Lowering emissions: products to assists manufacturers in meeting emissions requirements

Automotive Industries,  Sept, 2003  by Brent Haight

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Companies are gearing up for the next round of emissions laws by relying on a growing list of products and technologies designed to moot and exceed environmental regulations on pollutant exhaust and fuel improvements. Below is a small sampling of some of the tools being offered that enable car makers to stay ahead of the emissions curve.

Fuel Mass Flow Meter

AVL has introduced the second generation of the AVL Fuel Mass Flow Meter. The new Mass flow Meter features high reliability in test bed operation and easy application to new engine mixture preparation systems like gasoline- and diesel-direct injection systems.

The required time for accuracy check and meter calibration has been reduced significantly. With a measurement range from 0 ... 125 kg/h the system can measure from a single-cylinder up to a 600 kW large engine without changing the measurement sensor or the measurement system.

A new PC software, which is part of the standard supply of the Mass Flow Meter, features graphical diagnostic user interface for easier service application

The AVL Fuel Flow Meter is used for continuous fuel consumption measurement in gasoline and diesel engines on engine test beds and chassis dynamometers in research, development and production.

The measurement system is based on a Coriolis mass flow-rate sensor. According to AVL, high sensitivity and accuracy are achieved by the use of a very small bore sensing pipe. A pump upstream of the sensor delivers the necessary pressure, while a regulator downstream ensures a constant outlet pressure.

Gasoline Fuel Injectors

Delphi recently announced plans to invest $12 million to introduce its Multec 3 gasoline fuel injectors for customers in Asia Pacific. The injectors will be produced at Delphi Shanghai Dynamic and Propulsion Systems Co. Ltd., a wholly-owned operation located in Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone in Pudong, Shanghai.

Five production lines will be added to the current facility and initial production will begin this September. To accommodate manufacturing, a special production clean room of more than 1,100 square meters is under construction. This clean room is fully equipped to precisely control environment temperature, humidity and air borne particulates.

"Multec 3 is our next generation of MPFI fuel injectors and it's a family of fuel injectors that is targeted to cover the spectrum of high performance and low cost. Meaning, we've got the derivatives of the injector that are being used for the highest performance requirements the lowest emission requirements, as well as less stringent emission requirements--and low cost," says Steve Kiefer, business line executive for Delphi's gasoline engine management systems business line.

"We will continue expand this product globally," adds Keifer. "The investment in China is part of our effort to make the lowest cost injector in the market. We are going to continue to move the Multec 3 to other regions in the world. There is a South American launch that we will be announcing. This will be our global MPFI injector for the future."

Earlier this year, Dephi announced that it will invest $50 million over the next six years to upgrade the company's advanced engine and emission test facilities. The investment will allow Delphi to improve its Engine Dynamometer Labs and Vehicle Emissions Labs at eight of the company's technical centers worldwide.

Particulate Filter System

Beginning in October, Mercedes-Benz will offer the combination of EU 4 exhaust emission standard and diesel particulate filter for its diesel passenger cars. The combination of EU 4 and diesel particulate filter will initially be available for the C-Class and E-Class models with four-cylinder CDI engines. To date, 85 percent of C-Class and about half of all E-Class diesel customers have opted for the 200 and 220 CDI engines. At the beginning of next year, the six-cylinder CDI engines in the E-Class and S-Class will follow suit, offering both EU 4 and diesel particulate filters.

Developed by Mercedes-Benz, the particulate filter system operates without additives and, depending on the individual use profile and thus with no fixed change interval, remains efficient over a very high mileage, the company says.

"This makes us the first manufacturer to offer a system which both adheres to the EU 4 limits and almost completely eliminates particulate emissions--and does so with our most important diesel engines, the one which dominate fleet business," says Jurgen Hubbert, member of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler AG and Head of the Mercedes Car Group.

According to Mercedes-Benz, service life, everyday practicality and fuel consumption were key criteria in the development of the particulate filter system.

With the Mercedes-Benz particulate filter system, it is possible to achieve high mileages without the need for additional service measures, the company says. The filter is regenerated by adjusting, in accordance with requirements, various engine control functions, such as fuel injection, intake-air throttle, exhaust-gas recirculation and boost-pressure control, In this way, it is possible to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas and the particles accumulated in the filter are burned off. Mercedes-Benz claims that test results show that, after a high mileage, the residual ash is up to 75 percent less than that produced by additive-dependent filter systems.