A: Continental has developed a turbocharger that uses an aluminum alloy turbine casing. Its weight is about 30% less than the original turbocharger. It will be used on the BMW "MINIHatch" 1.5L displacement 3-cylinder petrol engine.

The aluminum alloy turbine shell has a double wall design and has the function of cooling in a high temperature area. The cooling water can be used to keep the temperature of the outer surface of the turbine casing below 120 ° C while the internal temperature does not exceed 350 ° C. In addition, by reliably controlling the operation of the electric actuator located at the wastegate, the temperature of the catalyst converter can be rapidly increased. The cooling mechanism not only protects adjacent components, but also utilizes the cooling effect of the exhaust stream to mitigate the thermal load experienced by the catalyst converter.

The aluminum alloy shell turbocharger is integrated with the engine in accordance with a customer-specified modular solution and is fixed to the exhaust manifold. In addition, the aluminum alloy shell can be mounted directly using the cylinder head interface of the steel shell turbocharger. This option is for vehicles equipped with high-performance engines and vehicles that export to countries with high temperatures.

On the MINI, the turbocharger weighs only 2.65 pounds (1.2 kg). Its lightweight design helps reduce fuel consumption. Although the water cooling function will increase the cost, the overall cost of the turbocharger is controlled within the acceptable price range of the automobile manufacturer. Turbochargers are expensive when they use steel shells made of high-temperature materials such as nickel alloys, and aluminum alloy shells can be used to lower prices.