PROMETHEUS: Project to optimize engine friction through the use of triboactive high-performance carbon and iron-based coatings and lubricants

Project name

PROMETHEUS: Project for friction optimization of engines through the use of triboactive high-performance carbon and iron-based coatings and lubricants

Project duration

01.01.2019 - 31.12.2021

Brief description

The aim of PROMETHEUS is to significantly reduce friction losses in combustion engines by optimizing and combining coatings, surface technologies and lubricants in a targeted manner. In order to be able to demonstrate the potential of individual measures as well as synergy effects of combined measures, these must be investigated experimentally under real conditions. The particular challenge here is not only to determine cumulative friction losses over an engine working cycle, but also to be able to determine the friction forces of the piston group exactly at every point in time or at every position of the crankshaft, i.e. depending on the crank angle, in order to be able to describe the tribological behavior in detail.
As part of the sub-project "Application-related efficiency tests on the friction power single-cylinder test bench", investigations into the tribological behavior of cylinder liners, pistons, piston rings and lubricants are being carried out in coordination with the project partners at the test facility of the Chair of Internal Combustion Engines at TU Dresden. A specially equipped single-cylinder research engine allows the friction losses of the piston group to be analyzed with crank angle accuracy in fired operation using friction power measurement technology, thereby enabling the potential analysis of individual or combined measures. The statements generated from this serve the further procedure for optimizing the components or the interaction of the same in the overall project. Parallel to potential studies on combustion process-independent technologies from the passenger car sector (e.g. LDS cylinder track of BMW AG), abstracted (basic) test series of technologies from the commercial vehicle and industrial engine sector (track spray coatings and surface treatment processes of MAN / MTU) are also possible and planned on the single-cylinder engine test bench with friction power measurement technology. In addition to the obvious benefit for statements on friction behavior, the results form a reliable basis for evaluating the statements of the simulation models and supporting their validation.

Cooperation partner

• Federal Mogul Burscheid GmbH, - (Germany)
• AVL Deutschland GmbH, - (Germany)
• Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, - (Germany)
• FUCHS Schmierstoffe GmbH, - (Germany)
• MAN Truck & Bus AG, - (Germany)
• MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, - (Germany)
• Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, - (Germany)
• Steinbeis Innovation Center for Materials and Surface Technology, - (Germany)
• VTD Vakuumtechnik Dresden GmbH, - (Germany)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology, (IWS) (Germany)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials, (IWM) (Germany)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability, (LBF) (Germany)

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