Continental supplies world's first turbocharger with aluminum turbine housing in cars

Smaller cubic capacity and lower fuel consumption while offering the same, if not better, performance – that is the recipe for success when it comes to downsizing. A modern turbocharged system is necessary to achieve this. The global development trend toward turbocharging for gasoline engines is in full swing. International automotive supplier Continental is supporting this trend and setting milestones with its pioneering and innovative turbocharger technology. The first Continental turbocharger went into series production in a highly efficient, multi-award-winning 1.0l engine in 2011. The company is now adding another chapter to this success story with a technological world premiere: Continental's powertrain developers have launched series production of the first car turbocharger with an aluminum turbine housing. Integration of the unit in the three-cylinder gasoline engine for the MINI Hatch has already begun.

"Aluminum in a turbocharger designed for cars is a real milestone," said Wolfgang Breuer, Head of the Engine Systems Business Unit of the Powertrain Division. "With this lightweight material, we are saving nearly 30% of weight compared to a conventional turbocharger while simultaneously reducing costs and achieving system benefits."

Continental's innovative turbocharger with aluminum turbine housing is making its debut in a demanding downsized application: a turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 1.5l of cubic capacity and 100kW of power.

"It's not just the aluminum that makes the turbocharger special; it was also developed from being a typical add-on component to an integral part of the engine," said Udo Schwerdel, Head of the Turbocharger Product Line, Engine Systems, Powertrain Division. "In order to meet the requirements placed on the unit and its integration in the cylinder head, we worked closely with the BMW Group starting from the simulation phase – an indication of trust that we greatly appreciate."

In keeping with the modular principle specified by the customer, the turbocharger is tightly integrated in the engine - it is a fixed component of the exhaust manifold. Continental turbochargers with a steel housing can also be attached to the same base engine using the interface on the cylinder head. The car manufacturer uses this option for high-performance engines as well as vehicles for export to high-temperature countries. The bearing housing is cooled from inside the turbocharger for steel variants, while cooling from the outside is sufficient for aluminum turbochargers.

In the MINI, 2.65 pounds of weight are saved per aluminum turbocharger. Since reduced weight also means reduced fuel consumption, the lightweight material supports the fuel consumption and emission targets of the automotive industry. Despite the additional cost for the water cooling, aluminum turbochargers are more affordable for automotive manufacturers.

"High-temperature-resistant materials such as nickel-base alloys drive up prices for turbochargers with steel housings, while our aluminum alloy is a cost-effective material," said Schwerdel.