Low Emissions Approaches for Heavy-Duty Gas-Powered Urban Vehicles

Natural gas is one of the alternative fuels to diesel being considered for low emissions heavy-duty applications. The favoured operating strategies for low emissions SI gas engines are identified as those with high levels of dilution - stoichiometric operation with EGR, and lean-burn. A well-matched exhaust catalyst is needed to produce the lowest emissions levels. Increasing the accuracy of transient air-fuel ratio control is shown to improve the emissions still further. The most favourable combinations of engine operating strategy and control accuracy are identified with respect to fuel economy and first cost. The Co-Nordic Natural Gas Bus Project is an example of an engine development programme aimed at achieving the lowest possible exhaust emissions levels, and as such uses the lowest emissions approach of a stoichiometric engine strategy with EGR and high accuracy control.