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Intermittent Dual-fluid Exhaust Burner (IDEB) has been developed to reduce emissions from methanol fueled vehicles during the warm-up period after a cold start. The IDEB does not need any special fuel injector or blower, and has been built mainly through software modification of an ECU. An FTP mode test while operating an IDEB confirmed that the catalyst temperature was rapidly increased to significantly reduce the emissions to meet a level of ULEV standards.

Since 1992 some vehicles have experienced engine knock or rapping noise during cold starts that is caused by combustion chamber deposit interference (CCDI) To better understand the CCDI phenomena, engine dynamometer studies were conducted. Results show that base gasoline composition and detergent additive compositions have significant effects on combustion chamber deposit (CCD) build-up In addition to engine testing, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to determine a correlation between unwashed gum and CCD levels

A mini-dilution tube to measure particulate emissions is described and results obtained in an application are presented. The application selected is a study of fuel effects on stratified charge engine emission and combustion characteristics. The mini-dilution tube was developed to provide a capability for particulate measurements with dynamometer engines. The device has been demonstrated to yield particulate mass results agreeing to within 10 percent of those with a full scale tunnel in steady state tests with diesel powered vehicles. A PROCO engine modified by incorporation of Torch Ignition was used in the study. Fuels were a wide cut gasoline, methanol and Indolene Clear gasoline. The engine was operated at a speed of 1250 rpm with an indicated mean effective pressure of 390 kPa. Spark timing, injection timing, EGR and equivalence ratio were varied.

A great deal of current automotive engineering effort involves the development of three-way catalyst-based emission control systems that seek to minimize fuel consumption while simultaneously meeting stringent exhaust emission standards. Mitigation of emissions is enhanced in a three-way catalyst system when the system air-fuel ratio (A/F) is in proximity to ideal burning or stoichiometry. This paper is concerned with extending methods used for determining engine calibrations to closed-loop systems with three-way catalysts. The paper presents a simulation model that employs experimentally obtained data to characterize the A/F control loop.

Design and development of an electrohydraulically actuated gas sampling valve is presented for use in auto engine combustion studies. The valve was developed with particular emphasis on sampling within the vicinity of the wall quench layer, requiring minimum leakage rates to avoid sample contamination and flush seating of the valve-stem to valve-seat to avoid perturbations of the wall layer. Response in the range of 0.4 to 1.0 milliseconds is attainable for variable valve lifts measured between 0.01 to 0.30 mm while using a net sealing force of approximately 750N. Gas leakage rates ranged from 0.05% to 1% of the sample mass flow rate when sampling from estimated distances from the wall of 0.3 mm to 0.03 mm, respectively, at a cylinder pressure of 10 bar. The gas sampling valve is presently coupled to a gas chromatograph to measure concentrations of major species components.