Search Results

After a review of the current status of development of heavy-duty direct injection diesel engines (all turbocharged and intercooled) technologies to meet US-EPA 1994 heavy-duty diesel emission standards are discussed. Special attention is given to the NOx-particulate trade-off and to the various particulate fractions (carbon, lube oil, sulfates), and to measures for their reduction by internal means. A major part of the paper addresses the application of oxidation catalysts as a very efficient and cost-effective aftertreatment device to burn off soluble particulate fractions, CO, HC, odorants and PAH. The paper concludes with an outlook on foreseeable developments of the heavy-duty diesel in the future.

The current figure of Diesel market share in Europe of about 50% indicates a high market penetration of the HSDI Diesel engine. Due to increasing fuel prices and limited crude oil resources the worldwide demand for Diesel engines for the passenger car sector is increasing - even in typical gasoline markets like the united States. The key factors for the further success of the HSDI Diesel engine are the fulfillment of future worldwide emission legislation and that the production costs of the technologies necessary to do so, do not make it uncompetitive in comparison to the various gasoline engine concepts. Heavy SUVs with relatively small engines will therefore have to face the biggest challenge.

Vehicle manufacturers throughout the world are facing increasingly stringent noise legislation which demands highly refined vehicles and powertrains for compliance. Further to the demanding legislative requirements, an increase in customer awareness regarding high ride comfort has forced additional refinement as regards competitive sound level and sound quality. In the commercial vehicle market this trend in increased customer awareness is growing ever more apparent, although the expectations regarding noise are, for some applications, justifiably lower than in the passenger car market. Further to legislative compliance and a competitive noise level in dB(A), noise quality issues are increasingly being addressed to satisfy customer demand. In the passenger car market customer awareness regarding noise has increased to such an extent that in order to satisfy customer expectations engineering desirable sound has become an integral requirement.