No, BMW isn't developing a German-engineered carpet cleaner, but rather a new technology that will no doubt give
renewed credence to the idea that the internal combustion engine is long from dead. Called Turbosteamer, the new system
actually uses principals derived from the steam engine to recycle hot exhaust gasses that would otherwise be wasted to
power a drive assist system for the main motor.
The gist is this – 80 percent of the heat energy from exhaust gasses is used to heat fluid and form steam that is then
conducted directly into an expansion unit linked to the crankshaft of the engine. Yeah, OK, I didn't follow that
either, but the net result is a 15% increase in efficiency and a bump of 14 horsepower and 15 lb-ft of torque in BMW's
1.8L four-cylinder engine. We'll get Eric the Autoblog Engineer out here later to provide a more expert analysis of the
new technology.
BMW is designing the system to be small enough to fit on any of its current production vehicles and hopes to have the
system production ready in ten years.
This quote from the company's press release says it all about BMW's philosophy towards efficiency: "a reduction in
consumption amounting to a few percentage points over the entire model range exerts higher overall effects on the
general population than high percentage points for a niche model." Amen, brutha.
More pics and an explanation of the Turbosteamer in BMW's own words after the jump…
[Source – BMW]
MORE EFFICIENCY INSTEAD OF POWER LOSS
12/07/2005
BMW Group Research and Engineering has combined heat and power to improve performance and efficiency in a car for the
first time
Enhancing efficiency by up to 15 percent feasible through the principle of the steam engine
Using an innovative concept, BMW Group Research and Engineering has succeeded in harnessing the biggest and as yet
untapped source of energy in the car: Heat. Combining an innovative drive assist with a 1.8 liter BMW four-cylinder
engine on the test rig reduced consumption by up to 15 percent while generating nearly 14 additional horsepower. At the
same time, up to 15 lb-ft more torque was measured. This increased power and efficiency comes free of charge. The
reason is that the energy is derived exclusively from the waste heat present in the exhaust gases and cooling system
and doesn’t cost you a single drop of fuel. The research project meets all the conditions espoused by the philosophy of
BMW Efficient Dynamics – lower emissions and consumption combined with more dynamic driving and performance.
Up to fifteen percent greater overall efficiency for the gas engine.
The Turbosteamer – as the project is known – is based on the principle of the steam engine: Fluid is heated to form steam in two circuits and this is used to power the engine. The primary energy supplier is the high-temperature circuit which uses exhaust heat from the internal combustion engine as an energy source via heat exchangers. More than 80 percent of the heat energy contained in the exhaust gases is recycled using this technology. The steam is then conducted directly into an expansion unit linked to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. Most of the remaining residual heat is absorbed by the cooling circuit of the engine, which acts as the second energy supply for the Turbosteamer. This innovative drive assist verifiably increases the efficiency of the combined drive system by up to 15 percent. “The Turbosteamer reinforces our confidence that the internal combustion engine is undoubtedly a technology fit for the future,” comments Professor Burkhard G?el, Member of the Board of Management responsible for development and purchasing at BMW AG.
Adequate space in today’s vehicle concepts.
The development of this new drive assist has reached the phase involving comprehensive tests on the test rig. The components for this drive system have been designed so that they are capable of being installed in existing model series. Tests have been carried out on a number of sample packages to ensure that a car such as the BMW 3 Series provides adequate space. The engine compartment of a four-cylinder model offers enough space to allow the expansion units to be accommodated.
System ready for volume production within ten years
Ongoing development of the concept is focusing initially on making the components simpler and smaller. The long-term development goal is to have a system capable of volume production within ten years.
The big picture: project BMW Efficient Dynamics.
BMW Group Research and Engineering has demonstrated the medium-term perspectives of the project BMW Efficient Dynamics. “This project resolves the apparent contradiction between consumption and emission reductions on the one hand and performance and agility on the other,” is how Professor Burkhard G?el summarizes the core concept of the programme. The BMW Group is committed to the principle that a reduction in consumption amounting to a few percentage points over the entire model range exerts higher overall effects on the general population than high percentage points for a niche model. BMW is focusing on making the latest technologies for reduced consumption accessible to as many people as possible.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
stephen @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
Do you really not know how a steam engine works?
I Zim @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
This is hardly a new concept, just its application. Powerplants have been using this technique to step up efficiency for a long time, most notably when gas turbines are used.
stewie's sexy parties @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
uhh.. witch craft
Eric @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
"No, BMW isn’t developing a German-engineered carpet cleaner, but rather a new technology that will no doubt give renewed credence to the idea that the internal combustion engine is long from dead."
Steam engine designs like this one are external combustion engines....
amp @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
I wonder if this is really feasible. In principal, it’s trying to do the same thing as a turbo charger. With a turbo charger, the price you pay is a higher exhaust back pressure (hurts efficiency), as well as a slight weight penalty due to the added hardware. But the overall gain in efficiency by adding the T/C is enough to overcome these drawbacks.
I’m a little skeptical that BMW’s new ‘steam charger’ will be efficient enough to overcome the added weight of the system, the additional pumping losses from moving all that water, and the increased back pressure due to that rather large looking air to water heat exchanger that’s sitting between the cat and muffler.
Overall, I just don’t see it being any more efficient or cost-effective than a turbo charger. Although if there’s anybody out there who can do it, I’m sure it’s these guys. The should be applauded for trying something new.
stephen @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
#3 - yup, steam engines are ECEs.
However, this is used as a hybrid technology (not hybrid in the sense that we've been using it lately, but rather "hybrid" as a combination of different power sources) to assist the ICE. ICEs are generally more efficient than ECEs, and using the (otherwise) wasted heat to boil water to steam-power an add-on turbine is a way to maximize power without burning additional fuel.
sr20de @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
15% increase in efficiency in 10 years? Wow, where do I sign up?
Croak @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
I think it solves problems that the turbocharger doesn't. It converts waste HEAT to energy via the steam process. Notice that not only does it harness the heat from the exhaust stream, it also uses "pre-heated" water from the cooling system, which means that radiant heat from friction and combustion is also recycled.
A turbocharger does NOTHING with waste heat, it just uses waste GAS VELOCITY to spin the compressor..the heat still exists (and the turbo even adds to heat generation, friction from the moving parts, plus the heat generated as you compress air).
In addition, you have to design a motor to handle forced induction (charge cooling, reduced compression, fueling, fuel octane requirements, etc), and there's always the issue of off-boost and on-boost operation, and the tuning problems that come with it.
With the "Turbostreamer", an otherwise normal high compression naturally aspirated engine can be used. No need to add more fuel, no need to tune for on-boost/off-boost, no need for intake charge cooling, no need for turbo oiling or cooldown, no need for oversized fuel injectors, etc.
The net result is a more ECONOMICAL vehicle, that just happens to produce a bit more horsepower for its displacement size than it would without the system (and that's part of the economy, same amount of fuel used produces more power).
As for flow and pumping losses, a small inline pump like the diagram indicates is very easy on current draw, and only has to flow a gallon or so per minute. Pressure differentials between the cool water and the hot water/steam will also produce a lot of "free" pumping (as will the vehicle's "standard" water pump), which is why you only see the pumps on the cool side, not the hot side.
The unit you're calling a heat-exchanger doesn't look like that, it looks more like an expansion tank (if water isn't allowed to expand, it stays liquid). My thinking is that it's wrapped around the exhaust pipe, and doesn't impede the gas flow, it just uses the radiant heat. Same thing with the unit just past the exhaust manifolds (which is probably doing double duty as a catalytic converter).
Turbochargers aren't going to be threatened by this system, and will still be one of the tools of choice to extract much more power out of an engine. I can see this working very nicely with a turbocharger, it'll help keep the turbo mechanicals cool while at the same time using that turbine generated heat to produce more power.
Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
Nice post #7/Croak. I was going to get into the thermodynamics of the system a little, but you did a brilliant job covering all the salient details.
Matt @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
A 15% increase in efficiency for a prototype is actually a significant step in the right direction. Ten years from now I would expect the system to be more efficient as they will find ways to reduce weight and improve mechanical efficiency.
Moreover, even just 15% from this adaptation combined with a hybrid drivetrain and combined with the savings from lighter weight materials and valve timings in the ICE itself and all of a sudden you have a significant increase in overall fuel economy.
Ten years from now you should expect to see 3 Series BMWs that are both more powerful and significantly more efficient than what is available now.
What is really important is that engineers are thinking of ways to make cars more efficient. The sudden rise of hybrid technology seems to have roused automakers from their developmental slumber and we are suddenly seeing a large number of good ideas that could make all cars better than they are today.
amp @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
“A turbocharger does NOTHING with waste heat”
That’s not entirely correct. The turbine is partially driven by the hot exhaust gases wanting to expand, although I will concede that the bulk of the work is done by the engine pushing the exhaust out. Obviously the intake charge is heated via compression, hence the use of intercoolers, but the temperature of the exhaust gas isn’t raised by it turning the turbine. But that wasn't the main point of my post.
The bolt on nature of the ‘turbosteamer’ to an existing engine is nice, but there are still packaging issues that would need to be addressed as well as the calibration of some sort of controller for the system. If you were to choose this over turbo charging*, you’d be exchanging one set of engineering problems for another.
As far as the heat exchanger/expansion tank goes, in order to transfer any real type of heat energy from the exhaust to the water, you’ll need some considerable surface area. Even given the high temperature difference between the two, I don’t think you could accomplish it all through radiant transfer. And as soon as you start adding surface area, you’ll start increasing back pressure, hurting efficiency.
What also concerns me about the ‘turbosteamer’ is the additional weight that will come from adding the water lines, pumps, heat exchanger/expansion tank, plus the water itself. They mentioned a 15% efficiency gain on test rig, but in the real world you have to accelerate that mass, which cost fuel. I’m not doubting that the overall package is more fuel efficient, but I wonder if can be made cost effective.
* It’s not entirely correct to call BMW’s turbosteamer a direct competitor to turbo charging. I don’t see anything that would stop the two technologies from being used in the same vehicle. The point I was trying to make is that given a clean sheet of paper, and the choice of adding a turbosteamer to an engine or turbo charging a smaller displacement engine**, I find it tough to believe that the turbosteamer would be able to compete in a cost/benefit comparison.
** The reason I chose to use a smaller displacement engine for the turbo charger is that once T/C’ed, it would have similar power to the turbosteamer system, and I presume it would also have similar fuel economy at cruising speeds due to it’s smaller displacement.
kickslop @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
It would have to be pretty damn heavy to negate 14HP.
Here's the thing though. BMW is not in the business of selling cars based on the marketing of new technology that is garbage. I'm sure if this sees the light of day, it will be well worth BMW's investment in the research. I think it's safe to say they're not going to slap some 300lb idea into their NA cars if it reduces the power/weight ratio. Give them a little credit, guys :)
kickslop @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
Any chance we can get a link to the original information and a decent-sized version of that schematic?
Takeo @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
Actually something like this would be perfect for gasoline/electric hybrid powerplants, don't you think? If they used a lower boiling point liquid, and a microturbine on one end you could use it to make electricity, which could then be used to charge a hybrid car's battery. The weight is low, the mechanical complexity is not very high and improves efficiency in a way that doesn't involve other more expensive solutions.
Croak @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
#12..you can go here http://www.autoweek.nl/newsdisp.php?cache=no&ID=4287 and click on the picture for a blowup (javascript, can't direct link you).
As for the text, Autoblog just did a direct paste of the BMW release, nothing missing from that.
And Amp, that "heat exchanger" needs very little surface area, since it's NOT a heat exchanger..it's just a good place to package the expander outside of the crowded engine bay, and by making it inline with the exhaust, there's some conservation of heat energy..just a simple 3" or whatever pipe going through it, of sufficient conductivity, would help keep the expansion chamber hot, and there would be no need to divert the exhaust gas.
valentin castillero @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
me gustaria seguir siendo informado sobre este avance tecnologico
amp @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
http://europe.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=56967
You might need an Autonews subscription to view the article. Here's a snipit of text.
"The primary high-temperature circuit pumps water through a heat exchanger surrounding the exhaust gases immediately behind the catalytic converter, heating the water to 550 degrees Celsius. The steam is converted into mechanical energy in an expander and transferred by pulleys to the engine crankshaft. The steam flows through another heat exchanger and transfers its remaining heat to a second circuit filled with ethanol."
The article also claims the system is able to recover 80% of the heat energy normal lost through exhaust heat.
amp @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
http://www.just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=50286&dm=yes
Another article that appeared on just-auto.com. Reports that the 'turbosteamer' system weighs in at 100 kg. A tad heavy if you ask me.
Stuart Ridgway @ Dec 18th 2005 11:07PM
To really get some steam power and torque, run the IC at air/fuel 11/1, finish burn the rich exhaust in an afterburner, and with the 2,300 F result raise steam. Power yield doubled per unit fuel consumption since steam engine takes over the acceleration duty to the next red light, and the IC engine runs over a power range of its maximum efficiency. See US patent 4,300,353.