The A100-H series for high-speed and A100-M series for medium-speed engines are designed specifically to meet future demand for higher compressor pressure ratios with single-stage turbocharging.
Growing demand for energy, rising fuel costs and stricter emissions legislation are having an important influence on engine development in the medium- and high-speed segment.
High compressor pressure ratios are required today not only to increase the power output but also because they play a significant role in emissions reduction. They are needed, for example, fo rthe Miller/Atkinson process, which is used in some form in almost all modern diesel and gas engines. In diesel engines this process helps to reduce NOX emissions, while in gas engines it is used to shift the point at which knocking begins. Extra reserves of pressure ratios are also required for engines operated at high altitudes.
The next generation of diesel and gas engines will fully utilize the considerable potential of the A100-generation turbochargers. Ful-load pressure ratios of up to 5.8 in continuous operation with aluminium compressor wheels, at high efficiencies, set new benchmarks for power density in turbocharger construction and take the known limits of single-stage turbocharging a significant step further.
In the run-up to the series introduction of the A100, engine test rig trials were carried out to verify the thermodynamic performance. The high pressure ratios and efficiencies that can be achieved with the A100 allowed the high power densities expected on the engine sied to be clearly demonstrated. Hundreds of running hours on the test rig have also confirmed the high performance level of the A100 in continuous operation. In the meantime, the first two turbochargers in this series, the A140-M/H and A135-M/H, with pressure ratios of up to 5.8 at full load, have been introduced to the market. Further sizes will be introduced in due course.