This paper describes the development of a ceramic turbocharger at Ford Motor Company, Engineering and Research Staff. The potential advantages of reduced turbocharger and vehicle response time and manufacturing cost savings have made the ceramic turbocharger rotor a subject of interest to automotive, ceramic, and turbocharger manufacturers. An Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. RH06 turbocharger was modified to incorporate a slip cast reaction bonded silicon nitride rotor to evaluate the effect of reduced rotary inertia on vehicle performance. The results of vacuum spin pit testing, turbocharger test cell testing, 2.3L spark ignition dynamometer tests, and preliminary vehicular tests, are reported.
A series of duo-density silicon nitride gas turbine rotors have been prepared for testing and tested at Ford Motor Company. The paper reviews the duo-density fabrication process, and covers in detail the rotor preparation process, which includes machining, inspection, and cold proof spinning. The paper describes the hot spin test rig used for the hot testing of the rotors, and summarizes the results of the hot spin test program.
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