China’s Weichai reveals a diesel engine with a record-breaking 53.09% efficiency
Since the invention of the diesel internal combustion engine 127 years ago, engineers and scientists have sought to improve its thermal efficiency.
In a notable advance, the first diesel engine in history with an intrinsic thermal efficiency of 53.09 percent was introduced by the Chinese company Weichai Power.
The company presented its new technology at the 2024 World Congress on Internal Combustion Engines, which began in Tianjin, China.
The achievement was recognized and measured by TÜV SÜD, an internationally respected testing organization, and the China Automotive Technology & Research Center, a specialized testing body for Chinese internal combustion engines.
A record of efficiency
The percentage of diesel combustion energy transferred into useful work exiting the engine, without the need for a waste heat recovery mechanism, is known as the base engine thermal efficiency. Engine economy improves as the thermal efficiency of the base engine increases.
Weichai Power achieved a noteworthy milestone in this regard on September 16, 2020, when it unveiled a diesel engine that set a new record with a body thermal efficiency of 50.23 percent .
On January 8, 2022, the company made further progress, bringing the engine's thermal efficiency to 51.09 percent. Recently, on November 20, 2022, the company achieved 52.28 percent thermal efficiency, surpassing previous records.
The company compared it to traditional products, which typically achieve an average thermal efficiency of 46 percent for diesel engines on the market. The use of thermal efficiency technology in base engines with a thermal efficiency of 52.28 percent can lead to a significant 12 percent reduction in both fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
Development of existing technologies
The Weichai Power research team built on previous successes, investing more than 500 days of concentrated effort in optimizing four vital systems: fuel supply, air intake, combustion and friction reduction.
The team has effectively advanced high-expansion combustion, mixed-flow pressurization, high-efficiency fuel injection and low-drag friction reduction technologies.
Certificates certifying the new world record for thermal efficiency of diesel engines have been awarded.
How the Diesel cycle works
The certificates certifying the new world record for thermal efficiency of diesel engines have been released.
A significant milestone has been achieved thanks to these advances, which have been achieved in small advances of 0.1% at a time. The attempt resulted in the engine breaking the 53% thermal efficiency barrier for the first time globally. The researchers claim that this achievement is comparable to that of a human running a 100-meter race in under nine seconds.
During this research and development phase, the group received 176 invention patents and 68 utility model patents.
Reduction in fuel consumption
Upgrading from a thermal efficiency level of 45-46 percent to 53 percent can increase a diesel engine's economy by about 14 percent. This figure is based on current estimates of diesel engine ownership in China.
This innovation translates into annual fuel savings of approximately 31 million tons and a decrease in carbon emissions of 97 million tons.
A heavy-duty tractor with an annual mileage of 155,342 miles (250,000 kilometers) can save approximately 12,000 gallons of diesel fuel with this technology. This translates into an annual savings of nearly $13,529 (98,000 yuan) for the owner, considering the market price of diesel fuel of $1.08 (7.8 yuan) per liter.
According to the team, this technical breakthrough will benefit not only transportation, but also other sectors, such as construction machinery, agricultural equipment, ships and power generation equipment, among others, adding new advantages.
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The article China's Weichai reveals diesel engine with record-breaking 53.09% efficiency comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/la-cinese-weichai-rivela-un-motore-diesel-con-unefficienza-del/ on Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:15:06 +0000.