Designing a bespoke high efficiency turbine stage for a key engine condition through pulse utilisation

CO₂ legislation is becoming more stringent year on year, this is especially clear with the new EU 2025-2030 targets. As such commercial vehicle OEMs must focus on reducing engine fuel consumption. A substantial proportion of this reduction will need to come from the powertrain of which the air handling system is a key component. The increase in on-engine performance of the turbocharger can greatly impact the system’s brake thermal efficiency and thus fuel consumption and CO₂ production.

This paper covers the methodology and design of a bespoke, high-efficiency turbine stage for a key engine running condition through the application of pulse utilisation. The design process uses a single design point, alongside four points of interest, generated from the high-frequency engine data of a key engine fuel burn point. The optimisation of both the turbine housing and wheel are interlinked forming a synergy in the flow of energy through the stage. This methodology allows Cummins Turbo Technologies to maximise cycle average turbine stage efficiency at the exact point which the engine requires.