Assessing the Sensitivity of the Rundown of a Turbocharger Rotor Shaft to Determine Its Technical Condition

Abstract

In response to the growing concern about environmental sustainability and natural resource depletion, car manufacturers are looking for ways to make their vehicles more efficient. One approach is to use turbocharging technology, which compresses the air entering the engine cylinder for a higher power density per unit of displacement volume. Although turbocharging can reduce carbon emissions by improving engine performance, it has several disadvantages, including reduced reliability and service life, increased maintenance frequency and cost, and reliance on high quality fuels and lubricants. This study investigates the possible continuous monitoring of the running time of the turbocharger (TCR) rotor shaft and the influence of various input parameters, such as oil pressure and oil temperature, on TCR wear. We hypothesize that the continuous monitoring of these variables could prevent breakdowns and optimize turbocharger operation. We created a test bench consisting of an internal combustion engine (ICE) combined with a turbocharging system which includes an independent lubrication and braking mechanism. Our experiments demonstrated a positive correlation between oil inlet temperature and wear sensitivity over time. We also revealed a close relationship between oil inlet pressure, thermal properties, initial rotor speed, and wear duration. These results indicate that continuous qualitative and quantitative monitoring of wear progression can predict impending failures and increase turbocharger efficiency. The evaluation of the TCR sensitivity to wear time can assess both the quality of the turbocharger assembly at the manufacturing stage and the adequacy of its preliminary adaptation in real conditions.