Search Results

The U.S. Tier 2 emission regulations require sophisticated exhaust aftertreatment technologies for diesel engines. One of the projects under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Advanced Petroleum Based Fuels - Diesel Emission Controls (APBF-DEC) activity focused on the development of a light-duty passenger car with an integrated NOx (oxides of nitrogen) adsorber catalyst (NAC) and diesel particle filter (DPF) technology. Vehicle emissions tests on this platform showed the great potential of the system, achieving the Tier 2 Bin 5 emission standards with new, but degreened emission control systems. The platform development and control strategies for this project were presented in 2004-01-0581 [1]. The main disadvantage of the NOx adsorber technology is its susceptibility to sulfur poisoning. The fuel- and lubrication oil-borne sulfur is converted into sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the combustion process and is adsorbed by the active sites of the NAC.

Increasing fuel costs, the need to reduce dependence on foreign oil as well as the high efficiency and the desire for superior durability have caused the diesel engine to again become a prime target for light-duty vehicle applications in the United States. In support of this the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has engaged in a test project under the Advanced Petroleum Based Fuels-Diesel Emission Control (APBF-DEC) activity to develop a passenger car with the capability to demonstrate compliance with Tier 2 Bin 5 emission targets with a fresh emission control catalyst system. In order to achieve this goal, a prototype engine was installed in a passenger car and optimized to provide the lowest practical level of engine-out emissions.