PITTSBURGH — Wabtec this week introduced its EVO Advantage engine, which features eTurbo technology that improves fuel efficiency by as much as 7%.
The EVO Advantage — which is currently undergoing extensive field testing — will be available for Evolution series Tier 3 and Tier 4 locomotive modernizations, the manufacturer said this week.
“The heart of this efficiency boost resides in Wabtec’s eTurbo technology. While the configurations differ slightly for Tier 3 and Tier 4 locomotives, the concept is roughly the same: Wabtec has fully integrated a generator into an alternator that harvests waste energy from engine exhaust. The alternator uses that energy to power one of the locomotive’s six traction motors, taking load off the engine, thus increasing fuel efficiency,” Wabtec said.
To squeeze the new engine into the existing dimensions of a locomotive’s long hood, Wabtec designed new, smaller components.
“With space at a premium, Wabtec’s engineers designed a carbon fiber sleeve to retain rotor magnets within the turbocharger alternator. Other sleeve materials, such as titanium, are 5 times thicker than carbon fiber and would have driven the design outside of the allowable packaging space,” Wabtec said. “Ultimately, carbon fiber was used to enable the alternator to fit within the available space within the turbocharger.”
If the carbon fiber strands within the eTurbo were laid end to end, the resulting strand would be 15 miles long, the manufacturer said.
With up to 7% more fuel efficiency, an EVO locomotive could traverse an additional 70,000 miles for every million traveled.
The Tier 3 and Tier 4 EVO Advantage Systems include the eTurbo and turbo alternator; system integration and packaging; locomotive software/engine control software; and power electronics hardware.
Okay, let’s see them do this to a 7FDL.
I was wondering when the turbo-compound concept would make it to diesel locomotives. Wright Aeronautical was making turbo-compound engines in the 1950’s, used on DC-7’s and later models of the Constellation.
So when the turbo blows up you get carbon fiber confetti to go with the fireworks!
It will be interesting to see if the improved fuel efficiency is enough to match (if not exceed) that of existing Wabtec and Progress Rail Tier 3 locomotives. If my understanding is correct, the railroads found the Tier 4 efficiency to fall short of their expectations.