Diesel particulate filters

Driving and riding in Hua Hin and Thailand, all topics on cars, pickups, bikes, boats, licenses, roads, and motoring in general.
User avatar
Nereus
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10869
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:01 pm
Location: Hua Hin and Bangkok

Re: Diesel particulate filters

Post by Nereus »

STEVE G wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 6:22 pm
Nereus wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 4:09 pm Hmm, cannot agree with that, Steve. The diesel combustion process produces the particles, regardless of the operating temperature of either the engine or the ambient air. The problem is the filter will not re-generate until the exhaust gas reaches around 600 degrees C.
With a cold engine and cold ambient air, fuel atomization is incomplete which produces more soot particles, I think it's something like a magnitude of two or three times from warmer conditions, there is plenty of research available on this, I'd send you a link if I wasn't posting from a small screen!
The FUEL temperature will affect the atomisation, because both the viscosity and surface tension will decrease with an increase in temperature.
Cold ambient air increases the combustion efficiently because it is more dense, hence the use of intercoolers to reduce the temperature. On big marine diesels there is usually some form of fuel heater, and not only when using heavy bunker oil. On small high speed automotive engines I doubt it will make any appreciable difference. Especially with the fuel pressures found in modern common rail injection systems and the electronically controlled injectors.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
User avatar
STEVE G
Hero
Hero
Posts: 12798
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:50 am
Location: HUA HIN/EUROPE

Re: Diesel particulate filters

Post by STEVE G »

Yes, they use fuel heaters on aircraft for the same reason because the fuel can be coming out the wing at about -40C in cruise but when I get in my vehicle at the airport in about half an hour, everything is going to be at about 2C, the engine, fuel and air temperature!
Google something like "reducing diesel cold start particle emissions" and you'll find research papers on the subject that explain the process.
User avatar
J.J.B.
Guru
Guru
Posts: 974
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:03 pm

Re: Diesel particulate filters

Post by J.J.B. »

Nereus wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 3:56 pm
J.J.B. wrote:Our Discovery has an AdBlue tank but I’ve no idea where you get the stuff from. According to the manual, it needs topping-up at such lengthy intervals that it is done at service time so perhaps I can safely ignore it.
The following is a discussion on the Australian LRO website, J.J.B.:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l462-discove ... lling.html
Thanks Nereus, I took a look but it seems they are discussing a different system on the D5.We have one if the last (and best!) D4 Landmark models and the AdBlue filler is located next to the diesel one. Hopefully I won’t need to do anything with it.
"A man who does not think for himself, does not think at all."
Wilde
Post Reply