On April 20, 2024, the World Internal Combustion Engine Congress opened grandly in Tianjin. The conference ceremoniously announced the latest technological achievement in the industry – the world’s first diesel engine with a thermal efficiency of 53.09%, developed by Weichai Power. This signifies another leap for China’s internal combustion engine industry towards global technological supremacy, leading China’s high-end equipment manufacturing industry to world-class status.
Wang Gang, Chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, Jin Donghan, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Tianjin University, Tan Xuguang, Vice Chairman of the China Internal Combustion Engine Society, Director of the National Key Laboratory for Internal Combustion Engine and Power Systems, and Chairman of Weichai Power, together with Rick Boom, President of the International Council on Combustion Engines (CIMAC), unveiled the 53.09% thermal efficiency diesel engine.
At the unveiling ceremony, Norbert Ho, Vice President of TÜV SÜD North Asia, and An Tie, Chairman of the China Automotive Technology Research Center Co., Ltd., presented the test report and certification for the thermal efficiency exceeding 53% to Weichai Power.
More than 1,700 guests, including leaders from Tianjin, domestic and foreign internal combustion engine associations, Tianjin University, global academicians, experts, and research institutions, witnessed this historic moment together.
For the past 127 years since the invention of the diesel engine, global industry scientists and engineers have always considered improving thermal efficiency as their lifelong dream, as it is a benchmark for a country’s comprehensive internal combustion engine capabilities. Continuous improvement in diesel engine thermal efficiency has been an international challenge.
Since 2015, Weichai Power has established a high-efficiency engine research team consisting of hundreds of young Ph.D. graduates and thousands of engineers. Leveraging the National Key Laboratory for Internal Combustion Engine and Power Systems and with support from national key research and development programs, Weichai Power collaborated with the strongest domestic and international partners in academia and industry to conduct technological breakthroughs focusing on high-efficiency combustion, low resistance, and low losses. Without any waste heat recovery equipment, Weichai Power continuously improved the thermal efficiency of diesel engines. On September 16, 2020, Weichai Power released the world’s first diesel engine with a thermal efficiency of 50.23%. In January 2022, the thermal efficiency was further increased to 51.09%. On November 20, 2022, it was once again increased to 52.28%, marking the third breakthrough and leading the global internal combustion engine industry’s technological upgrade.
The continuous improvement in diesel engine thermal efficiency is an extremely complex system engineering task. Weichai Power, based on the B701 forward development process, carried out comprehensive technological innovations from the internal combustion engine’s basic architecture to detailed components and core systems. Building upon the 52% thermal efficiency diesel engine, Weichai Power made significant breakthroughs in four key core technologies: high-expansion combustion technology, which increased combustion efficiency by 3.5% and thermal efficiency by 0.3 percentage points; mixed-flow turbocharging technology, with an efficiency of 86.7% at the compression end and 83% at the turbine end, increasing thermal efficiency by 0.25 percentage points; high-efficiency fuel injection technology, using WISE autonomous ECU, large-flow, leak-free injectors, and low-power fuel pumps, increasing thermal efficiency by 0.2 percentage points; low-resistance and low-friction reduction technology, using key components such as low-flow crankshafts, increasing thermal efficiency by 0.15 percentage points. This further increased the thermal efficiency of the diesel engine by 1 percentage point, breaking the 53% mark for the first time globally, equivalent to a human sprinter running 100 meters in under 9 seconds. During the research and development process, Weichai Power was granted 176 invention patents and 68 utility model patents.
Over the past decade, Weichai Power’s research team has bravely challenged limits, devoted themselves to innovation, and advanced by 0.1% increments. In just four years, they achieved four breakthroughs in diesel engine thermal efficiency, setting a new benchmark for global diesel engine thermal efficiency. Wang Gang highly praised Weichai Power’s achievement in diesel engine thermal efficiency during his speech, and together with the audience, witnessed the birth of another new world record. Franz Xaver Wied, CEO of TÜV SÜD South Germany, North Asia, congratulated Weichai Power via video, stating that on the global stage, this achievement is also far ahead, not only demonstrating Weichai’s research strength but also showing Weichai’s technical prowess in the internal combustion engine industry. We look forward to this technological achievement contributing to China’s “dual carbon” goals and green development, as well as making a contribution to the sustainable development and energy conservation and emission reduction of the global industry.
“Green, reliable, intelligent, and efficient” are the common pursuit of technological innovation in the global internal combustion engine industry. With the promotion and application of this innovative achievement, Weichai Power will lead the industry in green and low-carbon development, profoundly impacting China’s strategic adjustments in multiple energy sources. According to the current calculation of China’s diesel engine inventory, compared with the 45%-46% thermal efficiency level, a 53% thermal efficiency diesel engine can improve economy by about 14%, save about 31 million tons of fuel, and reduce carbon emissions by about 97 million tons annually. Calculated based on heavy-duty tractor trailers driving 250,000 kilometers per year, it can save about 12,000 liters of diesel per year. With the current diesel market price of 7.8 yuan per liter, this can save the owner about 98,000 yuan per year. In addition to the transportation sector, this technological achievement will also be applied to engineering machinery, agricultural equipment, ships, power generation equipment, and other fields, making new contributions to China’s economic and social development.
Tan Xuguang said that Weichai Power’s consecutive breakthroughs in the world record of diesel engine thermal efficiency four times are attributed to the nearly 4,000 days and nights of collective wisdom and research by Weichai engineers, as well as open cooperation with the world’s top universities, research institutions, and industry chains. This achievement belongs to Weichai, and also belongs to the global industry!
