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MAHLE has developed a heavily downsized demonstrator engine to explore the limits, and potential benefits, of engine downsizing. The 1.2 litre, 3-cylinder, MAHLE downsizing (Di3) engine, in conjunction with an Aeristech 48 V electric supercharger (eSupercharger, eSC), achieves a BMEP level of 35 bar and a specific power output in excess of 160 kW/litre. The eSupercharger enables high specific power output, good low speed torque and excellent transient response. The resulting heavily downsized engine has been installed into a demonstrator vehicle that also features 48 V mild hybridization. At specific power output levels above 90 kW/litre the engine is operated with excess fuel in order to protect the turbine from excessive exhaust gas temperatures. In this analytical study, the boosting system requirements to maintain lambda 1 fuelling, via the use of EGR, across the entire engine operating map for the eSupercharged version of the MAHLE Di3 engine, have been explored.

Downsizing of the spark ignition engine is accepted as a key contributor to reducing fuel consumption. Turbocharged engines are becoming commonplace in passenger vehicles, replacing naturally aspirated larger capacity engines. However, turbocharged engines have typically suffered from “lag” during transient operation. This perceived effect is a combination of the low speed steady state torque and a slower rate to reach maximum torque during a load step. In order to increase customer acceptance of downsized concepts it is vital that the low speed torque and transient response are optimized. Variable Length Intake Manifolds (VLIM) have long been an established method of improving the full load performance of naturally aspirated engines. The manifold length being “tuned” to provide a high-pressure pulse at intake valve closing to maximize cylinder filling and deliver improved performance.

The challenges of ever increasing combustion engine complexity coupled with the introduction of new and ever more stringent emissions regulations place a unique strain on the time available during the base engine hardware development and calibration phase of the product development cycle. Considering state of the art gasoline engine architecture (dual variable valve timing, direct injection with turbocharger) it is common to have at least 12 degrees of freedom as system inputs. The understanding of interactions and inter-dependencies of these inputs is therefore key in optimising the performance of the engine. MAHLE Powertrain has developed a process using a global Design of Experiment (DoE) technique based on Gaussian processes that can be used to accurately model and optimise many aspects of an engine’s performance.