Twin Turbo Engine Repair - Research Paper Example

Introduction: Turbochargers are devices that are installed on a regular internal combustion engine to increase its volumetric efficiency, or in common terms, to give a power boost by increasing the amount of charge (or air for diesel engines) supplied to the engine per unit time. A typical turbocharger consists of a gas turbine coupled with a centrifugal compressor. Gas turbine is run by the high temperature exhaust gases obtained from the engine and drive the compressor. The compressor then compresses the charge (or air) and supplies it at high pressure to the intake manifold.

A twin turbo engine is that type of engine which has two such turbo chargers installed at its intake manifold. Twin turbo chargers can be used for in parallel (to increase the amount of charge) or sequential (to increase the pressure of charge) operation. Examples of cars using such engines are Toyota Supra and BMW N54 etc. The current paper addresses one of the major repair problems for a twin turbo engine. Overhauling a Turbocharger: Most of the turbocharger users prefer to replace the whole turbocharger assembly in case of a fault.

This is because of the complexities that arise during the repair of the assembly. The most important challenge during a turbocharger repair arises due to the small size of the components. This makes the vital parts such as bearings, turbine and compressor blades, seals etc. inaccessible for the repairer. Specialized tooling is required to perform most of the operations which is not readily available. All the operations from checking bearing play to misalignment of the components require special expertise.

However, we shall discuss here the challenges that arise while cleaning the insides of a turbocharger in a twin turbo engine. In a normal engine overhaul, engine degreasers are used to clean the insides of the engine and make it spot free. This method will not work for the gas turbine engine mostly because of the difference in component sizes, materials and surface finish. The oil stains on the insides of a turbocharger can be removed with the help of gasket removing solutions. The solution can be sprayed over the turbocharger component which dissolves and removes the oil particles.

The solution is more effective if it is heated prior to its application on the turbocharger assembly. This can be easily done by putting the whole assembly in a tank full of hot solution. The solution will then etch – out all the impurities deposited on the machine parts. Sand blasting seems to be a possible option for cleaning a turbocharger but it has several drawbacks. Sand particles tend to damage the small sized parts of the bearings in the assembly. They may also deposit on the blades of the turbine and compressor.

Hence, instead of cleaning the parts, it will cause more deposits. That is why this method is generally not preferable in case of a turbocharger. Glass beads can, however, be used for the purpose but the beads itself tend to stuck in the small holes and cavities which have to be cleaned afterwards through some other mechanism. The turbine and compressor blades can be more effectively cleaned if the process of ‘hot – cleaning’ is followed by abrasion – cleaning through a wire brush. The wire brush, through its grinding action, will give a very good surface finish.

The components will hence be free from all kinds of deposits. Conclusion: Major challenge that arises during the repair of the turbocharger in a twin turbo engine is due to the relatively smaller size and complexity of the turbocharger parts. That is why most of the users prefer to replace the parts instead of opting for hectic repairs. However, a lot of money can be saved and trouble can be avoided if standard procedures are followed for the repair of the machine parts. References Carley, L.

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