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While some in the industry saw problems, another OE saw potential. Recently, Ford Motor Co. began introducing a twin-turbocharged, 365-hp 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine into its vehicle lineup. Ford says these twin turbochargers
harness exhaust gas to pump V8 power out of the smaller-displacement EcoBoost V6 engine. This technology — in conjunction with direct fuel injection — allows EcoBoost to punch above its size in terms of power and responsiveness.
According to Ford engineers, the EcoBoost engine has been designed with such refinement that the driver never notices the turbocharger operation. Sophisticated electronic controls balance boost and torque levels to give the driver the feeling of continuous torque delivery, without turbo “whines” and “whooshes” that characterized some previous-generation turbo engines.
And even though the EcoBoost turbo system runs at a very high temperature (1,740° F), an air-to-air intercooler is used to cool the compressed intake air before it enters the combustion chamber, and water cooling protects the internal turbo bearings in the high-temperature operating environment.
Ford’s advanced engine engineers explained that the use of these water-cooled turbochargers combats oil coking. “During normal turbo operation, the turbo receives most of its bearing cooling through oil,” said Keith Plagens, turbo system engineer.
“After shut down, the problems with turbos in the past were you would get coking in the center bearing — oil would collect in the bearings, the heat soaks in and the oil would start to coke on the side and foul the bearing. Water cooling eliminates that worry because the EcoBoost engine uses passive thermal siphoning for water cooling," Plagens said.
Plagens explained that during normal engine operation, the engine’s water pump cycles coolant through the center bearing. After engine shutdown renders the water pump inactive, the coolant flow reverses — coolant heats up and flows away from the turbocharger water jacket, pulling fresh, cool coolant in behind.
Ford believes this combination of direct fuel injection (similar to what is used in diesel applications) coupled with turbocharging, is the wave of the future for powerful, fuel-efficient vehicles. By 2013, more than 90% of Ford’s North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost technology.
The engineers at Ford may be on to something. The EcoBoost engine was honored last month with a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award at a ceremony at the Hearst Tower in New York City. The Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards, now in their fifth year, recognize products and celebrate innovations poised to change the world. Ford was the only automaker this year to receive a Breakthrough Award.
NOTE: For an in-depth look at Ford’s EcoBoost engine, check out technicial contributor Glen Beanard’s article by clicking here: http://www.underhoodservice.com/Article/68338/tech_feature_engine_technology_gets_a_boost.aspx.