Application of a Variable Drive to Supercharger & Turbo Compounder Applications 2009-01-1465

With the increasing focus on vehicle fuel economy and powertrain efficiency, pressure charging of engines is becoming increasingly prevalent.

Building on the successful application of the full-toroidal traction drive CVT in both mechanical hybrid systems for Formula 1 Motorsport and mainstream road cars and as a transmission system for low power and torque systems in the Outdoor Power Equipment market sector, the Torotrak variable drive technology is now applied as a variable drive for supercharger and turbo compounding systems providing enhanced operation and maximising system efficiency.

This paper considers the options for providing a variable drive for pressure charging systems to further optimise powertrain efficiencies.