LONDON, December 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent research on the European powertrain market, Frost Sullivan presents Gomecsys BV (Gomecsys) with the 2009 European Frost Sullivan Award for Technology Innovation of the Year. This is in recognition of the company's excellence in taking initiatives for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Gomecsys has also introduced the GoEngine, which combines the advantages of cost-effective manufacturing and environment-friendly powertrain solutions for automotive applications.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO)

The GoEngine from Gomecsys is an innovative concept that is capable of outperforming similar products developed by competitors mainly because GoEngine is less complex, less expensive and at the same time more durable, says Frost Sullivan Arif Basheer. The innovative powertrain solution is being offered with low fuel consumption and reduced emissions, which are exactly what original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end consumers want in the face of upcoming taxes on CO2 emissions in 2012.

OEMs usually prefer the existing four-inline engines to be modified and it is feasible as it gives 30 per cent less fuel consumption compared to the base engine. However, it is not always easy to modify an existing engine to a long stroke engine because the block of the existing engine, which results in a power output of around 200 BHP, will have to be changed since it is practically not necessary. To obtain the optimum potential of the system, a two-inline engine will have to be used due to its lower cost, lower weight and lower footprint. A fuel reduction of 50 per cent can be achieved and the power remains the same or even more. Hence, when a two-inline engine is compared to a normal four-inline engine, there is a huge difference in cost. Other variable compression ratio (VCR) systems currently developed are more complex and expensive.

However, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for the GoEngine are 30 per cent to 50 per cent respectively lower than gasoline engines with the same power output. Lower fuel consumption is achieved with the use of a specific piston movement for every 720 crankshaft degrees. This has been optimised for all engine strokes whereas a normal engine has a piston movement that repeats every 360 crankshaft degrees and cannot be modified. To optimize each of the four strokes of the engine cycle, the GoEngine VCR technology uses an eccentric between each connecting rod's big end and the crankpin of the crankshaft. The eccentric rotates around the crankshaft at half the crankshaft speed.

The efficiency of the combustion process in a gasoline engine is an important factor governed by the compression ratio of the engine. The compression ratio of the GoEngine can be varied to achieve an optimum compression ratio for different driving conditions. At lower driving speeds, a compression ratio of 15 or higher is used while at higher driving speeds, a lower compression ratio of 8 can be used, which makes it possible to run or operate the engine with a varying high-boost pressure.

Normally when extra components are added to the engine, friction within the engine increases, which in turn decreases the efficiency of the engine. In the GoEngine, both the eccentric bearing and the connecting rod's big end bearing run at half the crankshaft speed, reducing friction. Another reason for reduced friction in the GoEngine is its reduced weight, which is obtained by a weight reduction of 40 per cent for the one-part connecting rods.

While downsized engines have less friction and pumping losses, they also have lower power output than larger engines. This loss of power is usually compensated by using boosting technologies such as turbochargers or superchargers. In case of the GoEngine's VCR technology, extreme downsizing can be applied without compromising the compression ratio. The level of downsizing of the GoEngine is 25 per cent higher than normal engines and gives a 9 per cent increase in efficiency after downsizing.

Due to the possibility to use a low compression ratio at high load, the GoEngine can be downsized further than a normal engine, explains Basheer. For instance, a modern downsized 1.8 litre turbocharged engine with direct injection with a fixed compression ratio of 10:1 (with a maximum boost of 0.5 bar) can be replaced by a 1.4 litre GoEngine (with the same stroke but smaller bore) with variable compression ratio between 8:1 and 18:1 (with a maximum boost of 1.5 bar).

Currently, Gomecsys is working with eight OEMs around the world in order to use the GoEngine on production cars by 2012. This will be a boon to the industry as CO2 regulations will come into force in the same year. Gomecsys is also working to introduce the two-inline engine in small cars. It is considered to be a better choice for small cars, considering its weight and low cost.

In short, Gomecsys' research has resulted in a simple, durable and low-cost mechanism that is capable of achieving the desired rotation and adjustment of the eccentrics. The different systems of the GoEngine are 4 inline with one actuation system, 4 inline with double actuation system, 2 inline with outside actuation system, 2 inline with central actuation system, V8 with double actuation system and the FLAT 4 with central actuation system.

With such a wide variety of engines that are suitable for application in all segments of vehicles, Gomecsys has with it an engine that will appeal to most OEMs, and end consumers and is sure to catch the attention of the industry and consumers equally, notes Basheer. The company also shows keen interest in developing the engine for sports cars, which augurs well for this time when emissions and fuel efficiency are becoming more important in motor sports.

For developing an engine that has taken performance to a new high and emissions to a new low, Gomecsys is the worthy recipient of the 2009 European Technology Innovation of the Year Award in the regions powertrain market. Each year, Frost Sullivan presents this award to a company that has carried out new research, which has resulted in innovation(s) that have or are expected to bring significant contributions to the industry in terms of adoption, change and competitive posture. The award recognizes the quality and depth of a company's research and development program as well as the vision and risk-taking that enabled it to undertake such an endeavour.

Frost Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.

About Gomecsys BV

Gomecsys was founded in 1997. Goal from the first hour was to develop fuel saving engine technology. We started with the development of a new type of rotary engine. In 1998 the GoEngine was invented, patented and from then on became our main development target. We first focused on the development of a two cylinder engine. In 2000 this engine was a clear evidence in proof of principle. In 2003 we choose Prodrive Europe, a leading automotive engineering company as our technical partner in the development of the GoEngine. In the meanwhile the company gained attention from all kind of directions. In 2005 we finally succeeded in getting EUREKA funding from SenterNovem www.senternovem.nl to develop a 4 inline demonstrator GoEngine in cooperation with Prodrive. We look forward to continue the pleasant cooperation with Prodrive in the future. Please visit: http://www.gomecsys.com/uk

About Frost Sullivan

Frost Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.awards.frost.com.

Contact: Catherine Brassell Best Practices Frost Sullivan Tel: +44-(0)-207-915-7867 Email: catherine.brassell@frost.com

SOURCE: Frost SOURCE: Sullivan

CONTACT: Catherine Brassell, Best Practices, Frost Sullivan,+44-(0)-207-915-7867, catherine.brassell@frost.com