Honeywell turbocharges China

New Jersey-based Honeywell International is planning to sell fuel-saving turbochargers to Chinese truck and engine manufacturers.

The turbos are expected to be available by 2010, when the country is set to adopt more stringent European emission standards. Beijing began adopting Euro IV emission standards in January 2007.

A turbocharger increases an engine’s power output by compressing exhaust air and sending it back into the engine. The engine can pack more of the compressed air into a fuel cylinder, promoting better engine combustion and increasing fuel efficiency.

A turbocharged diesel engine could reduce its fuel consumption by nearly a third and cut its CO2 emissions by a fifth.

Honeywell’s latest design has more aerodynamic air foils, a nozzle that can withstand temperatures up to 830 degrees Celsius (1,526 degrees Fahrenheit) and a more powerful turbo.

Honeywell is also developing micro-turbochargers that can reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent compared to small gasoline-powered motors. The products are to be marketed for two- and three-cylinder diesel vehicles.

The company says that the Chinese turbo market could double within five years from its current value of $300 million.

Last year, China applied Euro III-equivalent motor vehicle emission standards to reduce the amount of air pollution contributed by cars by 30 percent.

Honeywell has said that roughly half of its product portfolio is related to energy efficiency. Its subsidiary UOP is a founding member of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group launched last month to promote the use of biofuels from algae and sugar to make jet fuels (see Game-changing day for jet biofuels).

In June, Honeywell launched a selection tool that allowed its North American customers identify the most applicable renewable energy solution for their needs but also provided the greatest investment return (see Honeywell "scores" renewable energy).