Use of Fuel Additives to Maintain Modern Diesel Engine Performance with Severe Test Conditions

The rapid advancement of diesel engine technology as used in European passenger cars brings greater demands for the provision of high-quality diesel fuel and premium performance fuels. Fuel additives play an increasingly important role in enhancing fuel quality and meeting the demands of these new engine technologies. The development of these additives and appropriate fuels relies on engine test procedures that can accurately simulate the performance of the fuel in consumer vehicles. The value of such tests is greatest when the test cycle, operating parameters and test fuel have relevant correlation to those experienced by a vehicle in actual consumer use. This paper considers the DW10 injector fouling test currently under development within the CEC and highlights the methods used to increase the severity. Conventional fuel additives currently used in premium fuels offer superb protection against the deposit formation seen in this test. However, without a meaningful and consistent process to evaluate the test results, the outcome of the test can easily be misinterpreted. Consideration of the relevance of test conditions to real-world consumer operation is needed to ensure that fuel formulations, especially those containing bio-derived components offer the consumer optimum performance for real in-service activities.