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This paper presents an improved exhaust emission simulation model that takes into account fuel transportation behavior in order to obtain more precise air-fuel ratio control, which is needed to meet stringent exhaust emission standards. This simulation model is based on experimental formulas for air and fuel behavior in the intake manifold, especially during transient engine operation. Fuel behavior, including the effect of wall flow on the air-fuel ratio, is obtained analytically. Predictions are then made of the exhaust emissions from a car operated under official driving schedules. The new simulation model is a useful tool in the design and development of fuel supply control systems. An outline of the new model is presented first along with a comparison of the calculated and experimental results. The air-fuel ratio control strategy derived with this model is then described.

Nissan Motor has put on the European SUV market a 2.2-L direct-injection diesel engine with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) system that complies with the EURO IV emission regulations. This paper describes the DPF system, cooperative control of a variable geometry turbo (VGT) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and a high-accuracy lambda control adopted for this engine. In order to achieve a compact DPF, the high-accuracy lambda control was developed to reduce variation in engine-out particulate matter (PM) emissions. Moreover, the accuracy of the technique for predicting the quantity of PM accumulation was improved for reliable detection of the DPF regeneration. Prediction error for PM accumulation increases during transient operation. Control logic was adopted to correct the PM prediction according to lambda fluctuation detected by an observer for lambda at cylinder under transient operating conditions. The observer is corrected lambda sensor output.

A variable compression ratio (VCR) technology, that has a new piston-crankshaft mechanism with multi links, has been patented and developed by Nissan for some years (This technology has been detailed in previous SAE paper 2003-01-0921 and 2005-01-1134). This paper will present the use of this VCR technology for Diesel engine. The objective set with the use of VCR for Diesel engine is mainly to reduce as much as possible engine out emission to prepare for long-term, more strict emission standards. Results presented will include the description of the 2l Diesel VCR engine and its VCR mechanism adapted to Diesel constraints. Combustion tests have been performed with the use of HCCI (Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition) combustion. This technology is still in a research phase in Renault: the adaptation of VCR technology to a Diesel engine consists in the modification of several parts with the addition of lower links, control links and control shaft.

The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) system has been developed as one of key technologies to comply with tight diesel PM emission regulations. For the DPF control system, it is necessary to maintain temperature inside the DPF below the allowable service temperature, especially during soot regeneration to prevent catalyst deterioration and cracks. Therefore, the evaluation of soot regeneration is one of the key development items for the DPF system. On the other hand, regeneration evaluation requires a lot of time and cost since many different regeneration conditions should be investigated in order to simulate actual driving. The simulation tool to predict soot regeneration behavior is a powerful tool to accelerate the development of DPF design and safe regeneration control strategies. This paper describes the soot regeneration model applied to fuel additive and catalyzed types, and shows good correlation with measured data.

Generally, cobalt-contained sintered materials have mainly been applied for exhaust valve seat inserts (VSI). However, there is a trend to restrict the use of cobalt as well as lead environmental law, and cobalt is expensive. To solve these problems, a new exhaust VSI on the assumption of being cobalt and lead free, applicable for conventional engines, having good machinability, and with a reduced cost was developed. The new exhaust VSI is a material dispersed with two types of hard particles, Fe-Cr-C and Fe-Mo-Si, in the matrix of an Fe-3.5mass%Mo at the ratio of 15 mass % and 10 mass % respectively.

Impact of oil-derived ash on the pressure drop of continuous regeneration-type diesel particulate filter (CR-DPF) was investigated through 600hrs running test at maximum power point on a 6.9L diesel engine, which meets the Japanese long-term emission regulations enacted in 1998, using approximately 50ppm sulfur content fuel. Sulfated ash content of test oils were varied as 0.96, 1.31, and 1.70 mass%, respectively. During the running test, the exhaust pressure drop through CR-DPF was measured. And after the test, the ventilation resistance through CR-DPF was also evaluated before and after the baking process, which was applied to eliminate the effect of soot accumulated in CR-DPF. The results revealed that the less sulfated ash in oil gave rise to lower pressure drop across CR-DPF. According to microscope examination of the baked DPF, ash was mainly accumulated on the wall surface of CR-DPF, and that seemed to be related to the magnitude of pressure drop caused by ash.

In order to meet the increasingly tough emission regulations on diesel vehicles, automobile manufacturers in Japan are focusing on the development of diesel particulate filters (DPFs), nitrogen-oxide-reducing catalysts so-called deNOx catalysts, and other technology for reducing exhaust gases. In order to reduce catalyst poisoning, diesel fuel with a sulfur content of 50 ppm or lower-one-tenth the previous level-was put on the market in Japan in April 2003. At the same time, guidelines took effect for the new DH-2 and DL-1 standards for diesel engine oils compatible with after-treatment devices; the full regulations are scheduled to come into force in 2005. The newly developed low-ash diesel engine oil described here contains a reduced amount of metallic detergents, thus lowering the sulfated ash content to about two-thirds that of conventional high-ash oil.

This paper describes the emission reduction technologies applied to 4- and 6-cylinder engines used on Japanese market models certified as ultra-low emission vehicles (U-LEVs) in Japan. To qualify for this rigorous U-LEV certification, a vehicle must reduce hydrocarbon (HC) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by an additional 75% from the levels mandated by Japan's 2000 exhaust emission regulations. Nearly all Nissan Japanese models fitted with a gasoline engine, ranging from in-line 4-cylinder engines to V6 engines, have now been certified as U-LEVs. This has been accomplished by further improving the emission reduction technologies that were developed for the Sentra CA, which was launched in the U.S. market in 2000 as the world's first gasoline-fueled vehicle to qualify for Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (P-ZEV) credits from the California Air Resources Board. The specific new technologies involved are as follows.

HC emission standards will be tightened during the 1990's in the US. A key issue in reducing HC emission is improving the warm-up characteristics of catalysts during the cold start of engines. For this purpose, studies are under way on reduction of heat mass of ceramic substrates. Reduction of cell walls in substrates to thickness smaller than the current thickness of 12mil or 6mil has resulted in reduced heat mass, and also reduced flow restriction of substrates. The warm-up characteristics of low bulk density catalysts are better than those of high bulk density, i.e., the warm-up characteristics of thinner wall or lower cell density catalysts are better than those of thicker wall or higher cell density catalysts. A relationship between geometric surface area and warm-up characteristics is observed.

Emission regulations for diesel-powered vehicles have been gradually tightening. Installation of after-treatment devices such as diesel particulate filters (DPF), NOx storage reduction (NSR) catalysts, and so on is indispensable to satisfy rigorous limits of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Japan Clean Air Program II Oil Working Group (JCAPII Oil WG) has been investigating the effect of engine oil on advanced diesel after-treatment devices. First of all, we researched the impact of oil-derived ash on continuous regeneration-type diesel particulate filter (CR-DPF), and already reported that the less sulfated ash in oil gave rise to lower pressure drop across CR-DPF [1]. In this paper, impact of oil-derived sulfur and phosphorus on NSR catalyst was investigated using a 4L direct injection common-rail diesel engine with turbo-intercooler. This engine equipped with NSR catalyst meets the Japanese new short-term emission regulations.

This paper presents a new-generation, lightweight, 3-liter V6 engine that has been developed for use in the next Nissan Maxima. The distinctive features of this new engine, VQ30DE, is its compact, lightweight design and excellent fuel economy. The basic construction of the engine is characterized by its 60-degree V6 configuration, chain-driven DOHC and high-pressure die cast aluminum cylinder block. A two-way cooling system was adopted with the aim of shortening the warm-up time of the cylinder liners. The new engine has been designed to comply with the tougher emission standards, the OBD-II requirements and California's new evaporative emission standard.

Particulate matter (PM) including soot in diesel exhaust gas is a serious atmospheric pollutant, and stricter exhaust emission standards are being set in many countries. As one of the key technologies, a diesel particulate filter (DPF) for PM trap in the after-treatment of the exhaust gas has been developed. Typically, the inlet size of filter monolith is about 2 mm, and the thickness of the filter wall is only 0.2 mm, where soot particles are removed. It is impossible to observe the small-scale phenomena inside the filter, experimentally. Then, in the present study, we conducted microfluidic simulation with soot oxidation. Here, a real cordierite filter was used in the simulation. The inner structure of the filter was scanned by a 3D X-ray CT Computed Tomography) technique. The advantage is that it is non-intrusive system, and it has a high spatial resolution in the micrometer.

In order to significantly reduce NOx levels by EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation), while maintaining good fuel economy and driveability, the EGR flow rate must be properly and accurately controlled under a variety of engine operating conditions. Toward this objective, a new EGR control system was developed. It utilizes a carburetor venturi vacuum for a stable reference signal that represents the engine operating condition and it controls the EGR flow rate by using a feedback principle to obtain sufficient flexibility compatible with several different engines. Its control characteristics were mathematically analyzed. And it has also been confirmed that the system can automatically compensate for the drift in EGR characteristics. This EGR control system has been utilized in Nissan’s emission control systems in order to comply with the 1978 Japanese Emission Standards and the 1980 U.S. Federal and California Emission Standards.

An electronically controlled closed-loop carburetor system has been developed for production application in Datsun car models. Providing a means of complying with Japanese Emission Standards, this design features the electronic control of carburetor supplied fuel with significantly improved emission performance and fuel economy. Technological advances include the noteworthy compensation of oxygen sensor output variations and improved transient emission.

Engines in Japan have higher output versus small displacement (bhp/liter) and require low phosphorus content in the engine oils to meet the most stringent exhaust emission regulation in the world. The market survey of typical API SF oils in Japan showed that the average phosphorus content was approximately 0.07 %. Under such circumstances engine oils provide good performance with the usage of secondary zinc di-alkyldithiophosphates (Zn DTP) for valve train wear protection, addition of friction modifiers for fuel economy, etc.

Plastic fuel tanks are light in weight and rustproof, and have good design flexibility. For those currently in use, however, which are made of mono-layer high-density polyethylene, fuel permeability is too high to meet U.S. evaporative emission standards, which are stricter than those in Japan or the EEC. For minimize fuel permeation, the formation of a harrier layer of polyamide resin by multilayer (three-resin five-layer) blow molding is considered more promising than sulphonation or fluorination treatment of the polyethylene resin. This paper describes the fuel permeation mechanism, then outlines the development of a multi-layer plastic fuel tank, discussion its structural features and the development of resins.

The inflow of oil mist particles contained in blow-by gas into the intake system worsens emissions. A higher performance oil mist separator system is required to meet emission regulations which will inevitably become stricter in the future. In developing the oil mist separator, however, much of the development time in the past was spent in carrying out repeated tests and studying separator designs. We, therefore, have improved the separator development process by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) which added several new ideas to improve the analysis accuracy. The comparison of calculated results and experimental results has confirmed that a sufficient accuracy can be obtained to make this method applicable for practical use.

It is projected that compliance with Japanese new exhaust emission regulations set to be enforced in 2000 year will be difficult for turbocharged engines with conventional technologies. This is mainly because of the delay in catalyst lightoff at engine start due to the lower exhaust gas temperature of turbocharged engines compared with that of their naturally aspirated counterparts. Compliance will be particularly difficult for V-6 engines on account of the large heat mass of the exhaust system, resulting in a slower temperature rise. Previously, improvement of hydrocarbon (HC) conversion rates following engine start depended solely on the low-temperature characteristic of the catalyst. The catalyst system described here adopts a completely new mechanism that traps HCs before the catalyst lights off and then desorbs them for conversion after the engine warms up.

…Technologies for reducing evaporative emissions generated from gasoline vapors have been developed. To reduce evaporative emissions, both permeation from fuel and vapor lines and breakthrough from the evaporative canister need to be diminished. Fewer fuel line connections are used and hose and valve materials have been modified to reduce permeation. Component test results confirm that permeation is substantially reduced from the level of previous parts. A new type of activated charcoal, which has a high specific heat characteristic and improves adsorption and desorption performance, has been applied to reduce canister breakthrough. Additionally, the amount of purge air has been increased by applying purge control using an air-fuel ratio sensor. The problem of canister breakthrough has thus been resolved by the new evaporative canister combined with increased purge flow to the engine.