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The author points out the diversity of opinion on what constitutes desirable car performance in the minds of engineers and of the public generally. He believes this is largely due to the great diversity of claims which have been made in advertising literature and decries the sort of tests which have been made the basis of this publicity, pointing out that a majority of them are conducted under such conditions as make it practically impossible for the car owner ever to duplicate or confirm them. The kind of an expression or test which will inform the buying public most is one which will tell what the car will do in the hands of the average owner, and define the conditions under which a demonstration of this ability can be made, such conditions to be relatively simple and easy of fulfillment.

There is opportunity for the exercise of considerable ingenuity and mechanical skill in developing automobile signaling apparatus, but the basis of any system or appliance of this nature that is destined to meet with lasting success is quite as much a matter of psychology as mechanics. No signaling apparatus can wholly succeed of its purpose unless two phases of the human equation have been properly considered. In order to serve its purpose as a warning, the signal must penetrate the wall of partial insensibility with which every human being unconsciously surrounds himself by directing his thoughts, along some particular line. Were the pedestrian fully aware of the dangers that beset him in the street, he would require no reminder of his peril. But his thoughts are elsewhere, and, for the moment, he is unconscious with respect to his surroundings.

Predictable and unpredictable forces will change the direction of the charge-air systems industry. The driver of diesel engine development will be the stringent emissions regulations of the 1990s. The drivers in the gasoline engine market will be improved fuel economy, performance, durability and emissions. Forces will also influence the charge-air marketplace, including changes in emission standards, national fiscal policies, political issues, fuel prices, alternate fuels and consumer tastes. The world community mandate for engines that are clean, quiet, durable and fuel efficient will be satisfied, increasingly, by first-tier component suppliers developing integrated systems solutions.

Many areas of the world are in various stages of development which frequently includes a rapid increase in the motor vehicle population. As a result, some areas are beginning to show the effect of increased motor vehicle use on air pollution. The vehicle's contribution to California's air pollution has long been recognized and studied, and measures have been implemented to reduce emissions from motor vehicles. The history of light duty vehicle emission control in the South Coast Air Basin of California is reviewed. Emission reductions achieved, current levels, projected future emissions and the need for further emissions reductions from light duty vehicles are discussed. For other areas of the world where motor vehicles contribute to air pollution, suggestions are made which can improve the effectiveness of emission control efforts; which should be consistent with political and economic realities, and efforts to achieve international harmonization of standards.

To improve the cold startability of methanol, methanol-butane mixed fuel was experimented. Engine performance and exhaust emissions are obtained with methanol-butane mixed fuel. These characteristics are compared with those of methanol and gasoline. The mixing ratios of methanol and butane are 50:50 (M50), 80:20 (M80), and 90:10 (M90) based on the calorific value. As a result, M90 produces more power than gasoline and more or less than methanol depending on the engine speed and the excess air ratio. Brake horse power of M90 is higher than that of gasoline by 5 - 10 %, and brake specific fuel consumption is smaller than that of gasoline by 17 % to the maximum based on the calorific value. NOx emission concentrations for M90 are lower than those for gasoline and higher than those for methanol because of the effect of butane, CO emission concentrations are somewhat lower than those for methanol and gasoline.

A procedure has been developed for evaluating equivalent drive cycle emission results from raw exhaust gas emissions data obtained from an engine under test on a computer controlled Vehicle Simulator Engine Dynamometer. The emitted species data is integrated with the air intake flow rate to determine the total mass of emissions, after correcting for the reduction in exhaust gas mass due to precipitation of the moisture of combustion. This procedure eliminates the need for the Constant Volume Sample (CVS) System attached to the vehicle exhaust while undergoing simulated drive testing on a chassis dynamometer to evaluate compliance of the test vehicle with the Australian Design Rules, ADR27 and ADR37. Sources of error with the procedure are examined by comparing the fuel consumption measured using a volumetric technique during the test with that evaluated by a carbon balance procedure as given in the Australian Design Rules.

An all-ceramic swirl chamber has been developed and analyses and evaluations concerning the strength of silicon nitride ceramic (Si3N4) have been performed with a view to using it for the entire internal wall surface of the swirl chamber. The strength characteristics of Si3N4 and their effect and variation have been determined. On the basis of measurements and analyses of thermal stresses, assembling stresses, etc., investigation of the most suitable construction and assembling methods to reduce load stresses on ceramic, and various kinds of duration tests, the swirl chamber has been confirmed to have the required durability. This engine was found to comply with the 1987 U.S. diesel particulate regulation.

The sequential fuel injection, in which fuel is injected into swirl being generated for mixture stratification, was used to pursue the potential of a lean burn engine for its performance improvement. As a result, it has been found that the most effective method to increase thermal efficiency while reducing NOx emission level is to combine a high-compression compact combustion chamber located on exhaust valve side in cylinder head with DICS (Dual induction Control System). This method was used to build a high-compression lean burn concept vehicle, which was evaluated for compliance to various emission standards. Testing showed that the concept vehicle can improve fuel economy by 10.5% on the Japanese 10-mode cycle, by 8.3% on the ECE mode cycle, and by 6.3% on the U.S. EPA test mode cycle while meeting respective emission standards.

For the purpose of satisfying today's market demands, new 8 and 11 liter diesel engines, named "STORM" series, have been developed and moved into production in 1986. Based on the predecessors which have been produced since 1975, the development of the STORM series aimed high performance, low emission, long life-time and low operating costs. In order to consult customers' convenience, exchangeability of engine parts and commonality of vehicle installations with the former engines had to be maintained. This paper describes the development work of STORM engines, and the design aspects and performance characteristics of these engines.