Influence of the Exhaust System Design on Scavenging Characteristic and Emissions of a Four-Cylinder Supercharged Engine

A four-stroke four-cylinder turbocharged engine can be fitted with two different types exhaust system: a simple common manifold fed by all cylinders, or a twin-branch manifold, where two selected cylinders, directed by the firing order, feed two separate turbine entries. In this case good utilization of the exhaust pressure pulse energy can be achieved at higher loads and lower engine speeds, leading to good overall turbocharger efficiency and favorable pressure distribution during the gas-exchange period. Improved engine scavenging capability affects quality and quantity of the fresh charge and consequently influences the exhaust gas emissions. If, in addition, valve overlap period is increased the benefit of this system is still more evident. Common manifold exhaust system shows its advantage through lower pumping losses at higher engine speeds and lower loads. Both systems were optimized and the results of numerical and experimental work are presented in the paper. [S0742-4795(00)00404-X]