An Organic Rankine-Cycle System (ORCS) designed for use with a 288-Bhp, Class 8, Long-Haul Vehicle Diesel Engine has undergone both laboratory endurance-performance testing and actual on-highway fuel economy comparison testing. Two, 1000-hour endurance tests have been conducted to demonstrate the functional integrity of the basic ORCS design and reveal any "infant mortality" problems with individual components. On highway vehicle fuel economy tests demonstrated a statistical average of 12½-percent improvement in fuel consumption.
Such tests have been conducted in a project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of their long-term national goals of improving the fuel consumption in energy-intensive industries, such as, but not restricted to, the U.S. Trucking Industry. Approximately 100,000 barrels of oil per day are expected to be saved with the full implementation of a Diesel Organic Rankine-Cycle Compound Engine in the U.S. Trucking Industry. (1)*
A brief description of the basic ORCS components including the advanced microprocessor-based control system is included. The results of the laboratory endurance-performance and the on-highway vehicle tests will be given.
A short discussion of the future work required in advancing the development of a commercial ORCS for long-haul vehicles is also given.