Characterization of exhaust emissions from catalyzed trap-equipped non-road heavy-duty diesel engines

Abstract

Characterization of Exhaust Emissions from Trap-Equipped Non-Road Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines Vinay Nagendran An emissions and engine performance study was conducted to explore the effects of ultra low sulfur fuels on an off-road, heavy-duty engine retrofitted with catalyzed traps. The study was conducted, on an 8 cylinder, mechanically controlled Caterpillar 3408, rear engine of a Scraper. An in-field transient duty cycle was determined by logging the engine speed and torque using an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) communication adapter on the Scraper. The test fuels included California Air Resources Board (CARB) off-road diesel fuel, Fischer-Tropsch and Emission Control Diesel-1 (ECD1) diesel fuels. The engine was retrofit with two different types of diesel particulate filters (DPF) (Johnson-Matthey CRT and Engelhard DPX). The in-field cycle was recreated in the West Virginia University engine laboratory for engine dynamometer studies. The Caterpillar 3408 was mounted on a heavy-duty direct current dynamometer and the engine was exercised through the 25-minute transient scraper cycle that was representative of in-field operation. The engine was run on both the ISO 8178 8-mode cycle and the transient cycles for different configurations of fuels and DPFs. There was a remarkable reduction in particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) in all the combinations of fuel with filters tested under transient loading. Brake specific PM emissions were as low as 0.01 g/bhp-hr on both the filters with the ECD1 and Fischer-Tropsch diesel, compared to 0.34 g/bhp-hr for the baseline configuration with ECD1 diesel. This amounted to a 98% reduction of PM emissions for the low-sulfur fuels-DPF configurations. Brake specific hydrocarbon emissions for both ECD1-CRT and Fischer-Tropsch-CRT configurations were 0.02 g/bhp-hr, and the emissions for ECD1-DPX configuration were 0.06 g/bhp-hr. Brake specific CO emissions were reduced by 96% to a value of 0.07 g/bhp-hr with the ECD1-CRT setup. These emission levels comply with the California emission standards for 2001. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This is the one of those rare moments in life when you see the end and beginning at the same time, in that order. At the end of my graduate program there is an immense sense of gratitude towards many people who have helped me along the way. None more important than Dr. Gautam. You are better than the best. Thanks for believing in me. You have been a good friend, and a patient advisor all along. If there is one thing I've learned from you, that is to get the job done with whatever it takes. I'll always remember that. I wish to thank you and your family for showering me with all the love and support. The guys at ERC deserve all the thanks that I can offer. I have learned something new everyday I have spent there. Dan Carder, you have been wonderful to work with. I have always had my problems solved when I have asked you and always had a good laugh at the end of it. I also wish to thank Wes, Richard, Tom, Andy, Aaron, Ares, Glen, Dave, a...