Development of a New Small Passenger Car Turbocharger

Efforts to improve emissions and fuel economy have spawned many opportunities for turbocharging small displacement engines. The focus on efficiency and economy emphasizes the need for low manufacturing costs and selling price as well. To meet these goals, a new small turbocharger was conceived and developed, addressing traditional manufacturing and performance issues accountable for significant portions of production cost. The resulting design features a one-piece bearing system and a significant reduction in parts count compared to conventional designs. Simplified machining and ease of balancing reduce overall cost, while improved rotordynamic characteristics make the design less susceptible to noise during operation.