Ricardo Performance Products will support the first phase of commercial industrialization of the SuperTurbo system – a unique planetary traction drive that enables high speed power transfer to and from a turbocharger shaft, offering significant driveability and fuel efficiency benefits for large trucks.
The SuperTurbo is a step forward from a traditional turbocharger, in that it has a novel mechanical transmission that links the turbo shaft to the engine drive. This enables power transfer to and from the turbo shaft that is not possible with a normal turbocharger. During transient operation, the SuperTurbo will behave like a supercharger and draw mechanical energy to accelerate the turbomachinery for improved engine response. Unlike a traditional supercharger, the SuperTurbo also receives transient power from its turbine. The net effect is both a fast transient response and a more efficient power draw for supercharging.
The system also provides efficiency benefits to the engine. During operation at higher engine power levels, the turbine of the SuperTurbo captures any excess energy from the exhaust above that needed to drive the compressor to provide boost pressure to the engine. In this operating condition, the system operates in turbo-compound mode, providing surplus power to the engine crankshaft, thus improving fuel efficiency. The precise control over air flow allows the engine manufacturer to tune and control the optimal combustion parameters and reduce particulate emissions. Likewise, NOx emission reduction is enhanced through bypass enabled higher aftertreatment temperatures and improved transient and steady state EGR control.
Under the contract, Ricardo will support Colorado-based SuperTurbo Technologies Inc. (formerly known as VanDyne SuperTurbo) by providing product industrialization expertise to help in planning the route to commercial manufacture of the SuperTurbo system.
“I would like to thank SuperTurbo Technologies for awarding to Ricardo this contract for the provision of industrialization expertise,” comments Ricardo Performance Products MD Martin Starkey. “Ricardo has extensive experience in this field, notably in the high-quality, low to medium volume manufacture of high-performance products for the motorsports, automotive and commercial vehicles sectors, including the establishment and management of robust global supply chains. We look forward to assisting SuperTurbo Technologies with these crucial steps towards the commercial introduction of this impressive fuel-efficiency and cleaner-air technology.”
