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A new multidimensional calculation method has been developed to simulate the warm-up characteristics of close-coupled catalytic converter systems. First, a one-dimensional gas exchange simulation and a three-dimensional exhaust gas flow calculation are combined to simulate the pulsation gas flow caused by the gas exchange process. The gas flow calculation and a heat transfer calculation are then combined to simulate heat transfer in the exhaust manifold and the catalyst honeycomb under pulsation flow. The predicted warm-up characteristics of the systems examined agreed well with the experimental data. In this simulation, CPU time was reduced greatly through the use of new calculation methods. Finally, the warm-up process of close-coupled catalysts is analyzed in detail with this simulation method. The design requirements for improving warm-up characteristics have been made clear.

There have been strong demands recently for reductions in the fuel consumption and exhaust emissions of diesel engines from the standpoints of conserving energy and curbing global warming. A great deal of research is being done on new emission control technologies using direct-injection (DI) diesel engines that provide high thermal efficiency. This work includes dramatic improvements in the combustion process. The authors have developed a new combustion concept called Modulated Kinetics (MK), which reduces smoke and NOx levels simultaneously by reconciling low-temperature combustion with pre-mixed combustion [1, 2]. At present, research is under way on the second generation of MK combustion with the aim of improving emission performance further and achieving higher thermal efficiency [3]. Reducing heat rejection in the combustion chamber is effective in improving the thermal efficiency of DI diesel engines as well as that of MK combustion.