TROY, Mich., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- As diesel engines become predominant
in Europe and begin to gain increased consideration in the United States,
Delphi Corp. (NYSE: DPH) is helping automakers answer a tough question: How
can the industry meet stricter emission standards without compromising cost,
fuel efficiency and engine performance?
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Delphi's leading powertrain executive will provide an answer today at the
2005 SAE World Congress in Detroit: Create an innovative, on-board diesel
fuel reformer that uses air to convert diesel fuel into a hydrogen-rich
reformate during a catalytic partial-oxidation process.
With this advanced design, Delphi's reformer can help reduce cost and
performance trade-offs while being robust enough to help meet future Euro VI
and U.S. Tier II-Bin 5 standards.
Dr. Jean (John) Botti, business line executive for Delphi's powertrain
systems, will discuss the fuel reformer during a panel entitled, "Hybrids vs.
Diesel vs. Modified Gasoline, the Near Term - Is It Time for a Reality Check?"
at the SAE conference today.
"We all agree that diesel has enormous potential worldwide," Botti said.
"Of all the current fuel and propulsion alternatives, diesel holds the best
near-term promise. However, it is imperative to develop a cost-effective
emission solution that helps maintain the diesel engine as a leader in fuel
economy and performance."
"Delphi's diesel fuel reformer is a unique approach to help meet future
emission standards," Botti added. "We believe that, in time, our approach
will provide our customers with an economical, realistic solution to help
reduce vehicle emissions. It will help them increase diesel market share in
Europe and in the U.S."
Diesel Fuel Reformer Operation and Benefits
Future diesel emission challenges are becoming increasingly complex, with
the stringent NOx and particulate matter (PM) standards. Since diesel engines
run lean, reducing NOx requires a reductant. One known reducing agent is
ammonia generated from urea, which is used with a Selective Reduction Catalyst
(SCR) and requires an appropriate dispensing infrastructure. An alternative
approach is the use of a NOx adsorber or NOx trap that frequently needs to be
regenerated.
Delphi's approach utilizes an on-board fuel reformer that converts diesel
fuel into hydrogen-rich reformate using air in a catalytic partial oxidation
process. The reformate, rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is used to
regenerate and desulfate NOx adsorbers. This process is far superior in many
respects than using the diesel fuel as a reductant. Reformate also is used
for diesel particulate filter regeneration. Delphi's diesel fuel reformer
provides flexibility to place a preferred reductant and heat where and when it
is needed, regardless of exhaust system architecture.
The reformer system produces reformate on-demand and injects it directly
into the exhaust system without requiring the engine to operate at a rich A/F
ratio. Thermal management of exhaust components can also be achieved using
reformate when injected into exhaust catalysts under lean conditions.
The diesel fuel reformer is an enabler for future stringent emission
standards. Reformate-assisted NOx adsorber regeneration has been shown to be
especially effective at exhaust temperatures below 250 degrees Celsius, where
the use of diesel fuel as a reductant faces serious challenges.
The fuel reformer has the potential to reduce cost due to the reduction of
the catalyst volume and PGM loading of a NOx adsorber and particulate trap.
In addition, the ability for reformate to improve the low temperature
performance of the NOx adsorber, and the ability to provide heat, helps reduce
the need for costly energy-conserving exhaust system components and engine
generated heating strategies.
Delphi's objective is to provide solutions that would require no
additional on-board fluids, such as urea. Preliminary results obtained by
Delphi on a mule truck indicate that the reformer can indeed enable meeting
Tier2 Bin5 standards using a NOx adsorber.
"This will be a definitive advantage," Botti added. "We do not need any
additional inventions; we just need to put our emerging technology into
practice."
Delphi engineers believe this technology will help high displacement
diesel powertrains compete in the US market with gasoline hybrids since it
will provide high fuel economy and extremely-favorable emission benefits. The
technology, currently under development, is targeted to be available in the
marketplace when 100 percent compliance to Tier2 Bin5 fleet average begins in
2009.
For more information about Delphi, visit http://www.delphi.com/media .
SOURCE Delphi Corporation
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CONTACT:
Sara Brogan of Delphi Corporation,
+1-248-813-2485, or sara.e.brogan@delphi.com
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