in aviation.
In 1938, the first turbocharged engine for trucks was built by the Swiss
Machine Works Saurer.


The Chevrolet Corvair Monza and the Oldsmobile Jetfire were the
first turbo-powered passenger cars, and made their debut on the US market
in 1962. Power was significantly increased over the naturally aspirated
engine, however reliability of these engines was poor and thats why their
production stopped in 1963. The next mass-produced turbocharged car was
BMW's 2002 Turbo, introduced at the 1973 Frankfurt motor show, but due
to excessive turbo lag, safety concerns and the 1973/1974 oil crisis, the 2002
Turbo was discontinued in 1974.


At the height of the oil crisis, Porsche introduced the 911 Turbo,
which was the fastest mass produced car at the time. The Porsche 911 has
been available with a turbocharged engine for the majority of the years since
then. In 1978, Turbo charging returned to American-produced engines, in
the form of the Buick Regal V6.



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In 1970s, the turbochargers entered motor sports, especially into
Formula I racing, and made turbocharged passenger car engine very popular.
The word "turbo" became quite fashionable. At that time, almost every
automobile manufacturer offered at least one top model equipped with a
turbocharged petrol engine. However, this phenomenon disappeared after a
few years because although the turbocharged petrol engine was more
powerful, it was not economical. Furthermore, the delayed response of the
turbochargers was relatively large and not accepted by most customers. The
real breakthrough in passenger car turbo charging was achieved in 1978 with
the introduction of the first turbocharged diesel engine passenger car in the
Mercedes-Benz 300 SD, followed by the VW Golf Turbodiesel in 1981.


Today, the turbo charging of petrol engines is no longer primarily
seen from the performance perspective, but is rather viewed as a means of
reducing fuel consumption and, consequently, environmental pollution on
account of lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Currently, the primary
reason for turbo charging is the use of the exhaust gas energy to reduce fuel
consumption and emissions.





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CHAPTER 2

CONSTRUCTION AND PARTS OF A TURBO
CHARGING ASSEMBLY



2.1 COMPRESSOR WHEEL AND TURBINE


A turbocharger consists of a compressor which increases the mass of intake
air entering the combustion chamber. The compressor is made up of an
impeller, a diffuser and a volute housing and exhaust gas turbine wheel
coupled together by a solid shaft and that is used to boost the intake air
pressure of an internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas turbine extracts
energy from the exhaust gas and uses it to drive the compressor and
overcome friction. In most automotive-type applications, both the
compressor and turbine wheel are of the radial flow type. Some applications,
such as medium- and low- speed diesel engines, can use an axial flow
turbine wheel instead of a radial flow turbine. Energy provided for the
turbine work is converted from the enthalpy and kinetic energy of the gas.
The turbine housings direct the gas flow through the turbine as it spins at up
to 250,000 rpm.

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The size and shape of the turbine and compressor can dictate some
performance characteristics of the overall turbocharger. Often the same basic
turbocharger assembly will be available from the manufacturer with multiple
housing choices for the turbine and sometimes the compressor cover as well.
This allows the balance between performance, response, and efficiency to be
tailored to the application. The turbine and impeller wheel sizes also dictate
the amount of air or exhaust that can be flowed through the system, and the
relative efficiency at which they operate. In general, the larger the turbine
wheel and compressor wheel the larger the flow capacity. Measurements and
shapes can still vary, as well as curvature and number of blades on the
wheels.


Fig 9: Compressor impeller side with the cover removed




Fig 10: Turbine side housing removed
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A turbochargers performance is closely tied to its size. Large
turbochargers take more heat and pressure to spin the turbine, creating turbo
lag at low RPMs. Small turbochargers spin quickly, but may not have the
same performance at high acceleration. To efficiently combine the benefits
of large and small wheels, advanced schemes are used such as twin
turbochargers, twin-scroll turbochargers, or variable-geometry
turbochargers.



2.1.1 TWIN TURBO


The use of twin-turbocharger is a question of both efficiency
and packaging. A small engine is of course better to use a single
turbo, because it does not produce sufficient exhaust gas to drive 2
turbos efficiently. For larger engines, it is better to use a pair of small
turbochargers instead of a big one, because small turbines result in
less turbo lag.


Twin-turbo or bi-turbo designs have two separate turbochargers
operating in either a sequence or in parallel. In a parallel
configuration, both turbochargers are fed one-half of the engines
exhaust. In a sequential setup one turbocharger runs at low speeds and
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the second turns on at a predetermined engine speed or load.
Sequential turbochargers further reduce turbo lag, but require an
intricate set of pipes to properly feed both turbochargers. Two-stage
variable twin-turbos employ a small turbocharger at low speeds and a
large one at higher speeds. They are connected in a series so that boost
pressure from one turbo is multiplied by another, hence the name "2-
stage." The distribution of exhaust gas is continuously variable, so the
transition from using the small turbo to the large one can be done
incrementally.


Twin turbochargers are primarily used in diesel engines. For
example, in Opel bi-turbo diesel, only the smaller turbocharger is
active at low rpm, providing high torque at 1500-1700 rpm; both
turbochargers operate together in mid range, with the larger one pre-
compressing the air which is further compressed by the smaller, with
bypass valve regulating the exhaust flow to each turbocharger; and at
high 2500-3000 rpm, only the larger turbocharger is active, providing
maximum performance.






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2.1.2 TURBO SCROLL


Twin-scroll or divided turbochargers have two exhaust
gas inlets and two nozzles, a smaller sharper angled one for
quick response and a larger less angled one for peak
performance. With high-performance camshaft timing, the
exhaust valves in different cylinders can be opened at the same
time, overlapping at the end of the power stroke in one cylinder
and the end of exhaust stroke in another. In twin-scroll designs,
the exhaust manifold physically separates the channels for
cylinders which can interfere with each other, so that the
pulsating exhaust gasses flow through separate spirals (scrolls).
This allows the engine to efficiently utilize exhaust scavenging
techniques, which decreases exhaust gas temperatures and
improves turbine efficiency.


Fig 12: Cut-out of a twin-scroll turbocharger
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2.1.3 VARIABLE GEOMETRY



Variable-geometry or variable-nozzle turbochargers use
moveable vanes to adjust the air-flow to the turbine, imitating a
turbocharger of the optimal size throughout the power curve.
The vanes are placed just in front of the turbine like a set of
slightly overlapping walls. Their angle is adjusted by an
actuator to block or increase air flow to the turbine. This
variability maintains a comparable exhaust velocity and back
pressure throughout the engines RPMs. The result is that the
turbocharger improves fuel efficiency without a noticeable level
of turbo lag.












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2.2 CENTER HOUSING


The turbine-compressor common shaft is supported by a bearing
system in the center housing (bearing housing) located between the
compressor and turbine. The shaft wheel assembly (SWA) refers to the shaft
with the compressor and turbine wheels attached, i.e., the rotating assembly.
The center housing rotating assembly (CHRA) refers to SWA installed in the
center-housing but without the compressor and turbine housings. The center
housing is commonly cast from gray cast iron but aluminum can also be
used in some applications. Turbochargers for high exhaust gas temperature
applications, such a spark ignition engines, can also incorporate cooling
passages in the center housing.




Fig 11: Sectional view of an exhaust gas turbocharger showing compressor wheel
(left) and turbine wheel (right), the bearing system and the cooling passages.
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2.3 BEARINGS


The turbocharger bearing system appears simple in design but it plays
a key role in a number of critical functions. The control of radial and axial
motion of the shaft and wheels and the minimization of friction losses in the
bearing system is done by bearings. Bearing systems have received
considerable attention because of their influence on turbocharger friction and
its impact on engines fuel efficiency.
With the exception of some large turbochargers for low-speed
engines, the bearings that support the shaft are usually located between the
wheels in an overhung position. This flexible rotor design ensures that the
turbocharger will operate above its first, and possibly second, critical speeds
and can therefore be subject to rotor dynamic conditions such as whirl and
synchronous vibration.


Some turbochargers use ball bearings instead of fluid bearings to
support the turbine shaft. Super-precise bearings made of advanced materials
are used to handle the speeds and temperatures of the turbocharger. They
allow the turbine shaft to spin with less friction than the fluid bearings used
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in most turbochargers. They also allow a slightly smaller, lighter shaft to be
used. This helps the turbocharger accelerate more quickly, further reducing
turbo lag.


The turbocharger bearing system must be tolerant of:


2.3.1 High thrust loading
High boost pressure acting on the compressor wheel can
create significant thrust loads. In variable geometry turbines,
the thrust loading can be even higher due to the ability of a
VGT to drive the compressor to higher boost pressures at low
flows. A low flow in the VGT usually means a small nozzle
setting and low static pressure acting on the turbine wheel that
is unable to significantly offset the corresponding compressor
thrust.

2.3.2 Oil contaminants
Longer engine oil change intervals and higher soot loading
due to engine emission controls such as EGR can lead to oil
contamination that can corrode bearing surfaces.
2.3.3 Oil supply delay
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Low ambient temperature and long oil feed pipes can
increase the time it takes for lubricating oil to reach the
turbocharger upon engine start-up. Even at low idle the
turbocharger speed can be relatively high shortly after start-up
and lead to potential problems with bearing system wear.

2.3.4 Hot shutdown
Continuous operation at high exhaust temperature
followed immediately by an engine shutdown without idle can
cause localized overheating and coking of the oil in the bearing
housing and subsequent damage to bearing surfaces.


2.4 SEALS


Seals are located at both ends of the bearing housing. These seals
represent a difficult design problem due to the need to keep frictional losses
low, the relatively large movements of the shaft due to bearing clearance and
adverse pressure gradients under some conditions.
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These seals primarily serve to keep intake air and exhaust gas out of
the center housing. The pressures in the intake and exhaust systems are
normally higher than in the turbochargers center housing which is typically
at the pressure of the engine crankcase. As such, they would primarily be
designed to seal the center housing when the pressure in the center housing
is lower than in the intake and exhaust systems. They are not intended to be
the primary means of preventing oil from escaping from the center housing
into the exhaust and air systems. Oil is usually prevented from contacting
these seals by other means such as oil deflectors and rotating flingers.




2.5 WASTEGATES


Most automotive turbochargers have a wastegate, which allows the
use of a smaller turbocharger to reduce lag while preventing it from spinning
too quickly at high engine speeds. It is a valve that allows the exhaust to
bypass the turbine blades and senses the boost pressure. If the pressure gets
too high, it could be an indicator that the turbine is spinning too quickly, so
the wastegate bypasses some of the exhaust around the turbine blades,
allowing the blades to slow down.

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CHAPTER 4

OPERATING PRINCIPLE AND WORKING OF A
TURBO CHARGER



4.1 OPERATING PRINCIPLE


The objective of a turbocharger is to improve an engine's volumetric
efficiency by increasing density of the intake gas (usually air). In most
piston engines, intake gases are "pulled" into the engine by the downward
stroke of the piston (which creates a low-pressure area), similar to drawing
liquid using a syringe. The amount of air which is actually inhaled,
compared with the theoretical amount if the engine could maintain
atmospheric pressure, is called volumetric efficiency.



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The turbocharger's compressor draws in ambient air and compresses
it before it enters into the intake manifold at increased pressure. This results
in a greater mass of air entering the cylinders on each intake stroke. The
power needed to spin the centrifugal compressor is derived from the kinetic
energy of the engine's exhaust gases.


Fig 4: variable geometry turbo charger diagram

An increase in fuel efficiency is also obtained by the use of a turbo
charger without increasing power. This is achieved by recovering waste
energy in the exhaust and feeding it back into the engine intake. By using
this otherwise wasted energy to increase the mass of air, it becomes easier to
ensure that all fuel is burned before being vented at the start of the exhaust
stage. The increased temperature from the higher pressure gives a higher
Carnot efficiency.
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The basic principal behind turbocharging is fairly simple, but a
turbocharger is a very complex piece of machinery. Not only must the
components within the turbocharger itself be precisely coordinated, but the
turbocharger and the engine it services must also be exactly
matched. If they're
not, engine inefficiency and even damage can be the results. Modern
turbochargers can use waste gates, blow-off valves and variable geometry.
The reduced density of intake air is often compounded by the loss of
atmospheric density seen with elevated altitudes. Thus, a natural use of the
turbocharger is with aircraft engines. As an aircraft climbs to higher
altitudes, the pressure of the surrounding air quickly falls off. For instance,
at 5,486 meters (17,999 ft), the air is at half the pressure of sea level, which
means that the engine will produce less than half-power at this altitude.


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4.1.1 PRESSURE INCREASE/BOOST

In automotive applications, boost refers to the amount by
which intake manifold pressure exceeds atmospheric pressure. This is
representative of the extra air pressure that is achieved over what
would be achieved without the forced induction. The level of boost
may be shown on a pressure gauge, usually in bar, psi or possibly kPa.

In aircraft engines, turbo charging is commonly used to
maintain manifold pressure as altitude increases (i.e. to compensate
for lower-density air at higher altitudes). Since atmospheric pressure
reduces as the aircraft climbs, power drops as a function of altitude in
normally aspirated engines. Systems that use a turbocharger to
maintain an engine's sea-level power output are called turbo-
normalized systems. Generally, a turbo-normalized system will
attempt to maintain a manifold pressure of 29.5 inches of mercury
(100 kPa). In all turbocharger applications, boost pressure is limited to
keep the entire engine system, including the turbo, inside its thermal
and mechanical design operating range. Over-boosting an engine
frequently causes damage to the engine in a variety of ways including
pre-ignition, overheating, and over-stressing the engine's internal
hardware. For example, to avoid engine knocking (aka detonation)
and the related physical damage to the engine, the intake manifold
pressure must not get too high, thus the pressure at the intake
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manifold of the engine must be controlled by some means. Opening
the wastegate allows the excess energy destined for the turbine to
bypass it and pass directly to the exhaust pipe, thus reducing boost
pressure. The wastegate can be either controlled manually (frequently
seen in aircraft) or by an actuator (in automotive applications, it is
often controlled by the Engine Control Unit).



4.1.2 TURBO LAG


Turbocharger applications can be categorized according to
those which require changes in output power (such as automotive) and
those which do not (such as marine, aircraft, commercial automotive,
industrial, (locomotives). While important to varying degrees, turbo
lag is most problematic when rapid changes in power output are
required.


Turbo lag is the time required to change power output in
response to a throttle change, noticed as a hesitation or slowed throttle
response when accelerating from idle as compared to a naturally
aspirated engine. This is due to the time needed for the exhaust system
and turbocharger to generate the required boost. Inertia, friction, and
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compressor load are the primary contributors to turbo lag.
Superchargers do not suffer this problem, because the turbine is
eliminated due to the compressor being directly powered by the
engine.





4.1.2.1 WAYS TO REDUCE TURBO LAG

1. Lowering the rotational inertia of the turbocharger; for
example by using lighter, lower radius parts to allow
the spool-up to happen more quickly. Ceramic
turbines are of benefit in this regard and or billet
compressor wheel.
2. Changing the aspect ratio of the turbine.

3. Increasing the upper-deck air pressure (compressor
discharge) and improving the wastegate response.

4. Reducing bearing frictional losses (such as by using a
foil bearing rather than a conventional oil bearing).

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5. Using variable-nozzle or twin-scroll turbochargers
(discussed below).

6. Decreasing the volume of the upper-deck piping using
multiple turbos sequentially or in parallel.

7. Using an Anti-lag system.




4.1.3 BOOST THRESHOLD

Lag should not be confused with the boost threshold. The boost
threshold of a turbo system describes the lower bound of the region
within which the compressor will operate. Below a certain rate of
flow, a compressor will not produce significant boost. This has the
effect of limiting boost at particular rpm regardless of exhaust gas
pressure. Electrical boosting ("E-boosting") uses an electric motor to
bring the turbo up to operating speed quicker than is possible using
available exhaust gases.


Turbochargers start producing boost only when a certain
amount of kinetic energy is present in the exhaust gasses. Without
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adequate exhaust gas flow to spin the turbine blades, the turbo cannot
produce the necessary force needed to compress the air going into the
engine. The boost threshold is determined by the engine displacement,
engine rpm, throttle opening, and the size of the turbo. The operating
speed (rpm) at which there is enough exhaust gas momentum to
compress the air going into the engine is called the "boost threshold
rpm". Reducing the "boost threshold rpm" can improve throttle
response.



4.2 WORKING OF TURBO CHARGERS


Internal combustion engines are "breathing" engines. That is to say, they
draw in air and fuel for energy. This energy is realized as power when the
air-fuel mixture is ignited. Afterward, the waste created by the combustion is
expelled. All of this is typically accomplished in four strokes of the pistons.
One of the surest ways to get more power out of an engine is to increase the
amount of air and fuel that it can burn. One way to do this is to add cylinders
or make the current cylinders bigger. Sometimes these changes may not be
feasible. A turbo charger can be a simpler, more compact way to add power,
especially for an aftermarket accessory.
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Fig 5: position of a turbo charger
A turbocharger is basically an air pump. Hot exhaust gases leaving the
engine after combustion are routed directly to the turbine wheel side of the
turbocharger to make it rotate. That turbine wheel is connected by a shaft to
a compressor wheel. As the turbine wheel spins faster and faster, it causes
the compressor wheel to also spin quickly. The rotation of the compressor
wheel pulls in ambient air and compresses it before pumping it into the
engine's chambers.

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Fig 6: entry and emission of exhaust gases and air
The compressed air leaving the compressor wheel housing is very hot
as a result of both compression and friction. So it needs to be cooled down
before it enters the chambers. That's where a charge-air cooler (or "heat
exchanger") comes in. It reduces the temperature of the compressed air so
that it is denser when it enters the chamber (heat causes things to expand, as
we all learned in science class). The charge-air cooler also helps to keep the
temperature down in the combustion chamber. All together, the engine,
turbocharger and charge-air cooler form what is known as a "charge-air
system".

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Fig 7: inside view of a turbo charger


Fig 8: plumbing of a turbo charger in a car

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The typical boost provided by a turbocharger is 6 to 8 pounds per
square inch (psi). Since normal atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi at sea level,
thus it can be seen that about 50 percent more air is obtained into the engine.
Therefore, it is expected to get 50 percent more power, and since it is not
perfectly efficient, a 30- to 40-percent improvement is obtained.




















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CHAPTER 3

TURBOCHARGING VERSUS SUPERCHARGING



Both turbochargers and superchargers are called forced induction
systems. They compress the air flowing into the engine. The advantage of
compressing the air is that it lets the engine stuff more air into a cylinder.
More air means that more fuel can be stuffed in too, so you get more power
from each explosion in each cylinder.


The key difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger is its
power supply. In contrast to turbo chargers, superchargers are not powered
by exhaust gases but driven by the engine mechanically. Belts, chains,
shafts, and gears are common methods of powering a supercharger. A
supercharger places a mechanical load on the engine to drive. For example,
on the single-stage single-speed supercharged Rolls-Royce Merlin engine,
the supercharger uses up about 150 horsepower (110 kW). Yet the benefits
outweigh the costs. For that 150 hp (110 kW), the engine generates an
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additional 400 horsepower, a net gain of 250 hp (190 kW). This is where the
principal disadvantage of a supercharger becomes apparent; the internal
hardware of the engine must withstand the net power output of the engine,
plus the 150 horsepower to drive the supercharger. In comparison, a
turbocharger does not place a direct mechanical load on the engine. It is
more efficient because it uses potential and kinetic energy of the exhaust gas
to drive the compressor. In contrast to supercharging, the principal
disadvantages of turbo charging are back-pressure, heat soak of the intake
air, and the inefficiencies of the turbine versus direct-drive. So, in theory, a
turbocharger is more efficient because it is using the "wasted" energy in the
exhaust stream for its power source. But a turbocharger also causes some
amount of back pressure in the exhaust system and tends to provide less
boost until the engine is running at higher RPMs whereas Superchargers are
easier to install but tend to be more expensive.


Fig 3: a comparison of power outputs of turbo charging with other charging mechanisms
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CHAPTER 5

ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES USED WITH
TURBOCHARGED ENGINES



5.1 INTERCOOLING


Even though intake temperature is reduced with the increase of
pressure due to the reduction of volume per mole of oxidizer(inversely
proportionate given ideal conditions), 'heat soak' results from heat transfer
from the warmer exhaust gases spinning the turbine, via the turbine,
increasing the air intake temperature. The warmer the intake air the less
dense the oxidizer for combustion in a control volume (piston Chamber).
Extreme intake-air temperature can also contribute to the symptom of engine
knock, or detonation, which is mechanically destructive to the engine.


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Turbocharger units often make use of an intercooler (also known as a
charge air cooler), to cool down the intake air. Intercoolers are often tested
for leaks during routine servicing, particularly in trucks where a leaking
intercooler can result in a 20% reduction in fuel economy.



Fig 13: Illustration of inter-cooler location








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5.2 FUEL AIR MIXTURE RATIO


In addition to the use of intercoolers, it is common practice to add extra fuel
to the intake air (known as "running an engine rich") for the sole purpose of
cooling. The amount of extra fuel varies, but typically reduces the air-fuel
ratio to between 11 and 13, instead of the stoichiometric 14.7 (in petrol
engines). The extra fuel is not burned (as there is insufficient oxygen to
complete the chemical reaction), instead it undergoes a phase change from
vapor (liquid) to gas. This phase change absorbs heat, and the added mass of
the extra fuel reduces the average kinetic energy of the charge and exhaust
gas. Even when a catalytic converter is used, the practice of running engine
rich increases exhausts emissions.



5.3 FREE FLOATING


This configuration has no wastegate and cant control its own boost
levels. They are typically designed to attain maximum boost at full throttle.
Free floating turbochargers produce more horsepower because they have less
backpressure but are not drivable in performance applications without an
external wastegate.

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5.4 ANTI SURGE / DUMP / BLOW-OFF VALVES


Turbocharged engines operating at wide open throttle and high rpm
require a large volume of air to flow between the turbo and the inlet of the
engine. When the throttle is closed, compressed air will flow to the throttle
valve without an exit (i.e., the air has nowhere to go). In this situation, the
surge can raise the pressure of the air to a level that can cause damage. This
is because if the pressure rises high enough, a compressor stall will occur,
where the stored pressurized air decompresses backward across the impeller
and out the inlet. The reverse flow back across the turbocharger causes the
turbine shaft to reduce in speed more quickly than it would naturally,
possibly damaging the turbocharger.


Fig 14: A re-circulating type anti-surge valve

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In order to prevent this from happening, a valve is fitted between the
turbo and inlet, which vents off the excess air pressure. These are known as
an anti-surge, diverter, bypass, blow-off valve (BOV), or dump valve. It is a
pressure relief valve, and is normally operated by the vacuum in the intake
manifold.


The primary use of this valve is to maintain the spinning of the
turbocharger at a high speed. The air is usually recycled back into the turbo
inlet (diverter or bypass valves) but can also be vented to the atmosphere
(blow off valve). Recycling back into the turbocharger inlet is required on an
engine that uses a mass-airflow fuel injection system, because dumping the
excessive air overboard downstream of the mass airflow sensor will cause an
excessively rich fuel mixture (this is because the mass-airflow sensor has
already accounted for the extra air that is no longer being used). Valves that
recycle the air will also shorten the time needed to re-spool the turbo after
sudden engine deceleration, since the load on the turbo when the valve is
active is much lower than it is if the air charge is vented to atmosphere.







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CHAPTER 6

APPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION



6.1 APPLICATIONS



GASOLINE POWERED CARS

Today, turbocharging is commonly used by many
manufacturers of both diesel and gasoline-powered cars.
Turbocharging can be used to increase power output for a given
capacity or to increase fuel efficiency by allowing a smaller
displacement engine to be used. (For example, the 2013 Chevrolet
Cruze is available with either a 1.8 liter non-turbocharged engine
or a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine; both produce the same 138
horsepower.) Low pressure turbocharging is the optimum when
driving in the city, whereas high pressure turbocharging is more
for racing and driving on highways/motorways/freeways.


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DIESEL POWERED CARS

Many automotive diesels are turbocharged, since the use of
turbocharging improves efficiency, drivability and performance of
diesel engines, greatly increasing their popularity.


MOTORCYCLES

Several Japanese companies produce turbocharged high
performance motorcycles since early 1980s, such as the CX500
Turbo from Honda- a transversely mounted, liquid cooled V-Twin
also available in naturally aspirated form. This is partially due to
an abundance of larger displacement, naturally aspirated engines
being available that offer the torque and power benefits of a
smaller displacement engine with turbocharger, but do return more
linear power characteristics. The Dutch manufacturer EVA
motorcycles builds a small series of turbocharged diesel
motorcycle with an 800cc smart CDI engine.






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AIRCRAFTS

A natural use of the turbocharger - and its earliest known
use for any internal combustion engine, starting with experimental
installations in the 1920s - is with aircraft engines. Since the size
of the turbocharger is chosen to produce a given amount of
pressure at high altitude, the turbocharger is over-sized for low
altitude.


Today, most general aviation aircraft are naturally
aspirated. The small number of modern aviation piston engines
designed to run at high altitudes in general use a turbocharger
or turbo-normalizer system rather than a supercharger. The
change in thinking is largely due to increase in the cost of fuel
and hence, the supercharger has fallen out of favor.









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6.2 CONCLUSION


Turbos produce huge amount of power at higher rpms. They do not
drain any power from the engine like superchargers do. But on the other
hand, there low power output, backflow of gases, complicated installations,
need of modification in fuel injection system of the vehicle, blade erosion
and the high sensitivity of efficiency of turbine blades towards gas velocity
constitute some of the drawbacks of the turbo charged engines. Still, the
good results delivered by them outweigh all these disadvantages.


Turbochargers are an effective means of lowering an engine's specific
fuel consumption and increasing its power output to fuel-burned ratio.
Historically, they have been used only to improve a car's performance
specifications, but newer applications are being researched in environmental
and cost-saving areas. Because of the current worldwide oil crisis,
automobile manufacturers are beginning to research the fuel saving
applications of the turbocharger. Who knew that what was once considered a
toy for speed mongers might provide temporary relief to the energy crisis?