Effects of Water Injection on the Power Boost of a Twin Turbocharged Vehicle

The injection of a water/methanol mixture into the intake airflow of turbocharged street racing vehicles has long been known to increase the power and performance, though actual data proves difficult to obtain. In an attempt to maximize the power output of a twin-turbocharged Porsche engine, a water/methanol mixture is introduced into the intake airflow. The injection decreased the temperature and increased the density of the intake air while increasing the compression ratio of the cylinder beyond the effects of the turbocharger itself. The real-time data was used to do the analysis. In an attempt to maximize the power enhancement, the injection parameters are modified. The vehicle sensors were used to obtain temperatures of the intake air, exhaust air, and the engine coolant. The fuel flow rate, air flow rate, mixture flow rate, and manifold pressure in conjunction with temperature measurements was used to determine the mass flow rate of the system. The properties of the mixture components were used to determine the work created by the system, which in turn leads to the power output of the system. Determining the power enhancement created by the water/methanol injection, and potentially maximizing its effect is the focus of this work.