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Four of these Particulate Reduction Systems (PMS) were tested on a passenger car and one of them on a HDV. Expectation of the research team was that they would reach at least a PM-reduction of 30% under all realistic operating conditions. The standard German filter test procedure for PMS was performed but moreover, the response to various operating conditions was tested including worst case situations. Besides the legislated CO, NOx and PM exhaust-gas emissions, also the particle count and NO2 were measured. The best filtration efficiency with one PMS was indeed 63%. However, under critical but realistic conditions filtration of 3 of 4 PMS was measured substantially lower than the expected 30 %, depending on operating conditions and prior history, and could even completely fail. Scatter between repeated cycles was very large and results were not reproducible. Even worse, with all 4 PMS deposited soot, stored in these systems during light load operation was intermittently blown-off.

New Diesel exhaust gas aftertreatment systems, with combined DPF*) and deNOx (mostly SCR) systems represent a very important step towards zero emission Diesel fleet. These combined systems are already offered today by several suppliers for retrofitting of HD vehicles. Reliable quality standards for those quite complex systems are urgently needed to enable decisions of several authorities. The present report informs about the international network project VERT *) dePN (de-activation, de-contamination, disposal of particles and NOx), which was started in Nov. 2006 with the objective to introduce the SCR-, or combined DPF+SCR-systems in the VERT verification procedure. Examples of results for some of the investigated systems are given. These investigations included parameters, which are important for the VERT quality testing: besides the regulated gaseous emissions several unregulated components such as NH3, NO2 and N2O were measured.

1 A methodology for correctly matching trap systems to the vehicle types was developed within the scope of a feasibility study to retrofit the entire Swiss fleet of on-road HDV. Representative test vehicles from 11 vehicle categories were equipped with high capacity data loggers during a period of 4-6 weeks. Statistical evaluation of exhaust temperatures indicate that data on averages, peaks and frequency distributions alone can be misleading, because these tend to over-estimate the available exhaust enthalpy. Analysis of dwell time intervals, at certain temperature levels, is a better method to assess the energy available for the regeneration. Such verification of duty cycles is indispensable before retrofitting traps and choosing either active or passive regeneration systems.

Ceramic fibers, in a knitted structure, offer an elastic deep-filter medium having a very high specific surface. The robustness of this trap, and its invulnerability to thermo-shock, was demonstrated during a further year of development and tests. By using new manufacturing techniques, the filtration efficiency was further improved, pressure losses reduced, and the required volume diminished. New insight was obtained regarding the employment of the fiber medium for catalysis. The filter concept permits regeneration either electrically or by fuel-additives. The layout versatility facilitates deployment on vehicular and stationary engines, in the pre-turbo position, too.

The development of particulate-traps for big engines is more difficult than for automobile applications. The usual placement, after the turbocharger, necessitates complex solutions to challenges in size, flow distribution and regeneration. The placement of the particulate trap ahead of the turbocharger has technical and financial advantages, and has previously been extensively investigated, but did not prevail because of poor reliability of the monolithic traps. This paper investigates the knitted fiber trap, a mechanically and thermically dependable unit, developed for integration into the engine. A modular design makes the trap very compact. Filtration rate and pressure loss are satisfactory. The filter element has not shown any weakness. A typical deficiency of this application, that needs further investigation, is worsening of the engine's transient response by the thermal inertia of the filter material.

Based on the emission inventory Fig. 1, the Swiss 1998 Ordinance on Air Pollution Control (OAPC) mandates curtailment of carcinogenic diesel particle emissions at type B construction sites [1]. Moreover, particle traps are compulsory at underground workplaces [2]. In compliance, more than 6,000 Diesel engines were retrofitted with various particle trap systems. Many traps surpassed 99% filtration efficiency and secondary emissions were mostly prevented. However, trap failure due to mechanical and thermal damage was initially rather high at about 10%. By the year 2000 the failure rate was halved to about 6%. Thanks to focussed improvements, the year 2003 statistics show yearly failures of “only” about 2%. The Swiss target is to retrofit 15,000 construction machines with traps, fully compliant with environmental directives, having 5,000 operating hours durability and failure rates below 1%. Traps must pass the VERT suitability test before deployment.

The Comprex(R) is a pressure-wave supercharger (PWS) for passenger car diesel engines. It has many features which ideally suit it for the continually increasing demands on driveability, fuel economy and reduction of exhaust pollutants. To counter the disadvantages of the previously required belt drive, a free-running machine was developed. It is self driven by the kinetic energy of the exhaust gas; made possible by employing a rotor having reduced inertia. In addition to the well known Comprex features, this advanced development offers advantages such as rapid response, high efficiency, compactness and freedom in placement. The paper discusses the design of the free-running PWS, its construction, supercharging characteristics and preliminary experience.

1 Switzerland is enforcing the use of particulate traps for offroad applications like construction as well as for occupational health applications like tunneling. This decision is based on the results of the VERT-project (1994-1999), which included basic aerosol research, bench screening and field testing of promising solutions as well as the development of implementation tools like trap specification, certification scheems and field control measures. On the other hand there is no corresponding regulation for city-buses yet although PM 10 is about 2× above limit in most Swiss cities. Public pressure however is growing and city transport authorities have reacted by retrofitting Diesel city-buses instead of waiting for cleaner engine technology or CNG-conversions. The favored trap system with about 200 retrofits so far is the CRT.

1 The VERT project aimed at curtailing the construction site diesel emissions of ultra-fine particles to 1% of the raw emissions. Thus, compliance with occupational health legislation should be achieved. Particulate traps have attained this target. In contrast, engine tuning, reformulated fuels and oxidation catalytic converters are almost ineffective. This paper reports on the concluding project stage in which 10 traps were field tested during 2 years. Subsequent detailed measurements confirmed the excellent results: > 99% filtration rate was achieved in the nano-particulate range. The PAH, too, were very efficiently eliminated. Trap deployment becomes therefore imperative to fulfill VERT-targets.

Apart from crash simulation, theoretical simulation of the static and dynamic structure behavior is another integral part of vehicle body development. Due to the complex boundary conditions, however, this tool has not been used before as a development aid in this field. With respect to further reduction of development time, a reliable simulation technique for the time-consuming structure durability test runs is desirable. The presented technique allows the relative evaluation of the individual development steps regarding component strength. Thus only the most essential variants need to be tested, and future body development could be possible by designing two prototype generations only.