2134/16337 Alan T. Baker Alan T. Baker Turbo-Discharging the internal combustion engine Loughborough University 2014 Engine Turbocharging Turbo-Discharging Mechanical Engineering not elsewhere classified 2014-11-21 16:25:23 Thesis https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/thesis/Turbo-Discharging_the_internal_combustion_engine/9538994 This thesis reports original research on a novel internal combustion (IC) engine charge air system concept called Turbo-Discharging. Turbo-Discharging depressurises the IC engine exhaust system so that the engine gas exchange pumping work is reduced, thereby reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. There is growing concern regarding the human impact on the climate, part of which is attributable to motor vehicles and transport. Recent legislation has led manufacturers to improve the fuel economy and thus reduce the quantity of CO2 generated by their vehicles. As this legislation becomes more stringent manufacturers are looking to new and developing technologies to help further improve the fuel conversion efficiency of their vehicles. Turbo-Discharging is such a technology which benefits from the fact it uses commonly available engine components in a novel system arrangement. Thermodynamic and one-dimensional gas dynamics models and experimental testing on a 1.4 litre four cylinder four-stroke spark ignition gasoline passenger car engine have shown Turbo-Discharging to be an engine fuel conversion efficiency and performance enhancing technology. This is due to the reduction in pumping work through decreased exhaust system pressure, and the improved gas exchange process resulting in reduced residual gas fraction. Due to these benefits, engine fuel conversion efficiency improvements of up to 4% have been measured and increased fuel conversion efficiency can be realised over the majority of the engine operating speed and load map. This investigation also identified a measured improvement in engine torque over the whole engine speed range with a peak increase of 12%. Modelling studies identified that both fuel conversion efficiency and torque can be improved further by optimisation of the Turbo-Discharging system hardware beyond the limitations of the experimental engine test. The model predicted brake specific fuel consumption improvements of up to 16% at peak engine load compared to the engine in naturally aspirated form, and this increased to up to 24% when constraints imposed on the experimental engine test were removed.