SwRI Program Evaluates Select 2007 Model Year Diesel Engines
December 4, 2006 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Benchmarking program will evaluate seven new diesel engines.
The evaluations will focus particularly on the engine performance and fuel consumption associated with new exhaust emissions control technology.
Manufacturers developed new control technology, which uses the ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel now available nationwide, to meet 2007 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions regulations.
As part of the program, SwRI will benchmark three light heavy-duty diesel engines from pickup trucks including the Cummins ISB used by Dodge, the Isuzu Duramax used in Chevrolet and GMC models, and the International PowerStrokeR V8 use by Ford.
Four heavy heavy-duty diesel engines are being evaluated as well: the Caterpillar C15, Cummins ISX, Volvo D13 and DDC Series 60.
According to SwRI, additional engines of interest may be added at a later date. The program already includes data from 10 previously benchmarked heavy-duty diesel engines.
"Diesel engine manufacturers are responding to the new EPA regulations by incorporating new exhaust after-treatment systems compatible with ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel," said Mike Ross, a program manager in the Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division.
"These engines are expected to be quite different from their predecessors that met 2004 EPA regulations. It will be interesting to see how each OEM [original engine manufacturer] has addressed the fuel economy issue.
"We are looking at these engines because they represent a new level of emissions control technology. Currently, engine manufacturers individually perform competitive engine benchmarking," Ross said.
"SwRI's program offers a cost-effective method for obtaining reliable data by pooling resources. SwRI also manages the Clean Diesel IV Consortium, which focuses on developing new diesel technologies," he said.
The data sets for these engines will include:
- A 200-point steady-state performance, heat rejection and gaseous emissions map.
- Twenty-two speed/load points with combustion and particulate data.
- European Stationary Cycle (ESC) and U.S. Federal Test Procedure (FTP) transient testing.
- Constant-speed step load transient response tests.
- Engine teardown.
- Cylinder head flowbench evaluations.
Subscribers may contract with the SwRI on an individual basis to expand the scope of the program for additional measurements and evaluations.
Source: Southwest Research Institute (SwRI).