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Mechanisms of NH₃ generation using LNT-like catalysts have been studied in a bench reactor over a wide range of temperatures, flow rates, reformer catalyst types and synthetic exhaust-gas compositions. The experiments showed that the on board production of sufficient quantities of ammonia on board for SCR operation appeared feasible, and the results identified the range of conditions for the efficient generation of ammonia. In addition, the effects of reformer catalysts using the water-gas-shift reaction as an in-situ source of the required hydrogen for the reactions are also illustrated. Computations of the NH₃ and NOx kinetics have also been carried out and are presented. Design and impregnation of the SCR catalyst in proximity to the ammonia source is the next logical step. A heated synthetic-exhaust gas flow bench was used for the experiments under carefully controlled simulated exhaust compositions.

Current CJ-4 lubricant specifications place chemical limits on diesel engine oil formulations to minimize the accumulation of lubricant-derived ash in diesel particulate filters (DPF). While lubricant additive chemistry plays a strong role in determining the amount and type of ash accumulated in the DPF, a number of additional factors play important roles as well. Relative to soot particles, whose residence time in the DPF is short-lived, ash particles remain in the filter for a significant fraction of the filter's useful life. While it is well-known that the properties (packing density, porosity, permeability) of soot deposits are primarily controlled by the local exhaust conditions at the time of particle deposition in the DPF, the cumulative operating history of the filter plays a much stronger role in controlling the properties and distribution of the accumulated ash.

Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) are a key component in many on- and off-road aftertreatment systems to meet increasingly stringent particle emissions limits. Efficient thermal management and regeneration control is critical for reliable and cost-effective operation of the combined engine and aftertreatment system. Conventional DPF control systems predominantly rely on a combination of filter pressure drop measurements and predictive models to indirectly estimate the soot loading state of the filter. Over time, the build-up of incombustible ash, primarily derived from metal-containing lubricant additives, accumulates in the filter to levels far exceeding the DPF's soot storage limit. The combined effects of soot and ash build-up dynamically impact the filter's pressure drop response, service life, and fuel consumption, and must be accurately accounted for in order to optimize engine and aftertreatment system performance.

Accumulation of lubricant and fuel derived ash in the diesel particulate filter (DPF) during vehicle operation results in a significant increase of pressure drop across the after-treatment system leading to loss of fuel economy and reduced soot storage capacity over time. Under certain operating conditions, the accumulated ash and/or soot cake layer can collapse resulting in ash deposits upstream from the typical ash plug section, henceforth termed mid-channel ash deposits. In addition, ash particles can bond (either physically or chemically) with neighboring particles resulting in formation of bridges across the channels that effectively block access to the remainder of the channel for the incoming exhaust gas stream. This phenomenon creates serious long-term durability issues for the DPF, which often must be replaced. Mid-channel deposits and ash bridges are extremely difficult to remove from the channels as they often sinter to the substrate.

Efficient aftertreatment management requires accurate sensing of both particulate filter soot and ash levels for optimized feedback control. Currently a combination of pressure drop measurements and predictive models are used to indirectly estimate the loading state of the filter. Accurate determination of filter soot loading levels is challenging under certain operating conditions, particularly following partial regeneration events and at low flow rate (idle) conditions. This work applied radio frequency (RF)-based sensors to provide a direct measure of the particulate filter soot levels in situ. Direct measurements of the filter loading state enable advanced feedback controls to optimize the combined engine and aftertreatment system for improved DPF management. This study instrumented several cordierite and aluminum titanate diesel particulate filters with RF sensors. The systems were tested on a range of light- and heavy-duty applications, which included on- and off-road engines.

A novel approach to condition the lubricant at a fixed station in the oil circuit is explored as a potential means to reduce additive requirements or increase oil drain interval. This study examines the performance of an innovative oil filter which releases no additives into the lubricant, yet enhances the acid control function typically performed by detergent and dispersant additives. The filter chemically conditions the crankcase oil during engine operation by sequestering acidic compounds derived from engine combustion and lubricant degradation. Long duration tests with a heavy-duty diesel engine show that the oil conditioning with the strong base filter reduces lubricant acidity (TAN), improves Total Base Number (TBN) retention, and slows the rate of viscosity increase and oxidation. The results also indicate that there may be a reduction in wear and corrosion.

The increasing use of gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines coupled with the implementation of new particulate matter (PM) and particle number (PN) emissions regulations requires new emissions control strategies. Gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) present one approach to reduce particle emissions. Although primarily composed of combustible material which may be removed through oxidation, particle also contains incombustible components or ash. Over the service life of the filter the accumulation of ash causes an increase in exhaust backpressure, and limits the useful life of the GPF. This study utilized an accelerated aging system to generate elevated ash levels by injecting lubricant oil with the gasoline fuel into a burner system. GPFs were aged to a series of levels representing filter life up to 150,000 miles (240,000 km). The impact of ash on the filter pressure drop and on its sensitivity to soot accumulation was investigated at specific ash levels.

Accurate knowledge of diesel particulate filter (DPF) particulate matter (PM) loading is critical for robust and efficient operation of the combined engine-exhaust aftertreatment system. Furthermore, upcoming on-board diagnostics regulations require on-board technologies to evaluate the status of the DPF. This work describes the application of radio frequency (RF) - based sensing techniques to accurately measure DPF particulate matter levels. A 1.9L GM turbo diesel engine and a DPF with an RF-sensor were studied. Direct comparisons between the RF measurement and conventional pressure-based methods were made. Further analysis of the particulate matter loading rates was obtained with a mass-based total PM emission measurement instrument (TEOM) and DPF gravimetric measurements.

Lowering lubricant viscosity to reduce friction generally carries a side-effect of increased metal-metal contact in mixed or boundary lubrication, for example near top ring reversal along the engine cylinder liner. A strategy to reduce viscosity without increased metal-metal contact involves controlling the local viscosity away from top-ring-reversal locations. This paper discusses the implementation of insulation or thermal barrier coating (TBC) as a means of reducing local oil viscosity and power cylinder friction in internal combustion engines with minimal side-effects of increased wear. TBC is selectively applied to the outside diameter of the cylinder liner to increase the local oil temperature along the liner. Due to the temperature dependence of oil viscosity, the increase in temperature from insulation results in a decrease in the local oil viscosity.

The increased use of biodiesel fuels has raised concerns over the fuel's impact on engine performance and hardware compatibility. While these issues have received much attention in recent years, less well-known are the effects of biodiesel on engine-out ash emissions and lubricant properties. Significant differences in composition between biodiesel and petroleum diesel fuels have the potential to influence ash emissions, thereby affecting aftertreatment system performance. Further, the fuel also interacts directly with the lubricant through fuel dilution, and may impact lubricant properties. In this study, a 5.9L, 6 cylinder, Cummins ISB 300 diesel engine was outfitted with a specially designed rapid lubricant aging system and subjected to a set of steady-state engine operating conditions. The lubricant aging system allows for the investigation of the interactions of emissions and combustion products, as well as fuel dilution, on lubricant properties in an accelerated manner.

The performance and heat transfer characteristics of a single cylinder diesel engine in the metal and in the ceramic-coat-insulated configurations were compared at the same speeds, loads and air flow rates. Compared to the metal engine, the insulated engine had a higher brake specific fuel consumption which was attributed to a slower combustion process; the exhaust as well as the time averaged surface temperatures of the insulated engine were higher. The unsteady heat flux amplitudes in the insulated engine were lower which suggested a lower overall heat flux. This lower heat flux was attributed to the lower flame temperatures because of the poor combustion quality in the non-optimized insulated engine.

The life of an automotive engine is often limited by the ability of its components to resist wear. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) is an engine oil additive that reduces wear in an engine by forming solid antiwear films at points of moving contact. The effects of this additive are fairly well understood, but there is little theory behind the kinetics of antiwear film formation and removal. This lack of dynamic modeling makes it difficult to predict the effects of wear at the design stage for an engine component or a lubricant formulation. The purpose of this discussion is to develop a framework for modeling the formation and evolution of ZDDP antiwear films based on the relevant chemical pathways and physical mechanisms at work.

The effects of combustion chamber and intake valve deposit build-up on the knocking characteristics of a spark ignition engine were studied. A Chrysler 2.2 liter engine was run continuously for 180 hours to build up intake valve and combustion chamber deposits. In the tests reported here, the gasoline used contained a deposit controlling fuel additive. The engines's octane requirement increased by 10 research octane numbers during this extended engine operating period. At approximately 24 hour intervals during these tests, the engine was audibly knock rated to determine its octane requirement. Cylinder pressure data was collected during knocking conditions to investigate the knocking characteristics of each cylinder, and deposit build-up effects on those statistics. Cylinder-to-cylinder variations in knock statistics were studied. Analysis of the data indicated that some 20 to 40 percent of cycles knock before the knock is audibly detected.

The oil film thickness distribution between the top ring and liner was observed using laser fluorescence (LF). Five different commercial lubricants, two single grades and three multigrades, were studied at two azimuthal, mid-stroke locations for five speed/load combinations in a small IDI diesel engine. Cavitation is never observed. The lubricant always separates tangent to the ring surface. The rheology of the oil flow under the ring is consistent with a non-Newtonian viscosity without elasticity. The difference between lubricant type (single or multigrade) corresponds to differences in inlet and outlet conditions. Using an analytical model together with the measured oil distributions, calculations demonstrate a difference in friction between single and multigrade lubricants. The multigrade lubricants have a lower friction coefficient, consistent with improvements in fuel economy reported in the literature.

Inorganic engine lubricant additives, which have various specific, necessary functions such as anti-wear, leave the combustion chamber bound to soot particles (approximately ≤1% by mass) as ash [13], and accumulate in aftertreatment components. The diesel particulate filter (DPF) is especially susceptible to ash-related issues due to its wall-flow architecture which physically traps most of the soot and ash emissions. Accumulated lubricant-derived ash results in numerous problems including increased filter pressure drop and decreased catalytic functionality. While much progress has been made to understand the macroscopic details and effects of ash accumulation on DPF performance, this study explores the nano- and micron-scale forces which impact particle adhesion and mobility within the particulate filter.

An apparatus was designed and applied to measure the oil-film thickness in a production engine using the principle of laser-induced fluorescence. The apparatus incorporated fiber optics technology in its design with an aim to improve the ease of installation, portability, durability, spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio of previous designs using conventional optics, which hitherto have been used almost exclusively in studying oil-film characteristics in detail. Bench tests and engine tests were conducted to study the optimum combination of system components and to evaluate the performance of the design. These tests indicate that the goals of the design have been achieved. The increased spatial resolution enabled more precise identification of important lubricant features around the piston rings.

This paper is a direct continuation of a previous study that addressed the performance and design of a variable compression engine, the Alvar-Cycle Engine [1]. The earlier study was presented at the SAE International Conference and Exposition in Detroit during February 23-26, 1998 as SAE paper 981027. In the present paper test results from a single cylinder prototype are reviewed and compared with a similar conventional engine. Efficiency and emissions are shown as function of speed, load, and compression ratio. The influence of residual gas on knock characteristics is shown. The potential for high power density through heavy supercharging is analyzed.

In this study, changes in the composition of lubricant additives in the power cylinder oil are examined. Samples are extracted from a single cylinder heavy-duty diesel engine in two locations during engine operation; the crankcase and the top ring groove of the piston. Emissions of lubricant-derived ash-forming elements are lower than would be expected based on oil consumption and crankcase oil composition. This occurs partly because the inorganic additive compounds are less volatile than light-end hydrocarbons in the base oil. The tribology of the piston ring pack also affects the composition of the oil consumed in the power cylinder system. The elemental composition of oil extracted from the top ring groove is significantly different than the crankcase oil. Additive metals are concentrated in the top ring groove of the power cylinder. Detergent compounds (i.e. Ca and Mg) concentrate due to the volatility of the base oil. The metals associated with ZDDP (i.e.

Ash accumulation in diesel particulate filters, mostly from essential lubricant additives, decreases the filter's soot storage capacity, adversely affects fuel economy, and negatively impacts the filter's service life. While the adverse effects of ash accumulation on DPF performance are well known, the underlying mechanisms controlling these effects are not. To address these issues, results of detailed measurements with specially formulated lubricants, correlating ash properties to individual lubricant additives and their effects on DPF pressure drop, are presented. Investigations using the specially-formulated lubricants showed ash consisting primarily of calcium sulfates to exhibit significantly increased flow resistance as opposed to ash primarily composed of zinc phosphates. Furthermore, ash accumulated along the filer walls was found to be packed approximately 25% denser than ash accumulated in the channel end-plugs.

Ash, mostly from essential lubricant additives, affects diesel particulate filter (DPF) pressure-drop sensitivity and limits filter service life. It raises concern in the lubricant industry to properly specify new oils, and engine and aftertreatment system manufacturers have attempted to find ways to mitigate the problem. To address these issues, results of detailed measurements of ash characteristics in the DPF and their effects on filter performance are presented. In this study, a heavy-duty diesel engine was outfitted with a specially designed rapid lubricant degradation and aftertreatment ash loading system. Unlike previous studies, this system allows for the control of specific exhaust characteristics including ash emission rate, ash-to-particle ratio, ash composition, and exhaust temperature and flow rates independent of the engine operating condition.