Diesel Emissions and

Exhaust After-Treatment for

Modern Diesel Technology

National Biodiesel Board Technician Outreach Program

Rachel Burton & David Stehouwer 2009
 Today’s Topics

 Changes in diesel engine emissions regulations

 Basics of diesel engine emissions
 Changes in hardware required by emissions
regulations
 Interactions of fuels and fuel systems
 Methods of exhaust aftertreatment
 Exhaust aftertreatment & biodiesel

 Resources
US On Highway Emissions Standards
14.4
16
14 8.05
12 6.7 6.7
NOx, g/kW-Hr

10
5.4
8
3.3
6 1988
4
1990
1.5 1991
2 0.27 1994
Pa 0.0130 1998
rti 0.134 2000
cu 0.33 2002
la
te 2007
,g 0.80
/k 2010
W
-H
r
 Emission Reduction in Diesel Engines

Fuel system Better understanding

technology of combustion
EGR technology
Rate control
High pressure Others
Combustion
Multi-injection
technology Control
technology

PM trap
Aftertreatment
Fuel technology
technology
DOC
Alternate Fuels De-NOx
Low sulfur (Biodiesel)
 Summary of Requirements for
High Pressure Common Rail Fuel System
 Injection performance Increased injection pressure

 Higher injection pressure 1600-2000+ bar NOX

Pressure at needle seat

 Multiple injection
• NOx, PM control Noise
Aftertreatment
• Noise control
• Aftertreatment dosing, trap regen
 Injection Rate Control
Soot
 Soft SOI  Better BSFC/NOx tradeoff

Needle lift
 Sharp EOI  　 Better PM/smoke control
 Precise injection control – minimum variation
 Minimum emission variation
 Tamper resistant
 Stable over useful life (>8000 hours)

Time
Summary of Requirements for
High Pressure Common Rail Fuel System (cont’d)
 Injection performance
8
 Higher injection pressure
1600-2000+ bar 6
 Significant increases in fuel
economy 4
• At equivalent emissions
2

200 bar
Fuel Economy Improvement (%)

Increasing Injection Pressure

Time
 Fuel properties effects on Common Rail FIE
Specified Fuel properties: chemical, contamination, physical

Density Aromatics Flash Pt Viscosity

Cetane # Sulfur
& Volatility • Fire Hazard • Leakage control
• Startability • Pressure • Corrosion
• Accurate SOI control • Elastomeric • Acid oxidation • Spill • Pressure control
compatibility Hazard
• Controlled HR • Quantity • Catalyst poisoning • Durability/Fatigue
control • Cavitation • Spark
damage • Smoke & Particulates Hazard • Filter plugging

Hard Particle and ash Water Oxidation Fatty Acid

Lubricity
contamination contamination Stability • Wear Methyl Esters
• Abrasive Wear • Rough running • Gumming, sticking • Gumming, sticking
(misfire) • Scuffing
• Deposits • Deposits
• Filter plugging • Corrosion • Seizure
• Filter plugging • Filter plugging
OTC and Refiner Additives • Wear
• Corrosion & Wear • Corrosion / Wear
• Anticorrosion
• Cetane improvers Refining process Distribution and storage process
contaminants contaminants
• Cold flow improvers • Catalysts • tank bottoms * pumps, pipes
• Lubricity improvers • Desulfurization agents • microbial * corrosion
• Conductivity improvers • Cross contamination • algae *varnish/sludge
Biodiesel Specifications Minimize Concerns

 Oxidation Stability
 Gumming and sticking
 Fuel system deposits
 Corrosion and wear
 Total and Free Glycerin
 Corrosion & Wear
 Filter plugging
 Water Content
 Shortened injector life
 Water in Fuel is a Problem
All non-dissolved water can cause
Effect of Water on Injector Life
problems:
 Serves as growth medium for
300
organisms that plug filters
250
 Concentrates acids and ionic species
200
that cause corrosion and deposits
150
 Freezes at cold temperatures and (%)
100
reduces fuel flow
50
 Reacts with some additives to form Injector Life
0 25 100 200 400 500 750 1000500010000
precipitates and deposits
 Plugs injector nozzles at extreme

conditions Amount of Water in Fuel

 Reduces fuel lubricity when in
(ppm)
emulsified form
 Fuel-Water Removal More Difficult in Future
 ULSD additive package lowers 120
original or
interfacial tension making clay treated
100 fuel
removal more difficult additized

 Biodiesels have lower interfacial 80

tension and hold more water,
more
again adversely impacting 60 additized

removal ULSD
40
 FWS more challenging as
time weighted efficiency, %
biodiesel percentage in blends 20
Biodiesel
B20 50
increase
 Solvency of biodiesel blends 0

makes coated cellulose media 0 10 20 30

interfacial surface tension, dynes/cm
40

option less effective

Exhaust Aftertreatment for Emissions Control

 Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF)

 Non-Catalyzed Traps
 Catalyzed DPF
 NOx Adsorber Technology
 Solvent Catalyzed Reduction (SCR)
Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Maintenance

 Carbon particulates are burned off with on-board

regeneration
 Ash remains in the DPF and must be removed
periodically
 This requires removal from vehicle
Catalyzed Diesel Particulate Filter (CDPFs)
Exhaust Gas

Platinum Catalyst Soot Filter

Converts NO22 Oxidizes Soot in Filter

NO  2NO22 2NO22 + C  CO22 + 2NO
 Uses chemicals in exhaust to continuously
burn carbon in Soot Filter
 Must still be removed to clean ash
NOx Adsorber Technology
Diesel
Injector DOC LNA
Filter NOx Sensor

DOC
Diesel Valves
Oxidation Bypass
Catalyst Reference: Volvo
 Filter removes particles
 LNA absorbs NOx on lean operation
 Controls switch to rich operation to NOx to harmless Nitrogen
 Filter regeneration and LNA regeneration are separate
 Complex; costly; & fuel economy loss
Selective-Catalysts Reduction (SCR)
Air Induction Aqueous
NO EGR Urea
Air to Air Cooler
Solution
Pump and Tank
Injector
1

Turbo-Charge
Atomized
2

Urea
C

Solution
3

T
4
5
6

Catalyzed SCR Catalyst Ammonia

Particulate Slip
Engine Filter Reference: DDC Catalyst
Selective-Catalysts Reduction (SCR)

 Uses aqueous Urea instead of fuel to convert NOx

to Nitrogen
 Requires extra tank etc.
 Must add Urea distribution system to supply chain
 Reduced EGR or no EGR
 Fuel economy gains compared to NOx Adsorber
 Proven durability for European applications
 Favored by some for large truck and stationary
applications
How Does Biodiesel Effect
Emissions & Aftertreatment ?
 Fuel System
 Concern over deposits and corrosion
 Addressed by ASTM specifications
 Engine Emissions
 Lower HC and Particulate
 NOx emissions depend on duty cycle
 Aftertreatment hardware / durability
 Easier DPF regeneration
 Studies at NREL / ORNL show no adverse effects
on hardware durability
What Will Be in the Marketplace?
 All of the above!
 Particulate Traps (or Soot Filters) were
across the board in 2007
 NOx Adsorbers are on some pick-up truck
applications
 SCR is favored for many HD truck and
stationary applications