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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Vehicle testing of Cummins turbocompound diesel engine

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6718685

Two turbocompound diesel engines were assembled and dynamometer tested. Both engines met the 1980 California 6 gram emission limit on BSNO/sub X/+HC and achieved a minimum BSFC of .313 lb/bhp-hr and a BSFC at rated conditions of .323 lb/bhp-hr. These engines were then installed in Class VIII heavy-duty vehicles to determine the fuel consumption potential and performance characteristics. One turbocompound powered vehicle was evaluated at the Cummins Pilot Center where driveability, fuel consumption, torsional vibration, and noise were evaluated. Fuel consumption testing showed at 14.8% benefit for the turbocompound engine in comparison to a production NTC-400 used as a baseline. The turbocompound engine also achieved lower noise levels, improved driveability, improved gradeability, and marginally superior engine retardation. The second turbocompound engine was placed in commercial service and accumulated 50,000 miles on a cross-county route without malfunction. Tank mileage revealed a 15.92% improvement over a production NTCC-400 which was operating on the same route. A number of component modifications were incorporated in the turbocompound engine which resulted in fuel consumption reductions which exceeded the expected benefit from turbocompounding alone. Previous laboratory testing showed a 6% reduction in fuel consumption for a turbocompound engine over an equivalent NH engine operating along the torque curve. Using these test results, the incremental fuel consumption improvement strictly due to the turbocompounding alone was estimated at 4.2% to 5.3% for the interim turbocompound engine depending upon the terrain or mission load factor.

Research Organization:
Cummins Engine Co., Inc., Columbus, IN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-78CS54936
OSTI ID:
6718685
Report Number(s):
DOE/NASA/4936-80/1; NASA-CR-159840; CTR-0746-80002
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English