Font Size: 

The surge limit on automotive turbocharger needs to be avoided to prevent operations with pressure and mass flow oscillations. Mild surge is accompanied by noise which is disturbing. Deep surge can cause significant loss of engine power and severe drivability issues. It is necessary to know the stationary limit in order to match a turbocharger with an engine, ensuring enough surge margin. However, this choice does not guarantee surge free operation during transient functioning. In this paper, the surge onset of a compressor while closing a downstream valve is studied. Various tests have been carried out varying the closing time, the position of the initial operating point and the volume of the circuit. The inlet and outlet signals of physical parameters are analyzed with spectral and temporal methods in order to define the instant of the surge occurrence.

automotive turbocharger; surge; transient; gas stand; compressor