BorgWarner Adds Dual-Turbo Tech for Light Trucks

BorgWarner Inc. has adapted its “dual-volute” turbocharger geometry for use in light vehicles powered by gasoline engines.

The supplier is launching the first such application in an unnamed fullsize pickup truck. Dual-volute systems, which help reduce turbo lag, have been used on a limited basis in diesel-powered commercial vehicles for several years.

The new design directs exhaust flow through two separate volutes (circumferential passages) of the turbine housing, each of which feed exhaust pulses directly into one half of the turbine wheel.

Traditional twin-scroll turbochargers have a divider that directs exhaust flow from two passages to enter a smaller common channel, which BorgWarner says can cause leakage and reduce available energy to the turbine wheel.

BorgWarner’s dual volute geometry allows for the complete segregation of engine exhaust pulses. The design can capture significantly more energy than twin-scroll turbines to help boost acceleration from low engine speeds, according to the company.