MAHLE F1 Jet Ignition Has Benefits off the Track as Well

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich.

Combustion technology provided by MAHLE Powertrain to improve Ferrari’s Formula 1 race track performance may soon improve new-model fuel economy off the track as well.

The new lean-burn combustion process is made possible by MAHLE Jet Ignition®, a high-energy distributed ignition technology for motorsports applications, but MAHLE also is working to develop the technology for series production vehicles that could produce higher fuel efficiency similar to that of diesel engines.

The new Ferrari technology demonstrates how motorsports continue to be a technology driver. “The extreme requirements in these vehicles are the starting point for many innovative solutions that also can be used in series production at a later stage,” emphasizes Fred Tuerk, vice president of MAHLE Motorsports and MAHLE Powertrain.

MAHLE Jet Ignition uses a pre-chamber in conjunction with a spark plug and secondary fuel injector. The chemical, thermal and kinetic energy from the combustion of this small fuel-air mixture is transferred via nozzles to the main combustion chamber where it ignites the main fuel-air mixture.

When translated to passenger cars and other on-road vehicles, “MAHLE Jet Ignition can produce gains of 10 to 20 percent in fuel efficiency and a 95 percent reduction in harmful NO_x (nitrogen oxides) emissions at minimal cost and complexity,” Tuerk adds.

“MAHLE’s design distributes the high-energy jets deep into the main combustion chamber, which significantly reduces knock, useful for motorsport applications, and also enables ignition of very lean mixtures for high fuel economy applications,” states Hugh Blaxill, general manager, MAHLE Powertrain LLC.

These ultra-lean conditions reduce throttling losses, improve combustion efficiency and reduce heat losses.

MAHLE Powertrain, in cooperation with the U.S. Dept. of Energy, has demonstrated that MAHLE Jet Ignition can deliver impressive results in passenger car applications.

The technology has demonstrated sub-200 g/kW-hr brake specific fuel consumption, peak brake thermal efficiency above 41.5 percent, and 95+ percent reductions in engine-out NO_x levels, all while reducing knock and maintaining acceptable levels of combustion stability. A 10-20 percent increase in fuel economy (mpg) is expected when compared to current production gasoline engines.

MAHLE Jet Ignition also can increase fuel efficiency for natural gas and LPG powerplants. In cooperation with ARPA-E, the advanced research projects agency on energy of the U.S. Dept. of Energy, MAHLE Powertrain is developing Jet Ignition for a natural-gas-fueled combined heat and power (CHP) unit.

The goal is to produce a micro-CHP unit that meets both electrical and heating needs for a residential site that not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also is competitive with traditional electrical grid power pricing.

Combining the high fuel efficiency of MAHLE Jet Ignition with MAHLE friction reduction technologies and systems expertise, an ultra-high efficiency, long life, low life-cycle cost micro-CHP unit is conceivable and is a key to opening this emerging market in the U.S.

MAHLE continues to develop the technology for high specific power, high efficiency, low emissions, and off-road applications as well.

About MAHLE

MAHLE is a leading international supplier to the automotive industry. With its products for combustion engines and their peripherals as well as solutions for electric vehicles, the group addresses all the crucial issues related to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—from engine systems and components to filtration to thermal management. MAHLE products are fitted in every second vehicle worldwide. MAHLE components and systems are also used off the road—in stationary applications, for mobile machinery, as well in railroad, marine, and aerospace applications.

In 2015, the group generated sales of EUR 11.5 billion (provisional figures) with around 75,000 employees (as at December 31, 2015). Today, MAHLE is represented in over 30 countries with 170 production locations. At 15 major development locations in Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Slovenia, the USA, Brazil, Japan, China, and India, around 6,000 development engineers and technicians are working on innovative solutions.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160629005814/en/

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Jeff Trent or Alma Zgodic
MAHLE Industries, Incorporated
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