Showing papers in "International Journal of Automotive Technology in 2014"

In-vehicle technology for self-driving cars: Advantages and challenges for aging drivers

Abstract: The development of self-driving cars or autonomous vehicles has progressed at an unanticipated pace. Ironically, the driver or the driver-vehicle interaction is a largely neglected factor in the development of enabling technologies for autonomous vehicles. Therefore, this paper discusses the advantages and challenges faced by aging drivers with reference to in-vehicle technology for self-driving cars, on the basis of findings of recent studies. We summarize age-related characteristics of sensory, motor, and cognitive functions on the basis of extensive age-related research, which can provide a familiar to better aging drivers. Furthermore, we discuss some key aspects that need to be considered, such as familar to learnability, acceptance, and net effectiveness of new in-vehicle technology, as addressed in relevant studies. In addition, we present research-based examples on aging drivers and advanced technology, including a holistic approach that is being developed by MIT AgeLab, advanced navigation systems, and health monitoring systems. This paper anticipates many questions that may arise owing to the interaction of autonomous technologies with an older driver population. We expect the results of our study to be a foundation for further developments toward the consideration of needs of aging drivers while designing self-driving vehicles.

Model predictive control strategy for smooth path tracking of autonomous vehicles with steering actuator dynamics

Abstract: Path tracking control is one of the most important functions for autonomous driving. In path tracking control, high accuracy and smooth tracking are required for safe and comfort driving. In order to meet these requirements, model predictive control approaches, which can obtain an optimized solution with respect to a predefined path, have been widely studied. Conventional predictive controllers have been studied based on a simple bicycle model. However, the conventional predictive controllers have a performance limitation in practical challenges due to the difference between the simple bicycle model and the actual vehicle. To overcome this limitation, the actuator dynamics of the steering system should be incorporated into the control design. In this paper, we propose a model predictive control based path tracking control algorithm to achieve the accurate and smooth tracking by incorporating the dynamic characteristics of the steering actuation system. In the proposed control algorithm, an optimal trajectory of the steering command is calculated by applying a quadratic programming optimization method. The proposed controller was verified by computer simulation with various driving scenarios. The simulation results show that the proposed controller can improve the tracking performance.

Review on characterization of nano-particle emissions and PM morphology from internal combustion engines: Part 1

Abstract: This paper is review of the characterization of exhaust particles from state-of-the-art internal combustion engines. We primarily focus on identifying the physical and chemical properties of nano-particles, i.e., the concentration, size distribution, and particulate matter (PM) morphology. Stringent emissions regulations of the Euro 6 and the LEV III require a substantial reduction in the PM emissions from vehicles, and improvements in human health effects. Advances in powertrains with sophisticated engine control strategies and engine after-treatment technologies have significantly improved PM emission levels, motivating the development of new particle measurement instruments and chemical analysis procedures. In this paper, recent research trends are reviewed for physical and chemical PM characterization methods for gasoline and diesel fueled engines under various vehicle certification cycles and real-world driving conditions. The effects of engine technologies, fuels, and engine lubricant oils on exhaust PM morphology and compositions are also discussed.

Automatic parking of vehicles: A review of literatures

Abstract: Collision accidents often occur during parking or reversing cars. In allusion to this point, this paper conducts a review of literatures on automatic parking. To begin with, a brief introduction of automatic parking including its background and significance is given. Then its commercial application, research status and latest progress are summarized which include visual perception, ultrasonic sensors and radar technology, path planning, control algorithms based on fuzzy theory, neural network, image processing and recognition technology, and digital signal processing technology, etc. On further analysis, some reasonable conclusions are drawn and the future work is suggested.

Realization of pmp-based control for hybrid electric vehicles in a backward-looking simulation

Abstract: Optimal control is generally not possible without information about the future coming up, and it is not easy to obtain an optimal solution even though the information is given a priori. In this paper, a control concept based on Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle (PMP) is introduced as an efficient solution to generate an optimal control trajectory for Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HVEs) when the performance of the vehicles is evaluated on scheduled driving cycles at a simulation level. The main idea of the control concept is to minimize Hamiltonian, which is interpreted as equivalent fuel consumption, and the Hamiltonian is characterized by a co-state, which is interpreted as a weighting factor for the electrical usage. A key aspect of the control problem is that an appropriate initial condition of the co-state is required to satisfy the boundary condition of the problem. In this study, techniques to calculate the Hamiltonian in different hybrid configurations are introduced, and a methodology to look for the initial condition of the co-state is studied, so that the controller is able to realize a desired State Of Charge (SOC) trajectory. To address the issue, we utilize a shooting method with multiple initial conditions based on the concept of the Newton-Raphson method, and all these techniques are realized in a backward looking simulator. The simulation results show that the PMP-based control is a very efficient approach to produce the optimal control trajectory, and the performance is compared to the optimal solution solved by Dynamic Programming (DP).

Review on characterization of nano-particle emissions and PM morphology from internal combustion engines: Part 2

Abstract: This paper presents a review of the characterization of physical properties, morphology, and nanostructure of particulate emissions from internal combustion engines. Because of their convenience and readiness of measurement, various on-line commercial instruments have been used to measure the mass, number, and size distribution of nano-particles from different engines. However, these on-line commercial instruments have inherent limitations in detailed analysis of chemical and physical properties, morphology, and nanostructure of engine soot agglomerates, information that is necessary to understand the soot formation process in engine combustion, soot particle behavior in after-treatment systems, and health impacts of the nano-particles. For these reasons, several measurement techniques used in the carbon research field, i.e., highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy, were used for analysis of engine particulate matter (PM). This review covers a brief introduction of several measurement techniques and previous results from engine nano-particle characterization studies using those techniques.

Co-operative control for regenerative braking and friction braking to increase energy recovery without wheel lock

Abstract: This paper presents a regenerative braking co-operative control algorithm to increase energy recovery without wheel lock. Considering the magnitude of the braking force available between the tire and road surface, the control algorithm was designed for the regenerative braking force at the front wheel and friction braking force at the rear wheel to be increased following the friction coefficient line. The performance of the proposed regenerative braking co-operative control algorithm was evaluated by the hardware in the loop simulation (HILS) with an electronic wedge brake on its front wheels and an electronic mechanical brake on its rear wheels. The HILS results showed that a proper braking force on the front and rear wheels on a low μ road prevented the lock of the front wheels that was connected to the motor, and maintained the regenerative braking and increased energy recovery.

Electronic stability control for electric vehicle with four in-wheel motors

Abstract: The electric vehicle with four direct-driven in-wheel motors is an over actuated system. A three-level control strategy of electronic stability control (ESC) is proposed to achieve optimal torque distribution for four in-wheel motors. The first level is a gain-scheduled linear quadratic regulator which is designed to generate the desired yaw moment command for ESC. Control allocation is the second level which is used to distribute the desired longitudinal tire forces according to the yaw moment command while satisfying the driver’s intent for acceleration and deceleration. The associated weighting matrix is designed using the work load ratio at each wheel to prevent saturating the tire. The third level is slip ratio control (SRC) which is employed at each wheel to generate the desired longitudinal tire force based on a combined-slip tire model. Simulation results show that the proposed method can enhance the ESC performance for the test maneuvers. Since the tire model is often unknown for practical implementation, the effectiveness of the SRC is studied using the sine with dwell test. It is found that the SRC is not crucial for achieving performance similar to the proposed method with SRC, if the slip ratio can be maintained in the stable region using traction control system/anti-lock braking system.

Generalized magnetorheological (MR) damper model and its application in semi-active control of vehicle suspension system

Abstract: In this paper, analytical characterization of the magneto-rheological (MR) damper is done using a new modified algebraic model. Algebraic model is also more preferable because of its low computational expenses compared to differential Bouc-Wen’s model which is highly computationally demanding. This model along with the obtained model parameters is used as a semi-active suspension device in a quarter car model and the stationary response of the vehicle traversing on a rough road is obtained. The control part consists of two nested controllers. One of them is the system controller which generates the desired damping force and the other is the damper controller which adjusts the voltage level to MR damper so as to track the desired damping force. For the system controller a model reference skyhook Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) is used and for the damper controller a continuous state algorithm is built to determine the input voltage so as to gain the desired damping force. The analytical model is subsequently used in the quarter car vehicle model and the vehicular responses are studied. A simulation study is performed to prove the effectiveness and robustness of the semi-active control approach. Results show that the semi-active controller can achieve compatible performance as that of active suspension controller except for a little deterioration.

Combined power management/design optimization for a fuel cell/battery plug-in hybrid electric vehicle using multi-objective particle swarm optimization

Abstract: In this paper, the combined power management/design optimization problem is investigated for a fuel cell/Liion battery PHEV. Formulated as a constrained multi-objective optimization problem (MOP), the combined optimization problem simultaneously minimizes the vehicle cost and fuel consumption subject to the vehicle performance requirements. With an emphasis on developing a generic optimization algorithm to find the Pareto front for the synthesized MOP, the Pareto based multi-objective particle swarm optimization (PMOPSO) algorithm is developed, which solely depends on the concept of Pareto dominance. Three approaches are introduced to the PMOPSO method to address the constrained MOP. They are: (i) by incorporating system constraints in the original objective functions, the constrained MOP is transformed to an unconstrained MOP; (ii) to avoid being trapped in local minima, a disturbance operator with a decaying mutation possibility is introduced; (iii) to generate a sparsely distributed Pareto front, the concept of crowding distance is utilized to determine the global guidance for the particles. Finally, under the Matlab/Simulink software environment, simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the PMOPSO in the derivation of the true Pareto front.

Design of 2-speed transmission for electric commercial vehicle

Abstract: As environmental and economic interests increase, the need for eco-friendly vehicle such as an electric vehicle (EV) has increased rapidly. Various research of enhancing EV powertrain efficiency and relibility have been studied. In this study, 2-speed shift gears mechanism is designed by using simpson type planetary gear train. This transmission has two planetary gear unit. Gear position is determinded by which ring gear is fixed. Internal components of the transmission are designed for satisfying the required specification of EV. We analyze gear strength, gear mesh efficiency, and transmission efficiency. By manufacturing the transmission prototype and performing some experiments, we verify the application suitability of this transmission.

Transient Modeling and Validation of Lithium Ion Battery Pack with Air Cooled Thermal Management System for Electric Vehicles

Abstract: A transient numerical model of a lithium ion battery (LiB) pack with air cooled thermal management system is developed and validated for electric vehicle applications. In the battery model, the open circuit voltage and the internal resistance map based on experiments are used. The Butler-Volmer equation is directly considered for activation voltage loss estimation. The heat generation of cells and the heat transfer from cells are also calculated to estimate temperature distribution. Validations are conducted by comparison between experimental results at the cell level and the pack level. After validations, the effects of module arrangement in a battery pack are studied with different ambient temperature conditions. The configuration that more LiB cells are placed near the air flow inlet is more effective to reduce the temperature deviation between modules.

Examination of nanoparticles from gasoline direct-injection (gdi) engines using transmission electron microscopy (tem)

Abstract: Gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engines have been reported to produce significantly more particulate matter (PM) mass and particulate number (PN) emissions than do port-fuel-injection (PFI) spark ignition engines. Because smallsized particles are of great concern in terms of their regulation, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to evaluate the sizes of primary and aggregate particles that were thermophoretically collected from three different GDI engines under various engine operating conditions. A low load and retarded fuel injection generally reduced the particle size. Consequently, when the fuel injection timing was delayed at low loads, primary and aggregate particles became extremely small. In particular, a number of nanoparticles were sub-23-nm particles. Careful high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) analyses provided the first evidence that these nanoparticles are solid carbon particles with clear fringe patterns and young soot (and/or highly condensed semi-volatiles) with amorphous carbon patterns. Therefore, this result suggests that the current cut-off size at 23 nm for PN regulation in Euro 6 must be further reduced to include sub-23-nm carbon nanoparticles.

Free piston engine generator: Technology review and an experimental evaluation with hydrogen fuel

Abstract: Free piston engine generators which utilize a free piston engine and a linear generator are under investigation by a number of research groups around the world. Free piston engines give power output in a more efficient way when compared to conventional crankshaft engines, because the former do not have a crank mechanism which brings about additional mechanical loss. However, for the reliable and stable operation of the free piston engine generators, it is required to have a viable control system to address the uncertainty of piston motion. In this paper, most of the successful free piston engine generator developments were reviewed and a recent experimental result on a prototype free piston system was also presented with regard to engine performance with different mixture preparation strategies.

Evaluation of driver’s mental workload by facial temperature and electrodermal activity under simulated driving conditions

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mental workload of increasing driving speed, from 60 km/h to 180 km/h, when operating a driving simulator. The evaluation, based on changes in facial temperature and electrodermal activity, showed that the difference between nose and forehead temperature increased, that the skin potential level decreased, and that the skin conductance level increased. Monitoring facial temperature and electrodermal activity were both found to be effective in evaluating the mental workload involved.

On-road chasing measurement of exhaust particle emissions from diesel, CNG, LPG, and DME-fueled vehicles using a mobile emission laboratory

Abstract: We designed and applied a mobile emission laboratory for on-road measurements of exhaust particles emitted from conventional diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and dimethyl ether (DME)-fueled vehicles. Fuel type and vehicle driving conditions significantly affected the particle size distribution and the number concentrations of the nucleation mode. For all buses, the size distributions of particles in the exhaust under idling conditions had larger mode diameters than at constant speed conditions of 50 km/h or 80 km/h. The nucleation mode (< 50 nm) fraction of diesel, CNG, LPG, and DME at a constant speed of 50 km/h was 53%, 63%, 79%, and 99%, respectively, indicating that the DME-fueled bus emitted the most nanoparticles. As the vehicle speed increased from 50 km/h to 80 km/h, the nucleation mode fraction of diesel, CNG, LPG, and DME changed to 43%, 99%, 99%, and 99%, representing a significant increase in the number concentrations of nanoparticles in the CNG and LPG-fueled vehicles. The particle size distributions in the exhaust of diesel, CNG, LPG, and DME-fueled vehicles were not affected by increase in the chasing distance.

Road boundary detection and tracking for structured and unstructured roads using a 2D lidar sensor

Abstract: Road boundaries can give useful information for evaluating safe vehicle paths in intelligent vehicles. Much previous research has studied road boundary detection, using different types of sensors such as vision, radar, and lidar. Lidar sensors, in particular, show advantages for road boundary extraction including high resolution and wide field of view. However, none of the previous studies examined the problem of detecting road boundaries when roads could be either structured or unstructured. In this study, we developed a road boundary detection and tracking algorithm using lidar sensing for both structured and unstructured roads. The algorithm extracts road features as line segments in polar coordinates relative to the lidar sensor. The extracted road features are then tracked with respect to a vehicle’s local coordinates using a nearest neighbor filter. The proposed algorithm accurately detected the road boundaries regardless of the road type.

Development of an autonomous braking system using the predicted stopping distance

Abstract: An autonomous braking system is designed using the prediction of the stopping distance. The stopping distance needs to be determined by considering several factors such as the desired deceleration and the speed of the hydraulic brake actuator. In particular, the actuator speed is very critical because it affects the shape of the deceleration response and it determines the accuracy of the predicted stopping distance. The autonomous braking control algorithm is designed based on the predicted stopping distance. The proposed autonomous braking system has been validated in autonomous vehicle tests and demonstrates that the subject vehicle can avoid the collision effectively.

Meachanism and method of DPF regeneration by oxygen radical generated by NTP technology

Abstract: By using a self-designed non-thermal plasma (NTP) injection system, an experimental study of the regeneration of DPF was conducted at different temperatures, where oxygen as the gas source. The results revealed that PM can be decomposed to generate CO and CO2 by these active substances O3, O which was generated through the discharge reaction of NTP reactor. With the increasing of test temperature, the mass of C1 (C in CO) shows a overall downward trend while the mass of C2 (C in CO2) and C12 (C1 and C2) increase firstly and then decrease. When the test temperature is 80°C, the backpressure of DPF decreases fastest and the regenerative effect is remarkable. DPF can be regenerated by NTP technology without any catalyst at a lower temperature. Compared with the traditional regeneration method, the NTP technology has its superiority.

Computation of Surface Temperatures and Energy Dissipation in Dry Friction Clutches for varying Torque with Time

Abstract: This paper describes an investigation of the energy dissipated and the surface temperature at any instant of dry friction clutch assuming torque being a function of time during the slipping. The equations of the thermal loads, total energy dissipated and relative velocity between contact surfaces are presented. Two-dimensional axisymmetric heat conduction problem of dry friction clutch is modeled mathematically and solved numerically using the finite element method to determine the temperature distribution during a single engagement assuming uniform wear between the contact surfaces. The comparison is made between temperature field assuming the torque varying with time and when it’s constant with time. Moreover, the effects of slipping time and dimensionless thickness of the pressure plate λ are to be investigated as well.

Data-driven State-of-Charge estimator for electric vehicles battery using robust extended Kalman filter

Abstract: An accurate battery State-of-Charge (SoC) estimation method is one of the most significant and difficult techniques to promote the commercialization of electric vehicles. This paper tries to make two contributions to the existing literatures through a robust extended Kalman filter (REKF) algorithm. (1) An improved lumped parameter battery model has been proposed based on the Thevenin battery model and the global optimization-oriented genetic algorithm is used to get the optimal polarization time constant of the battery model. (2) A REKF algorithm is employed to build an accurate data-driven based robust SoC estimator for a LiFePO4 lithium-ion battery. The result with the Federal Urban Driving Schedules (FUDS) test shows that the improved lumped parameter battery model can simulate the dynamic performance of the battery accurately. More importantly, the REKF based SoC estimation approach makes the SoC estimation with high accuracy and reliability, it can efficiently eliminate the problem of accumulated calculation error and erroneous initial estimator state of the SoC.

Numerical comparison of ECMS and PMP-based optimal control strategy in hybrid vehicles

Abstract: During the last decade, the equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS) and the Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle (PMP)-based optimal control strategy have been developed for power management of hybrid vehicles, and it has been noticed that there are some similarities between the two strategies. Establishing their exact relationship and distinguishing their fundamental differences have become necessary for further development in the field of power management strategy. The two strategies are numerically compared and their relationship is established in this research. The two strategies are applied to a fuel cell hybrid vehicle (FCHV) in a computer simulation environment and the simulation results of the two strategies are also compared. It is concluded that the numerical comparison result depends on the open-circuit-voltage (OCV) of the battery model. As a result, the ECMS and the PMP-based optimal control strategy can numerically have the same solutions for non-plug-in hybrid vehicles by adjusting two parameters. Differences between the two strategies are also discussed and the superiority of the PMP-based optimal control strategy is emphasized.

Fault-tolerant yaw moment control with steer — and brake-by-wire devices

Abstract: This paper presents an fault-tolerant yaw moment control for a vehicle with steer-by-wire (SBW) and brake-by-wire (BBW) devices. SBWs and BBWs can give active front steering (AFS) and electronic stability control (ESC) functions, respectively. Due to motor-driven devices, actuator and sensor faults are inherent in SBW and BBW, and can cause a critical damage to a vehicle. Simple direct yaw moment control is adopted to design a vehicle stability controller. To cope with actuator failure, weighted pseudo-inverse based control allocation (WPCA) with variable weights is proposed in yaw moment distribution procedure. Simulations on vehicle simulation software, CarSim®, show the proposed method is effective for fail safety.

Active approach to Electronic Stability Control for front-wheel drive in-wheel motor electric vehicles

Abstract: Recently, motion control for electric vehicles has gradually gained respect in automotive society due to increased strictness of vehicle safety evaluation over time. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is the kernel technology, which refers to two-dimensional motion stabilization. Many investigations have demonstrated that Direct Yaw-moment Control (DYC) is an effective and practical way to carry out the ESC of electric vehicles. However, based on the drive train of conventional steering, conventional approaches are using braking to achieve the DYC. This paper proposes a new ESC based on the construction of DYC. The presented approach is based on a core of individual traction control measures for propulsion wheels. This approach not only constrain the longitudinal slip, but also ensure the performance and the effectiveness of two-dimensional motion control. With a proper control, the vehicle can be maintained to a nearly neutral-steering under high speed turning. Hence, the vehicle’s dynamic stability can be enhanced under aggressive driving by yaw-moment control. Evaluation of the entire control system is performed by well-acknowledged software, which demonstrates that the vehicle’s dynamic stability can be enhanced under aggressive driving by the proposed approach.

Modeling of gasoline fuel spray penetration in SIDI engines

Abstract: The paper presents a research on the fuel injection and atomization depending on the thermodynamic quantities inside the cylinder of a combustion engine. With the use of piezoelectric outward-opening injectors the changes in the geometrical quantities of the atomized fuel in the aspect of its injection were determined. The studies concerning the influence of the individual quantities on the fuel spray penetration injected by the outward-opening injectors comprise a synthesis of the injection and atomization tests. Own mathematical equation describing the fuel spray penetration was proposed. The exponents (equation coefficients) related to the influence of the fuel pressure, air backpressure, charge density and time of fuel spray development were determined with the coefficient of determination 0.9797, indicating a congruence of the experimental data with the values obtained on the basis of the mathematical equation.

High speed driving stability of passenger car under crosswind effects

Abstract: The driving stability of a passenger car at high-speed and under crosswind conditions is affected by aerodynamic characteristics as well as their dynamic characteristics, suspension, and weight distribution. In this study, the total measuring system was thought up to understand the transient vehicle dynamics and aerodynamics with driver’s control inputs all together. The test results were taken from a full-scale wind tunnel test, a crosswind generator test and an on-road test. We investigated major aerodynamic parameters that affect the driving stability of passenger cars under crosswind effects such as overtaking, passing each other, natural crosswind, etc. The reaction rate of high-speed stability will be improved when we minimize the total lift, side force and especially the yawing moment.

Plug-in HEV with CVT: configuration, control, and its concurrent multi-objective optimization by evolutionary algorithm

Abstract: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Plug-in HEV) has dramatic improvements in fuel economy and emission reduction. It is most important to decide its optimal configuration, energy management strategy, powertrain sizes, and control logic parameters. For multi-objective optimization, we present a concurrent optimization methodology based on an optimal Plug-in HEV powertrain configuration with continuous variable transmission (CVT). The novelty is using evolutionary algorithm in conjunction with an instantaneous optimal energy management strategy. Simulation results indicate the proposed method can significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions by simultaneously optimizing the propulsion system parameters as well as the energy control parameters.

Evaluation and visualization of stratified ultra-lean combustion characteristics in a spray-guided type gasoline direct-injection engine

Abstract: To comply with reinforced emission regulations for harmful exhaust gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted as a greenhouse gas, improved technologies for reducing CO2 and fuel consumption are being developed. Stable lean combustion, which has the advantage of improved fuel economy and reduced emission levels, can be achieved using a sprayguided-type direct-injection (DI) combustion system. The system comprises a centrally mounted injector and closely positioned spark plugs, which ensure the combustion reliability of a stratified mixture under ultra-lean conditions. The aim of this study is to investigate the combustion and emission characteristics of a lean-burn gasoline DI engine. At an excess air ratio of 4.0, approximately 23% improvement in fuel economy was achieved through optimal event timing, which was delayed for injection and advanced for ignition, compared to that under stoichiometric conditions, while NOx and HC emissions increased. The combustion characteristics of a stratified mixture in a spray-guided-type DI system were similar to those in DI diesel engines, resulting in smoke generation and difficulty in three-way catalystutilization. Although a different operating strategy might decrease fuel consumption, it will not be helpful in reducing NOx and smoke emissions; therefore, alternatives should be pursued to achieve compliance with emission regulations.

Optimization of EGR and split injection strategy for light vehicle diesel low temperature combustion

Abstract: Low temperature combustion was developed using a four-cylinder light vehicle diesel engine. Operating conditions considered were 1600 rpm, 1bar and 3bar IMEP. Both EGR and split injection strategy were optimized in order to obtain the lowest BSFC accompanied with a low level of emissions. It was found that a late injection strategy with high levels of EGR rate was required for simultaneous reduction of NOx and soot. However, the fuel consumption remains higher than the conventional combustion regime. Thus, the optimization study of injection parameters to improve the trade-off between NOx and soot emissions while maintaining good fuel efficiency was performed. Several injection pressures were tested. The results showed that as injection pressure increased, NOx emissions increased slightly, soot initially decreased sharply, but further increase of injection pressure on soot was not obvious at low temperature atmosphere, and might lead to increased BSFC. Next, split injection strategy was adopted, optimized pilot injection conditions for minimizing fuel consumption were found at late pilot injection timing with big injection quantity, but little amount of pilot injection could make better comprehensive performance of diesel engine. Through multi-parameter collaborative optimization, the emission reduction path was proposed at operating condition of partial load. Low NOx and soot emissions could be obtained with slightly increase of fuel consumption.

Urea-SCR system optimization with various combinations of mixer types and decomposition pipe lengths

Abstract: The demand for NOx after-treatment system has increased dramatically due to the stricter NOx emission regulations for diesel vehicles. The urea-SCR system is one of the NOx after-treatment methods found to be quite effective to meet the regulation requirement enforced by various authorities including the Euro-6. In order to develop an effective urea-SCR system, it is critical to establish an even distribution of reductant over the catalyst surface since this favorable distribution can increase reduction reaction and in turn, improve NOx conversion efficiencies. In the current study, a number of design variations of the urea-SCR system which included two mixer types and three decomposition pipe lengths, were evaluated systematically using CFD analysis and experimental measurements. The purpose of the CFD analysis was to estimate the distribution of reductant within the urea-SCR system with a specific configuration and the purpose of the engine emission test was to measure the amount of NOx reduction, respectively. The results from the systematic analysis revealed the relation between the reductant distribution over the SCR and the performance of the NOx reduction.