Chrysler And The U.S. Department Of Energy – Developing An Experimental Engine

Chrysler and the U.S. Department of Energy are developing an experimental engine to run on a combination of diesel fuel and gasoline.

A 25 percent fuel economy increase would mean 21 city/31 highway.

The engine, aims for a 25 percent increase in fuel economy which is a turbocharged 2.4-liter, from that of the base vehicle and engine in the project, a 2009 Chrysler Group minivan with a 4.0-liter V-6 and a six-speed automatic transmission.

A 2009 Chrysler Town & Country with the V-6 gets 17 mpg city/25 highway.

Because gasoline and diesel fuel have different combustion and chemical properties, they have been measured mutually exclusive fuels. Two separate fuel tanks are required.

The experimental engine is expected to have performance similar to the V-6. The V-6 is rated at 251 hp and 259 pounds-feet of torque.

The bi-fuel engine design has a three-valve head with two direct-injection fuel injectors for gasoline and one diesel injector. The engine has two turbochargers, one high pressure and the other low pressure, to provide two-stage turbocharging.

The vehicle also will reveal other fuel-saving technologies, together with:

• Electricity generation from engine heat
• Engine shut-off during vehicle braking
• Stop-start engine shut-off

The Department of Energy is contributing $14.5 million to the project. Chrysler, Delphi, Ohio State University and Argonne National Laboratory