Comprehensive Experimental and Numerical Optimization of Diesel Engine Thermal Management Strategy for Emission Clarification and Carbon Dioxide Control

Abstract

Improving the thermal efficiency of truck diesel engines requires comprehensive optimization of the engine, exhaust aftertreatment (EAT), and possible waste heat recovery (WHR). Lower exhaust temperature at mid and low working points has caused difficulty in both emission clarification and heat recovery, which requires thermal management. Based on the diesel engine bench test and separate bench tests, this paper focuses on the thermal management strategy optimization, to increase the exhaust temperature at lower working points and optimize the thermal efficiency of the whole system. The test and numerical analysis showed that as exhaust temperature increased from 200~250 °C to 300~350 °C, soot passive regeneration reactions were enhanced, nitrogen oxide emission decreased, and energy recovery was improved. Moderate throttle valve adjustment coupled with early post injection could effectively achieve the required temperature increase. The optimized thermal management strategy increased the fuel consumption rate by no more than 1%. Meanwhile, the WHR system output increased significantly, by 62.55% at a certain mid–low working point. System CO2 emission decreased by an average of 5.4% at selected working points.