Electric actuators can benefit heavy-duty diesels

As the heavy-duty diesel (HDD) truck world looks to likely future alternative power sources - battery or fuel cell - R&D into improving internal-combustion engine (ICE) efficiency continues. Digital valvetrain specialist Camcon Automotive is now claiming that potentially significant diesel fuel consumption reduction could be achieved using a combination of its iVT (intelligent Valve Technology) solution, which replaces the camshaft by using electric actuators, together with the use of advanced software and artificial intelligence.

Following what it terms a period of successful development of iVT in gasoline engines for passenger cars (www.sae.org/news/2019/09/brunel-university-camshaft-replacement-research), including creation of a dynamic prototype, Camcon Automotive is increasingly focusing on the HDD market. Neil Butler, the company's technical consultant, regards the project as “essentially launching the concept of the digital engine for HDD.” The company's aim is to establish a collaborative program with an OEM or major supplier to develop a production-viable iVT system.