Engineers and scientists have been working tirelessly to improve the thermal efficiency of diesel internal combustion engines for more than a century. Chinese company Weichai Power has achieved a significant industry milestone by introducing the world’s first diesel engine with an intrinsic thermal efficiency of 53.09 per cent. This is a tremendous feat of engineering.
The innovative diesel engine from Weichai Power marks a significant advancement in thermal efficiency and a noteworthy turning point in the development of internal combustion engines. TÜV SÜD and the China Automotive Technology & Research Centre have verified the engine’s impressive efficiency of 53.09 percent, establishing a new industry benchmark.
Weichai Power’s earlier achievements, such as the diesel engine introduced in September 2020 with a body thermal efficiency of 50.23 percent, laid the groundwork for this feat. The engine’s thermal efficiency was further improved on January 8, 2022, and November 20, 2022, reaching 51.09 percent and 52.28 percent, respectively, smashing previous records and paving the way for the ground-breaking 53.09 percent efficiency.
With an average thermal efficiency of 46%, Weichai Power’s engine is significantly more fuel-efficient and reduces carbon emissions compared to standard alternatives. Thermal efficiency technology can provide significant environmental benefits by reducing fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by an impressive 12 per cent.
The research team at Weichai Power spent more than 500 days refining critical engine systems, emphasising air intake, fuel delivery, combustion, and friction reduction. The team reached previously unheard-of levels of thermal efficiency by making small but significant improvements in fuel injection efficiency, mixed-flow pressurisation, high-expansion combustion, and friction reduction technologies.
It is impossible to overestimate the significance of this accomplishment because it marked the engine’s first global breach of the 53 per cent thermal efficiency barrier. Experts compared this achievement to a human finishing a 100-meter race in less than nine seconds, emphasising the scope of the technical advance.
Weichai Power’s team obtained 176 invention patents and 68 utility model patents during the intensive research and development phase. These patents highlight the engine’s creative design and the team’s dedication to pushing automotive technology.
Weichai Power’s invention has significant economic and environmental implications. It can save 31 million tonnes of fuel annually and reduce carbon emissions by 97 million tonnes. Furthermore, considerable fuel savings are achievable for heavy-duty vehicles fitted with this technology, which translates into significant cost savings for vehicle owners.
Weichai Power’s innovation significantly affects several industries, including power generation, ships, construction machinery, agricultural equipment, and transportation. The engine’s unmatched efficiency promises a sustainable future driven by innovation, creating new opportunities for energy savings and environmental stewardship across various industries.
