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Turbocharging
Pulse and Constant Pressure Turbocharging
Other Pages The Basics The 2 Stroke Engine The 4 Stroke Engine Operation Members

INTRODUCTION

The two main different methods of turbocharging are described below. These are the Pulse and the Constant Pressure
system.

Although a general rule nowadays is that two stroke slow speed crosshead engines utilise the constant pressure system
and that medium speed four stroke trunk piston engines utilise the pulse system, this is not strictly true. Older 2 stroke
engines used the pulse system, and some larger 4 stroke engines use the constant pressure system.

ABOVE: Pulse Turbocharged 2 stroke (B&W) Engine. These photographs were taken of a scale model in The DieselHouse Museum
Copenhagen

Constant Pressure Turbocharged MAN B&W Medium Speed 4 Stroke Engine (with wastegates)

THE PULSE SYSTEM

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Pulse and Constant Pressure Turbocharging http://www.marinediesels.co.uk/members/Turbocharging/pulse_and_cp_...

The pulse system utilises the kinetic energy and heat energy in the
exhaust gas when the exhaust valve opens to drive the
turbocharger. The exhaust system is "tuned"; the pipes are of small
diameter, bends smoothly radiused to maintain exhaust gas
pressure and to avoid energy loss within the system. The exhaust
valve may be timed to open slightly earlier to increase the energy
in the exhaust gas pulse. To prevent exhaust gas pulses interfering
with each other, groups of two or three cylinders are connected
separately to sections of the turbocharger nozzles. More than one
turbocharger may be fitted: for instance a 12 cylinder engine may
have cylinders 1-6 supplying one turbocharger, the nozzle inlets
arranged in groups of three cylinders, while cylinders 7-12 supply
a second turbocharger with a similar arrangement.

The pulse system is very responsive to engine load changes, and

because of this are ideally suited for engines used for electrical
generators. Unlike the constant pressure system they do not need
an auxiliary blower, although air assisted starting may be utilised
to prevent the puff of smoke on starting the engine.

THE CONSTANT PRESSURE SYSTEM

In the constant pressure system the exhaust gas from all the cylinders is
discharged into a common manifold of large diameter and volume; a
simpler arrangement thn the pulse system. The pressure in the exhaust
manifold is reduced below that of the scavenge pressure and is
maintained at a steady pressure for any given engine load; this leads to
greater efficiency at higher loads. Because there is no need to supply a
pulse of exhaust gas to the turbocharger, the exhaust valve can be timed
to open later in the engine cycle, resulting in a longer power stroke.

Constant pressure systems do not react as quickly to load changes and

are inefficient at low loads. Because of this, an auxiliary electrically
driven blower is used to supply the air for low load conditions.

On large engines two, three or even four turbochargers may be

connected to the constant pressure manifold to supply sufficient air to
the engine. These may be arranged to operate sequentially at low load
conditions to improve overall efficiency.

THE PULSE CONVERTER

On medium speed engines the pulse system is normally used, the main advantage being the rapid response to load
changes, but at the sacrifice at less efficient operation.. A number of manufacturers have studied the constant pressure
system, but found that there was an increased thermal loading of the cylinders due to the systems poor response to load
changes. A compromise has been reached by using pulse converters. The pulse converter partly converts the kinetic
energy into pressure energy, but still retains the slug or pulse of energy entering the turbocharger. Pulse converters also
have another advantage in that it enables the exhaust piping system to be made simpler, and avoid the multi-entry
turbocharger casings

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