Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/671314
Tools Trucking V olvo says its involvement in SuperTruck infl uenced role the design and engineering of the company's recently introduced 2017 powertrain. GÓ§ran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North America, says Volvo's new 2017 powertrain offerings, which include new, enhanced Volvo D11 and D13 engines, turbo compound- ing for the D13 engine and a one- box Exhaust Aftertreatment System (EATS), demonstrate Volvo's commit- ment to integrated powertrain de- velopment and feature components derived directly from the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy (DOE)-sponsored SuperTruck program. The U.S. DOE SuperTruck pro- gram is a cost-shared, public-private partnership that promotes research and development to improve the freight-hauling effi ciency of heavy- duty Class 8 long-haul tractor-trailer trucks. The program aims to help accelerate the development of advanced effi ciency technologies that are not currently available in the market. Wave piston The SuperTruck program enabled extensive research of a typical com- bustion chamber and provided Volvo engineers the opportunity to test a new piston design. This new design added "wave" bumps on the side of the piston bowl, which allows the fuel to burn more cleanly. The exact design of the piston was matured through tests and simula- tions, enabling exceptional gains in fuel effi ciency, while signifi cantly re- ducing soot generation. The patented wave piston, working in combination with Volvo's other engine enhance- ments, delivers improved fuel ef- fi ciency of up to 2.2 percent for the D11 and 2.5 percent for the D13. By Jason Cannon Volvo says involvement in SuperTruck program infl uenced 2017 powertrain design 16 www.studentdriverplacement.com May '16