Jacobs and Tula to cooperate on CDA valve actuation with Dynamic Skip Fire control
16 September 2021
Jacobs Vehicle Systems and Tula Technology have signed a cooperation agreement to accelerate the development of Jacobs Cylinder Deactivation (CDA) valve actuation technology in conjunction with Tula’s Dynamic Skip Fire (DSF) control algorithms (earlier post).
Cylinder Deactivation leverages Jacobs’ well-established componentry to disable engine valves in selected cylinders allowing a large engine to have the fuel economy of a smaller engine. Also, higher exhaust temperatures in operating cylinders maintain aftertreatment temperatures at low load conditions and start-up.
The agreement builds on two years of research and development collaboration between the two companies to reduce NOx and CO2 emissions from medium and heavy-duty vehicles, helping to meet ever-tightening environmental regulations.
Independent laboratory testing has demonstrated that Jacobs CDA hardware and Tula’s diesel DSF (dDSF) achieve greater emission reductions when combined. Low-load cycle performance was estimated with a well-calibrated powertrain simulation tool to accurately capture the low-load system operation and emissions. This system showed as much as a 5% decrease in CO2 and a 74% reduction in NOx emissions compared to the baseline technology.
While CDA and dDSF are available to commercial powertrain manufacturers as separate systems, our experience indicates that integrating the two technologies delivers much greater benefit to today’s medium- and heavy-duty engines. We have been working with Tula for several years, and this formal agreement solidifies our relationship as we demonstrate the benefits of using CDA and dDSF in tandem.
Our efforts will provide the marketplace with sought-after solutions to meet increasingly challenging emissions standards. The synergies created through multiple development projects will offer customers the best possible outcomes for reducing NOx and CO2 simultaneously.
—Steve Ernest, vice president of engineering and business development at Jacobs Vehicle Systems
The agreement will allow technical development to expand the operating range at which emissions reductions can be achieved when the two technologies are combined. Jacobs and Tula also will explore opportunities for reduced NOx and CO2 emissions in off-road vehicles and equip a Class 8 demonstrator truck with both Jacobs’ CDA and Tula’s diesel DSF technologies for customers to experience firsthand.
Silicon Valley-based Tula Technology provides software controls to optimize propulsion efficiency and emissions across the mobility spectrum, including gasoline-powered, diesel, alternative fuel, hybrid, and electric vehicles. Tula has a robust global patent portfolio of more than 378 patents issued and pending. Tula Technology is a privately held company backed by Sequoia Capital, Sigma Partners, Khosla Ventures, GM Ventures, BorgWarner and Franklin Templeton.
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