Bearings meet demands of latest generation turbochargers
Turbochargers have become popular in the automotive industry because a
turbocharged engine is smaller that a naturally aspirated one for the
same power output and lower fuel consumption. However, these components
have tended to suffer breakdowns (particularly in very high performance
applications), largely due to high operational temperatures having a
detrimental effect on the bearings. Other issues include turbo lag,
compressor whine and premature failure.
Barden believes it has solved all of these problems with a new offering
from its Super Precision F1 class ball bearings range. The new
three-stage bearing design, manufactured from M50 tool steel, can operate
at temperatures of up to 500°C. It reduces the problem of stack-up in the
turbo and also reduces the effects of temperature differentials in the
bearing assembly, improving both performance and reliability. The high
accuracy of Barden's F1 class bearing, moreover, allows a reduction in
the compressor clearance.