Do 1

David Do Professional & Technical Communication Christopher Ryan 15 November, 2012

Executive Summary The usage of a turbocharger in a motor for cars on the market today, engineers can tune a tune a motor in a certain way that will boast in gas efficiency. In this report, I will go into detail on the pros and cons of a turbocharger. There will be comparisons of turbochargers, naturally aspirated cars, hybrids and electric cars, based on maintenance, power and fuel efficiency; miles per gallon or miles per charge. I will explain why a turbocharger is recommended over the alternate types of vehicles and motors for a MPG friendly vehicle for todays auto market. Introduction In todays automotive industry, engineers are constantly looking for ways to develop cars which have both power and high MPG. Some car manufacturers have seen an alternate method of producing motors that have both power and fuel efficiency by integrating a turbocharger. With gas prices rising, and consumers demanding vehicles that have higher MPG ratings, the automotive market has shifted their focus in car building. The consumers demand power which normally means more usage of gasoline, and also desire higher MPG ratings at the same time. Both these wants are difficult to please to consumers, and this is where a turbocharger will come into play. By using a turbocharger in a motor, engineers can modify engines at different tunes which can enable a high horsepower vehicle without sacrificing MPG. In comparison, manufacturers have also developed hybrids, non-turbocharged motors and electric vehicles

Do 2

which have higher MPG ratings, however they lack in the power desired by consumers. Differences between Motors In this section, I will explain some of the key differences between the common types of motors that are used today. There are basically four types of motors which are used in vehicles, a turbocharged motor which utilizes a turbocharger. A naturally aspirated (N/A) motor which is strictly whatever power is produced from the motor itself with no assistance. A hybrid motor which is composed of two main parts: a N/A motor and an electric motor. And the last type of motor is an all electric motor. Naturally Aspirated Motor (N/A) The most common motor used in cars today are naturally aspirated motors. It is the standard power plant that is used in vehicles from the early developed models to present day cars and possibly the future. A N/A motor uses air and fuel mixtures or ratios in cylinders during the combustion cycles to produce power for the motor to operate. Power outputted from the motor depends on its size and number of cylinders. For example a four cylinder 2.0 liter engine would produce less power than a V6 3.8 liter motor due to its number of cylinders and displacement size. With a bigger displacement size and more cylinders, it requires more air and more fuel to keep the engine running properly, whereas a smaller engine with a smaller displacement and less cylinders would require less air and fuel to operate. Turbocharged Motor A turbocharged motor is simply a standard N/A motor; however the key difference is that this types of motor uses a turbocharger to help the motor produce more horsepower by forcing more air into the air fuel ratio. Having more air and fuel creates a bigger combustion, resulting in more power to a certain ratio extent. A turbocharger is used to increase engines efficiency by

Do 3

helping scavenging process or the air intake cycle with a little more pressure acquired from the engine exhaust. (How Does Turbo Charger Increase Engine Efficiency). It is essentially a giant fan which helps a motor suck in more air and used recycled gases to help the motor be more efficient. Hybrid Motor The hybrid motor is similar to an N/A motor which it requires the usage of air and fuel to operate, but it also works alongside an electric motor. The two motors work together simultaneously, depending on the speed at which the vehicle is traveling with the aids of electronic computers. Hybrids generally are made to help drivers save gas and are normally very low powered vehicles. The electric motor set to be in use at lower speeds which turns on and off at certain speeds. Where the N/A motor would instantaneously turn on at speeds where the electric motor is turned off to operate the vehicle at the higher speeds. Electric Motor Similar to the hybrids electric motor, an all electric motor does not use an N/A motor but is powered strictly by electricity; it will require some type of electrical charge to keep its gas tank on full. Electric motors normally operate on a lithium ion battery, and they are very low powered cars. Comparison Criteria I have chosen four criteria which I have used to compare the four different types of motors which I see are common in the automobile industry today. I will compare the motors by simplicity and cost of maintenance. The second criterion that I have chosen is power output of each motor. The last criterion I will use to compare the motors is the miles per gallon (MPG) each motor normally achieves.

Do 4

Maintenance Regular interval maintenance is a responsibility that a car owner must do to keep their vehicle in tip top condition. Many consumers fail to realize how important maintenance is for a car, especially when it can affect their vehicles performance in the gas efficiency side of things. For naturally aspirated motors, maintenance is very simple when it comes to changing parts on the engine to keep it at optimal performance levels. Work on these types of motors generally do not cost as much, and the level of complexity is very similar across most N/A motors of the same type such as Inline 4 cylinders, V6, or V8. With a turbocharged motor, the maintenance work is very similar to a N/A motor. The key difference here is the new wires which were added to monitor the turbo and other computer related wires. A turbocharged motor being maintenance in comparison with a non turbocharged N/A motor is time and cost. It may cost a little more in hours that technicians may take to repair a major fix on a turbocharged motor than a non-turbo motor. When dealing with hybrid vehicle maintenance, its a new field for technicians. With the hybrid technology changing constantly, resulting in technicians having to learning to master the new technology to work on them. The cost for maintenance can be quite expensive. With most hybrid vehicles using some type of lithium ion battery or biofuel type battery, the labor for those types of maintenance is costlier than those for a normal combustion motor. An all electric motor is the newest of the other motors. The motor being all electrically operated means that the technology behind the motor is more complex. With these motors using new technology the maintenance cost for these motors can be very expensive. The electrical motor technology still expanding and growing material and technicians who are certified to work

Do 5

on the cars efficiently are not as common and will lead to owners going strictly to dealerships for maintenance. From the graph below it shows the level of complexity and costs for maintenance on a scale of one to 10 where 1 is simple and cheap where 10 would represent a higher level of complexity and cost. The graph shows that a N/A motor and a turbocharged motor are relatively similar in the cost and maintenance levels being low, where it is the opposite for a hybrid and electric motor vehicle. In this case the N/A motor would seem to be the most logical option when choosing the motor for a vehicle for its efficiency in terms of cost and maintenance.
12 10 8 N/A 6 4 2 0 Cost Maintenance Complexity Turbo Hybrid Electric

Cost & Maintenance

Power Power is often a factor when consumers are selecting a vehicle. Car manufacturers also try to appeal to consumers by developing an either a high or low powered vehicle for certain target audiences. But with todays gas prices, higher powered vehicles demand higher fuel consumption.

Do 6

The first type of motor will be the N/A type motor. With this motor using nothing but its displacement size and number of cylinders, engineers develop either a bigger engine or a smaller engine depending on the horsepower they want to achieve. Engines that have more cylinders or a higher displacement will generally produce much more power. And a lower horsepower engine would have a smaller displacement or fewer cylinders. With the use of a turbocharger, it allows automakers to get the same power out of an engine with fewer cylinders. (USA Today). Like an engine with a bigger displacement or more cylinders. For example a Dodge Dart non-turbo 2.0 liter motor will produce an output of 160horsepower, where the turbocharged 1.4liter engine will also produce the same horsepower as the 2.0liter motor. Therefore it is shown that engineers are capable of producing high powered cars to meet the needs with the use a smaller sized engine. A hybrid motor such as a Toyota Prius or Chevy Volt on the other hand produces 100130horsepower. Because they only rely on the combustion motor at higher speeds to operate, it does not require much power to keep it functioning. The hybrid motor power wise however it does not meet the needs of most people on the market today. The last type of motor is the electric motor. The newest kind of technology in the automotive industry, car companies are still experimenting with the power output an electric motor can produce. A higher powered output engine will require more batteries to keep it powered, where the lower power motors will need less batteries to keep it charged to function. However with this type of motor, and the limited public charging stations on the road, the technology is struggling to expand and appeal to consumers. Overall, the types of motors which boast in power are the N/A motors and the turbocharged motors. But the more efficient types of motors as I have brought up are the

Do 7

turbocharged motors. Engineers can achieve the same power output with a smaller turbocharged motor to a non-turbo N/A motor. Hybrids lack the power because of it only requiring enough power to keep it operational at high speeds when the electric motor turns off. And an all electric motor still expanding and growing, it lacks the support of consumers due to limited charging stations. Miles Per Gallon (MPG) The most important factor that consumers look for is the miles per gallon rating (MPG). With gas prices being higher than five to ten years ago, along with the recession, car manufacturers strive to develop cars with higher MPG. The director of Honeywells Global Product Marketing, Mark Rodrigues states that cars in Western Europe average 40 mpg, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards in the U.S. are still just 27.5 mpg. (U.S. News) Acknowledging this fact, car manufacturers in the US are trying to improve their standards for vehicles made and sold in the US with a higher MPG rating. With this rising trend, car companies do their best to get that high MPG rating in order for them to appeal to consumers. N/A motors are changed in the way they are being put into vehicles. In order for automakers To increase fuel economy, automakers are rapidly employing smaller engines (Popular Mechanics). However with the usage of smaller engine, there comes a costpower. For fuel efficiency to increase, the loss is power, and with the power loss, it is a risk that manufacturers will lose their appeal to certain target audiences. However, the integration of a turbocharged motor, it can solve that problem, basically Engines with turbo or supercharger boost are essentially win-wins for cars. It offers good power and good gas mileage. (ABC Local). Like the Dodge Dart comparison between the 2.0Liter

Do 8

N/A motor vs. the 1.4Liter turbocharged motor producing the same horsepower output, the gas mileage for both still have a rating of 42 MPG. Forbes Magazine also states that turbocharging allows an automaker to substitute a smaller, more fuel-efficient engine for a bigger engine, without sacrificing power. (Forbes Magazine) which is very beneficial for the automakers to appeal to consumers who are looking to buy a vehicle which will have the power output they desire, as well as the MPG rating. Hybrids and electric motors on the other hand produce a high rating of MPG , sometimes up to the high fiftys, the power output along with its visual design can be a disappointment to consumers. Although hybrids and electrics are able to have the higher miles to the gallon, they lack the amount of support from the consumers. Electric cars lose consumers even more because of the limited number of public charging stations where owners can charge their car on the go. Long distance trips are also out of the equation for electric vehicle owners because of the limited amount of miles they can drive before the vehicle will be depleted of its power in the battery. Summary In this report, I have stated the benefits and disadvantages of the four types of motors used in cars today. I have talked about the differences in the motors and the areas of where each type of motor boasts and areas where the motors are weak in my criteria selected. I have also interviewed a local tuner who specializes in turbocharged tuning for racecars and according to his tuning experience he has stated that By tuning the ECU and turbo to go into boost at a higher RPM range along with a leaner Air Fuel Ratio at high speeds, the engine will require less fuel and result in a higher MPG (Fu) His concept is very true and is proven to be true with the example of the Dodge Dart. If other car manufacturers use the same technology as the Dart, the potential of combustion motors with a turbocharger will definitely meet the demands of

Do 9

consumers. N/A motors and turbocharged motors boast in maintenance cost and simplicity where hybrids and electric motors are much more complex. The miles per gallon favors small sized motors, turbocharged motors, hybrids and electric motors, however N/A motors have to sacrifice power for the higher MPG ratings. After speaking to a mechanic Sy Pham who specializes in working on compact cars he stated that Its hard to please consumers who demand power and a gas efficient vehicle. But with a turbo and a proper setup, a motor can achieve both those demands. (Pham). Therefore I recommend that a usage of a turbocharger will be of great benefit to both the consumers and the automakers. With the turbo being relatively cheap and easy to maintain while meeting the power and MPG demands of consumers it is the better option the other three types of motors which are currently in use.

Do 10

Works Cited Fu, Stephen. "Turbocharged Fuel Efficiency." Personal interview. 6 Nov. 2012. Henry, Jim. "Turbocharging to Save Gas, Instead of to Go Fast." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 28 Feb. 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimhenry/2012/02/28/turbocharging-to-save-gas-insteadof-to-go-fast/>. "How Does Turbo Charger Increase Engine Efficiency? - Shooting for The Star." How Does Turbo Charger Increase Engine Efficiency? - Shooting for The Star. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <https://sites.google.com/site/shootingforthestar/how-does-turbo-chargerincrease-engine-efficiency>. Kunz, Dave. "Turbo Engines Give Cars Power, Gas Efficiency." Abclocalgo.com. KABC, 28 May 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. <http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/car_tips&id=7468614>. Pham, Sy. "Turbocharged Motor Fuel Efficiency." Telephone interview. 3 Nov. 2012. Sharifi, Jim. "Turbocharging Your Fuel Economy." Best Car, Truck and SUV Rankings and Reviews from U.S. News. N.p., 02 Oct. 2011. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/best-carsblog/2011/09/Turbocharging_Your_Fuel_Economy/>. Webster, Larry. "Engine Intel: How Turbos and Superchargers Work." Popular Mechanics. Popular Mechanics, 21 June 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/fuel-economy/engine-intel-how-turbosand-superchargers-work-9919436>.

Do 11

Webster, Larry. "Top 5 Turbocharger Tech Innovations: The Truth about Fuel-Sipping Turbos." Popular Mechanics. Popular Mechanics, 09 Oct. 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/4306310>. Woodyard, Chris. "Auto Industry Boosts Turbocharger Sales to save Gas." USA Today. Gannett, 30 May 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. <http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/05/auto-industry-booststurbocharger-sales-to-save-gas/1>.