ATZ Live 2019 Heavy duty on-and-off highway engines: Co2 limits.
How is the Dolphin N2 recuperated split-cycle engine able to reduce emissions to “near zero”?
The haulage & transportation sector is one key area of industry which is under considerable scrutiny with regards to necessary emissions, NoX & Co2 reductions. With an ever increasing need to reduce to net zero by 2050 (in some countries the targets are now 2030) the heavy-duty haulage sector still has some way to go to consolidate it’s ideas on how best to come in line with regulatory changes.
We are all aware of the successes of the electrification, hybrid & hydrogen movement when it comes to domestic automobiles & the impact these vehicles are already having on the air pollution levels in our cities. However, the human race still need haulage & heavy duty trucks to deliver the necessities it requires to live, to eat function in an ever growing society. The challenge here is twofold to update and upgrade poorly performing diesels in the short term and to decarbonise the fuel. Both of these options require some time to implement.
With electric drive train technology being still a relatively new concept for the medium & heavy haulage sector, there are some alternatives which have already been proven to reduce emissions & allow the haulage sector to still function within traditional parameters.
Therefore, some innovators are already making challenging changes to the haulage & heavy duty sector & are still maintaining the performance required for the heavy duty haulage vehicle sector. IVECO have already successfully rolled out their Eurocargo CNG trucks over the past few years. ‘In terms of emissions, natural gas is a “clean” fuel thanks to 10% less CO2, 35% less NOx emissions than their diesel equivalent and 95% less particulate matter.’ (1) However, there are those who are still sceptical of the use of natural gas, with it still being deemed a fossil fuel by some industry observers.
The advanced technology contributes to an improvement in the quality of air and life with reduced emissions and a significant reduction in noise. As the most environmentally friendly fuel for internal combustion engines, natural gas and biogas significantly reduce CO2 emissions – by up to 95% when bio-methane is used. (2)
Despite the advances in natural & biogas technologies being tried & tested; the Dolphin N2 recuperated split-cycle engine takes the technology one step further. Utilising CryoPower technologies the ‘technology separates the cold parts (induction, compression) and hot parts (combustion, expansion) of the cycle and recovers waste exhaust heat between them via a recuperator’ (3)
In a recent blog for Ricardo Plc, Benjamin West – Programme & Operations Manager for Dolphin N2 explored how the recuperated split-cycle engine technology is a game changer in the haulage & heavy duty commercial vehicle sector.
“In single-cylinder engine applications, the technology has demonstrated controllable cool combustion with NOx emissions that can be after-treated to SULEV or below, and potential for “near zero” and, in a simulation of a 40-tonne truck, negative emissions are possible via tail-pipe levels below ambient.” (3)
Benjamin West – Programme & Operations Manager for Dolphin N2 attended & presented at ATZ Live in Frankfurt last week. The topic for this year’s event was ‘Heavy-Duty, On- and Off-highway Engines 2019: Co2 Limits.’
“There were presentations on a wide range of subjects at this year’s ATZ live. The industry is in a state of flux as manufactures determine which of the future technologies can really deliver the emissions reduction required to meet the targets in 2030 and 2050. Rolls Royce MTU presented Hybrid and battery technology for Power, Rail and Marine propulsion and we were treated to a tour of their Microgrid system that uses solar power and battery storage to supply some of the factory power.
The keynote speech from Dr Heinz Jurgen Buchner IKB Deutche Industrie bank set the focus on alternative fuels and this was revisited by a number of presenters. The fuels themselves were not new- DME , OME , Natural gas, Hydrogen and Ammonia have all been used in the past, but there was a more detailed view of the ‘Well to wheel’ energy balance and a consideration of the utility of the fuel and the infrastructure requirements.
The recuperated split cycle was well received as possibly the only future technology that can offer a step emissions reduction in the timescale required for the 2030 targets. The versatility of the split cycle was also seen as a benefit at it could be adapted to use any of the future fuels with a simple calibration change.
There were also a number of interesting presentations on optimising the current Eu6 Technology through active system monitoring and friction reduction through optimised Liner honing. These technologies offered good short term options to improve engine efficiency.”
Written by Katy-Jane Mason for & on behalf of Dolphin N2.
Contributions from Benjamin West – Programme & Operations Manager, Dolphin N2.
- https://www.iveco.com/en-us/press-room/kit/Pages/New-Eurocargo-Natural-Power.aspx
- https://www.iveco.com/uk/products/pages/iveco-gas-powered-truck.aspx
- https://comveh.ricardo.com/news-and-blogs/the-recuperated-split-cycle-engine-as-a-sustainable-heavy-duty-solution
