The CPC Central Committee and the State Council held the National Science and Technology Award Conference in Beijing on the morning of January 10. Key Technology of All-condition High Turbocharging of Internal Combustion Engine and Its Engineering Application, a project completed by Yuchai Machinery Co., Ltd. with Weifang Fuyuan Turbochargers Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University and Shandong Fuyuan Power Equipment Co., Ltd., won the second national prize for progress in science and technology in 2013.

As one of the participants in the project, Yuchai made a remarkable contribution and played a critical role in high-pressure-ratio turbocharged system and engine matching simulation, high turbocharged engine system and performance optimization, reliability and marketing of high turbocharged engines.

According to Yuchai's researchers, high turbocharged system and engine matching simulation technology are the basis of development of high turbocharged engines. Based on the target of emission development, Yuchai conducted optimal computation of boost pressure and intake flow in all conditions, thus providing basis for type selection of high-pressure-ratio boosters. To meet customers' demand for high power, low speed and large torque, Yuchai conducted massive optimization according to the features of the air flow channel of the high turbocharged system of the engine, to bring the performance of the high turbocharged system into full play. Besides, Yuchai developed a protector for the booster according to the application features of the high turbocharged system to boost its reliability.

Wang Hui, a chief technical engineer of Yuchai in charge of light-duty vehicle engine combustion development, said, internal combustion engine is a large oil consumer in China, while constantly increasing pressure ratio and decreasing displacement is the basic strategy and key technical approach of energy conservation of internal combustion engines. Besides, the total area of highlands in China with an average altitude of over 4,000 meters is some 2.5 million square kilometers, and utility aircrafts powered by lightweight and high-strength small internal combustion engines have been applied in all walks of life more and more; atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases, leading to a sharp decrease in power of internal combustion engines. Increasing intake density through high turbocharging is the key technology of enhancing adaptability of internal combustion engines to highland and high-altitude environments. The maximum pressure ratio of products developed with the technology from Key Technology of All-condition High Turbocharging of Internal Combustion Engine and Its Engineering Application is up to 5.2, comparable to similar products of world-famous companies like Honeywell and ABB.

According to Wang, the principal advantages of the technology are boosting pressure ratio and improving engine adaptability to highlands. The high turbocharging technology with a pressure ratio of 4.0 is the frontier and hot spot of international researches on internal combustion engines. The pressure ratio of Chinese internal combustion engines is 3.5, and China fully depends on foreign enterprises for high turbocharging technology with a pressure ratio of 4.0. The successful development and application of the technology has broken the domination of foreign turbocharging technologies. With outstanding highland performance, engines using the technology can ensure that power is constant at an altitude of 3,500 meters.

According to sources, the technology is primarily used on high-strength vehicle diesel engines with high requirements for highland performance, as well as large-power marine diesel engines. In close cooperation with Weifang Fuyuan Turbochargers Co., Ltd., Yuchai has developed several advanced high turbocharged engines and exported them to countries like Chile.

(Yang Mingze/Wang Zhen)