Search Results

The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential for reducing fuel consumption of heavy-duty vehicles by modifying their engine power ratings through programming of their engine electronic control units. This paper summarizes the activities, observations, and results obtained from tests conducted on a test track to compare default settings with those optimized for potential economic gains and improved performance. Tests for long-distance and regional transport operations were conducted at constant speed. Results from these tests showed considerable fuel savings, of approximately 7%, when the engine power rating was reduced from 450 hp to 400 hp and speed from 105 km/h to 98 km/h. In these tests, the dynamic performance of the vehicles was not affected by the reduction in power.

The negative effects of long-term exposure to soot and particulate matter emissions from diesel exhaust on the human health have been widely acknowledged due to the harmful substances that exhaust gas contains. Regulators have established strict programs to determine the performance and reliability of emissions after-treatment systems and devices. Tests were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of three diesel particulate filter (DPF) cleaning methods: 1) thermal and pneumatic cleaning, 2) ultrasonic cleaning, and 3) aqueous cleaning methods. A novel non-destructive method to quantify soot and ash deposits in the filters was developed, validated and used to determine the effectiveness of the identified cleaning methods. Given the number of different cleaning methods available, testing against a set of standard parameters provided accurate comparative results.