Breaking through the monopoly of electronic control core technology and letting high-end hydraulic technology land in China… In recent years, Weichai has climbed the peak of science and technology again and again, and has reaped fruitful results. Behind this, the hard work of Weichai’s youth science and technology innovation team is inseparable.
Pursue the ultimate, just to create “the best engine in the world”
In 2005, China’s first “Blueking” engine with completely independent intellectual property rights was born in Weichai.
Birth is only the first step. In order to allow the engine to automatically adjust its performance in different environments, the Weichai Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team has established a “Three High” test team with an average age of less than 30 years old. Various performance tests of the engine are carried out in extreme environments in alpine regions.
In summer, in Turpan, Xinjiang, the highest temperature reaches 50 degrees Celsius. In order to obtain the engine test data in the extreme high temperature environment, the “Three High” test team conducted tests here for more than a month.
In winter, in Heihe, Heilongjiang, the temperature is often below minus 30 degrees Celsius. Four or five o’clock in the morning is the best time to test the low temperature performance of the engine. After a few hours, everyone’s fingers in the “Three High” test team were frozen like carrots, red and swollen, but everyone was still interested in the collected data. Excited.
In order to obtain more accurate data, they took the initiative to increase the altitude test of the engine from 4,100 meters to 5,200 meters, breaking records again and again and challenging the limit.
Over the years, the company has involved more than 1,000 young researchers, and has carried out more than 2,100 days of special environmental tests, with a mileage of more than 2 million kilometers. “Everyone is willing to endure hardships, have the courage to work hard, pursue the ultimate, collect data and do experiments in extreme environments time and time again, just to create the ‘best engine in the world’,” said Lu Wenzhi, captain of the “Three High” test team.
Hundreds of thousands of sets of scientific data record the dedication and dedication of the team members. Since the launch of the “Three Highs” test, it has completed the collection, collation and calibration of 260 engine varieties and hundreds of thousands of sets of data, applied for more than 90 technical patents, and established an engine operation database, which has contributed to breaking the international monopoly of China’s internal combustion engine industry. made an important contribution.
Climbing the peak bravely, the pace of technological innovation will never stop
Not long ago, Weichai held the 2021 annual science and technology incentive and commendation conference, and the high thermal efficiency diesel engine R&D team won the special prize of the Technology Invention Award.
The level of thermal efficiency is a sign of the comprehensive strength of diesel engine technology. In 2017, Weichai launched a challenge to 50% thermal efficiency. The Weichai Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team issued a “military order” to establish a high thermal efficiency diesel engine research and development team. Dou Zhancheng is one of the core members of the team.
After graduating from Tianjin University with a doctorate, Dou Zhancheng joined Weichai and became a member of the “Three High” experimental team. In 2019, he joined the high thermal efficiency diesel engine research and development team.
“The R&D team consists of more than 120 high-precision talents, with an average age of 32 years old.” Dou Zhancheng said that they made difficult progress with each 0.1% accumulation. After repeated design, feasibility analysis and simulation tests, they finally achieved historic results. breakthrough. On September 16, 2020, the world’s first commercial diesel engine with 50% thermal efficiency developed by the team was unveiled. After testing and certification by authoritative institutions at home and abroad, its thermal efficiency reached 50.23%, setting a new benchmark for thermal efficiency of diesel engines in the world.
The pace of innovation does not stop. In 2021, Weichai officially released 14 scientific research projects that are in urgent need of research, and the thermal efficiency of the diesel engine body exceeded 51% during the year. In less than a month, Dou Zhancheng and his team revised more than 200 design plans, and carried out 3 rounds of simulation calculations in one day. In order to promote the development progress, they also boldly set a new physical boundary.
In January this year, the team set a new record again, increasing the thermal efficiency of the global diesel engine body to 51.09% for the first time. “This result has established China’s leading position in the world of diesel engine technology.” Dou Zhancheng said.
Serve the country with science and technology, dedicate youth to the cause of love
In 2008, the electronic control technology team of Weichai Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team was instructed to independently develop the electronic control system. Zhao Zhongyu, who had just graduated with a Ph.D., participated in it and led the team to conquer the core technology. Zhao Zhongyu and the team members started from scratch and gradually explored the electronic control development method and tool process. In 2012, China’s first high-voltage common rail electronic control system was launched in batches, breaking the foreign technology blockade. However, Zhao Zhongyu fell ill and died at his post.
In order to promote the implementation of high-end hydraulic systems in China, Yang Guoxi, the leader of the Linde hydraulic team, did his best to lead the members to the construction site and down the mine. In 2019, Yang Guoxi suddenly began to have a persistent fever. For the progress of the project, he delayed again and again, and finally passed away due to the deterioration of his condition at the age of 32.
In the “three highs” test, the team members often followed the car to collect data overnight, and experienced severe tests such as earthquakes, hail, and strong sandstorms. On October 14, 2011, Feng Dongxu, Yu Chao, and Zhao Mengsheng, members of the “Three Highs” test team, left their lives forever on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the engine plateau test.
“Weichai’s youth science and technology innovation team is our banner. They embody the new generation of young science and technology workers’ patriotism of serving the country and dedicating their careers. We are very proud to have such a heroic team.” Shandong Heavy Industry Tan Xuguang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Group Co., Ltd. and Chairman of Weichai Group, said.