John E. Orban

Effects of Mid-Level Ethanol Blends on Conventional Vehicle Emissions

Tests were conducted during 2008 on 16 late-model, conventional vehicles (1999 through 2007) to determine short-term effects of mid-level ethanol blends on performance and emissions. Vehicle odometer readings ranged from 10,000 to 100,000 miles, and all vehicles conformed to federal emissions requirements for their federal certification level. The LA92 drive cycle, also known as the Unified Cycle, was used for testing as it was considered to more accurately represent real-world acceleration rates and speeds than the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) used for emissions certification testing. Test fuels were splash-blends of up to 20 volume percent ethanol with federal certification gasoline. Both regulated and unregulated air-toxic emissions were measured. For the aggregate 16-vehicle fleet, increasing ethanol content resulted in reductions in average composite emissions of both NMHC and CO and increases in average emissions of ethanol and aldehydes. Changes in average composite emissions of NMOG and NOX were not statistically significant. By segregating the vehicle fleet according to power-enrichment fueling strategy, a better understanding of ethanol fuel-effect on emissions was realized. Vehicles found to apply longterm fuel trim (LTFT) to power-enrichment fueling showed no statistically significant fuel effect on NMOG, NMHC, CO or NOX. For vehicles found to not apply LTFT to power-enrichment, statistically significant reductions in NMHC and CO were observed, as was a statistically significant increase in NOX emissions. Effects of ethanol on NMOG and NMHC emissions were found to also be influenced by power-to-weight ratio, while the effects on NOX emissions were found to be influenced by engine displacement.

Effects of Intermediate Ethanol Blends on Legacy Vehicles and Small Non-Road Engines, Report 1 - Updated

Intended for policymakers and others who make decisions about, and set guidelines for, the proper use of intermediate ethanol blends such as E20 in both vehicle engines and other engine types.

Development of a Desulfurization Strategy for a NOx Adsorber Catalyst System

Improve NOx regeneration calibration developed in DECSE Phase I project to understand full potential of NOx adsorber catalyst over a range of operating temperatures. Develop and demonstrate a desulfurization process to restore NOx conversion efficiency lost to sulfur contamination. Investigate effect of desulfurization process on long-term performance of the NOx adsorber catalyst.

Fuel Sulfur Effects on a Medium-Duty Diesel Pick-Up with a NOx Adsorber, Diesel Particle Filter Emissions Control System: 2000-Hour Aging Results

Discusses the emission results of a nitrogen oxide adsorber catalyst and a diesel particle filter in a medium-duty, diesel pick-up truck.

Tier 2 Useful Life (120,000 miles) Exhaust Emission Results for a NOx Adsorber and Diesel Particle Filter Equipped Light-Duty Diesel Vehicle

Investigates the emission control system performance and system desulfurization effects on regulated and unregulated emissions in a light-duty diesel engine.

Performance of a NOx Adsorber Catalyst/Diesel Particle Filter System for a Heavy-Duty Engine During a 2000-Hour Endurance Test

In this study, a 15-L heavy-duty diesel engine and an emission control system consisting of diesel oxidation catalysts, NO x adsorber catalysts, and diesel particle filters were evaluated over the course of a 2000 hour aging study. The work is a follow-on to a previously documented development effort to establish system regeneration and sulfur management strategies. The study is one of five projects being conducted as part of the U.S. Department of Energys Advanced Petroleum Based Fuels - Diesel Emission Control (APBF-DEC) activity. The primary objective of the study was to determine if the significant NO x and PM reduction efficiency (>90%) demonstrated in the development work could be maintained over time with a 15-ppm sulfur diesel fuel. The study showed that high NO x reduction efficiency can be restored after 2000 hours of operation and 23 desulfation cycles. Post-desulfation NO x emissions were 0.24 g/bhp hr (90% reduction) over the Federal Test Procedure and 0.17 g/bhp hr (93% reduction) in a steady-state test. However, pre-desulfation results indicate that average NO x emissions were higher over the course of the study (≈0.6 g/bhp hr). These results were achieved with a cycle average fuel economy penalty of 4.8%. PM results were confounded by repeated failures of the DPF hardware.