Taking Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) to the Next Level

Webinar Explores Innovations in Fuels, Engines, and Emissions Control Systems

Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Six industry experts share insights about the innovations occurring in advanced internal combustion engines and fuels in an Engine Technology Forum (ETF) webinar available on YouTube.

Continuing advancements in internal combustion engines, emissions controls and fuels is the focus of the recently recorded webinar. The panelists discuss how these innovations further improve efficiency, and lower emissions, for both on and off-road applications.

In the moderator’s opening remarks, ETF’s Allen Schaeffer discusses how complex the energy and climate challenges facing society are, and how there isn’t a singular solution.

Schaeffer says, “Our sustainable reduced-carbon future depends on a world where zero emission, as well as Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) technologies and fuels, compete and co-exist. Just like today.”

Steve Howell, founding partner of Marc-IV (M4) consulting and Chair of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) biodiesel task force highlights the importance of near-term carbon reduction through use of biomass-based diesel fuels, the current and projected future state of biomass-based diesel consumption in the US, and work underway to ensure that these fuels meet future emissions standards. While presently producing over 4 billion gallons of renewable diesel (representing just over 10% of the distillate demand in the US), biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel, the industry is investing heavily in expanding feedstocks to achieve industry long term goals of exceeding 6 billion gallons by 2030 and 15 billion gallons by 2050. Feedstock capacity can support an additional 1.8 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel production through 2025. Howell discusses research at Southwest Research Institute which highlights that renewable fuels are suitable for use in helping to achieve 2027 EPA and CARB emissions standards in a heavy-duty engine.

Mary Dery, Ph.D Performance Additives Technical Director with Innospec, outlines the impact and importance of fuel detergents on petroleum-fueled vehicles and equipment. Research demonstrates that the use of these compounds reduces emissions and improves performance in engines used in both on and off-road applications. Extended times for soot loading and regeneration of particulate control systems and improvements in fuel consumption were noted with the use of detergents which clean injectors, enabling engines to perform as designed. The importance of fuel detergents was not limited to petroleum fuels. Enhanced performance was also studied and proven when used in conjunction with renewable diesel fuels such as R100.

Ivan Tate, Technical Center Director at FPT Industrial reviews the innovations in heavy duty engine technology designed to meet increasingly stringent emissions standards and fuel efficiency requirements. He highlights examples of how sustainability, modularity and flexibility strategies have driven new engine design and performance. Tate also reviews examples of progressive innovations and impacts on performance, fuel consumption, weight, and braking power of a new engine platform for both natural gas and diesel. These include lightweighting of engine components through the use of compacted graphite, the reduction of friction through new materials, improvements in the valve train system, the use of smarter auxiliaries and advanced combustion control and thermal management. Taken together these innovations have resulted in performance gains of 2-9% in power; 10-12% torque improvement, 5 to 7% lower fuel consumption, 10% weight reduction and 29 to over 300% improvement in braking power. Year 2 results of a 3-year project in partnership with Eaton, Tenneco, and Oak Ridge National Labs, to demonstrate reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides are also reviewed.

Srinu Gunturu, Chief Engineer at Stanadyne discusses innovations in injection systems to take internal combustion engines to the next level with a focus on new direct-injected propane engines. Propane has a number of features including lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline or diesel and near-zero particulate emissions that make it an increasingly attractive fuel and engine technology option to compete in the reduced carbon future. Stanadyne has successfully demonstrated the feasibility, durability, and performance of a propane direct injection system. This has been accomplished by a multi-stage hardware/software vapor lock inhibiting system.

Louise Arnold, Product Line Manager for Johson Matthey outlines how JM was catalyzing the transition to net zero through work on lowering transport emissions, transitioning chemicals production and energy systems. JM’s work builds on the success of their history on emissions control systems where 1 in 3 new cars contain a JM catalytic converter that has helped prevent the emissions of 20 million tonnes of pollutants each year. JM’s work on catalysts will enable manufacturers to meet increasingly stringent emissions standards for gasoline, diesel, CNG and hybrid applications through a variety of new configurations of emissions controls, use of new formulations of materials and improved mixing techniques in the exhaust. In this webinar she highlights a next generation three-way catalyst that achieves faster light-off and emissions performance while also achieving a 39% reduction in the use of platinum group materials (PGM). Considerable innovation is also taking place in transforming energy systems including the production of clean hydrogen as well as catalysts to produce sustainable fuels and new stationary emissions control options and to store and transport renewable energy.

Nick Morley, Engineering Director, Controls & Advanced Technology outlines Tenneco’s efforts to take internal combustion engines to the next level, making them cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable. He reviews three technology packages to help achieve new emissions and efficiency requirements including the use of a fuel burner, electric heater and a dual dosing and advanced mixing system. Achieving emissions control at low loads and temperatures is a key aspect and challenge for meeting future requirements. Fuel burners are an option that aggressively heats up the aftertreatment to maximize efficiency, enabling the engine to transition to fuel economy mode sooner. Electric heaters are another option especially attractive for vehicles with 48-volt battery systems and have simple integration and minimal fuel economy impacts. Dual dosing SCR systems bring the SCR closer to the engine to take advantage of the available heat, using a known technology with flexibility in packaging and potential for passive regeneration.

Resources:

Watch the webinar on YouTube

View the slides

###

 About the Engine Technology Forum

Founded on the principles of fact-based education, science, outreach and collaboration, the Engine Technology Forum is dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of the benefits of advanced internal combustion engines and the fuels that they use and how these contribute to a sustainable future. Please join us. We also invite you to connect with us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Sign up for our digital newsletter, too.

CONTACT: Jessica Puchala
Engine Technology Forum
(202) 480-6441
jpuchala@enginetechforum.org