Multi-Vehicle Evaluation of Gasoline Additive Packages: A Fourth Generation Protocol for the Assessment of Inlet System Deposit Removal

Document Number: 2009-01-2635

Date Published: November 2009

Author(s):
Christopher Spink - Shell Global Solutions UK
Anne Coleman - Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc
Edward Nelson - Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc
Shaun Wakefield - Shell Global Solutions UK
Brent Shoffner - Southwest Research Institute

Abstract:
Building on two decades of expertise, a fourth-generation fleet test protocol is presented for assessing the response of engine performance to gasoline additive treatment. In this case, the ability of additives to remove pre-existing deposit from the intake systems of port-fuel-injected vehicles has been examined. The protocol is capable of identifying real benefits under realistic market conditions, isolating fuel performance from other effects thereby allowing a direct comparison between different fuels. It is cost efficient and robust to unplanned incidents.

The new protocol has been applied to the development of a candidate fuel additive package for the North American market. A vehicle fleet of 5 quadruplets (5 sets of 4 matched vehicles, each set of a different model) was tested twice, assessing the intake valve clean-up performance of 3 test fuels relative to a control fuel.

In this trial, the test protocol successfully identified real benefits provided by the experimental additive relative to the control fuel. This was achieved with fewer vehicles than might have been previously required for the same statistical robustness. The output was an additive dose response for the experimental additive package. Several learning points emerged that will be included in future work using this successful test protocol.

File Size: 261K
Product Status: In Stock

See other papers presented at SAE 2009 Powertrains Fuels and Lubricants Meeting, November 2009, San Antonio, TX, USA, Session: Deposits Formation & Fuels Quality Issues (Part 1 of 2)

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