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ORNL High Temperature Materials Laboratory Aids Diesel Parts Manufacturers
7 December 2006
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) High Temperature Materials Laboratory (HTML) are helping diesel engine and parts manufacturers develop technologies to meet the new emissions regulations going into effect in 2007.
Laboratory researchers are helping companies characterize materials and test components as part of the industry’s preparation for the new emissions mandates. The requirements will result in a 90% reduction in oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter released by diesel vehicles.
Manufacturers use the center’s instruments to analyze products for durability, resistance to heat and stress, thermal conductivity, mechanical behavior and other properties.
For example, diesel engine-maker Cummins used HTML’s x-ray diffraction, raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy capabilities to better understand the properties of materials used in exhaust after-treatment systems.
In addition to studying how catalysts can be adversely affected by sulfur and other gaseous exhaust components, Cummins and HTML worked together to characterize the fatigue life of cordierite diesel soot filters.
In another project for Industrial Ceramic Solutions, based in Knoxville, Tenn., HTML used its scanning electron microscope to analyze material the start-up company was using to make ceramic-fiber diesel particulate exhaust filters. The original material did not function as well as competing products and had a tendency to crack. The tests connected the trouble to the fabrication process, and the company made changes that improved product performance.
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December 7, 2006 in Diesel, Emissions | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
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Posted by: allen_Z | December 07, 2006 at 05:47 PM
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How long until durable virtually frictionless coatings make their way to diesel engines? Ceramics and other materials could also make diesel engines lighter, thus improving vehicle fuel efficiency and max cargo payload ratings. If we find a very effective way to deal with pump losses, an Atkinson diesel would be very attractive. All this would require high temp precision parts.