Hello -
While reading this thread :
News: Only 6% of Americans think diesel will succeed as powertrain option
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php?t=854
I started googling around for research on Diesel NOx solutions, and I found this paper :
Kettering University researchers visualize environmentally friendly combustion engines
http://www.ensight.com/images/storie.../kettering.pdf
Quote:
"EGR is usually used to dilute the inlet charge, which consists of air, by redirecting part of the exhaust into the inlet manifold of the engine," says Bassem Ramadan, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Kettering.
The redirected exhaust gases contain less oxygen because they've already filtered through the engine. The oxygen that does remain is used to burn fuel, with little left over to contribute to contaminants. EGR dilution has also been suggested as a means to improve low part-load efficiency of engines. Part load, also referred to as part throttle, is when the engine doesn't produce maximum power because the throttle is not fully open. The dilution method introduces large amounts of EGR into the cylinder, reducing the need to throttle the intake system at part load and improving efficiency.
If researchers could further optimize the efficiency of the air-fuel ratio in an EGR engine, more than the environment would reap rewards. Consumers would benefit from fuel economy savings similar to that achieved with diesel engines - up to 30 percent over normal car engines.
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Now, here's my question. Can we simulate this process in our cars? As Ecomodders, are we already doing this to some degree without knowing it?!?!?!?
These were the articles that led me to the PDF :
Cleaning up diesel emissions - Oct. 28, 2005
http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/st...p?storynum=351
The greening of diesel - Aug. 03, 2007
http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/st...p?storynum=595
CarloSW2