World First DI-CNG injectors for CNG/LNG HEAVY-DUTY mono-fuel truck engines.
21/09/2016 is a very important MILESTONE for GDTech Powertrain team, with the delivery of the first « tailor-made prototypes of DI-CNG injectors » for HEAVY-DUTY Long-haul LNG mono-fuel engines.
The design & test phases were conducted by Gilles Herbillon acting as Chief Engineer on this project for GDTech.
The all development was completed by GDTech Powertrain team, and the manufacturing requested more than 20 different suppliers (for machining, welding, winding, material supply, internal components supply, and various treatments).
This injector will equip the future Cursor 13 DI-CNG from IVECO line-up, and is developped in the framework of HDGas European projet, where GDTech is official injector supplier of Fiat
Powertrain Technology Industrial (in charge of the development of new IVECO engines for coaches, buses & industrial applications).
Running a HEAVY-DUTY engine in DI-CNG is just a WORLD FIRST.
Since Nov-2008, GDTech leads R&D projects in the field of DI-CNG passenger-cars engines (with the support of Wallonia Research Directorates).
Several concepts of injectors were already developed & test-proved on passenger-cars engines. A demo-car Peugeot 508 equipped with a DI-CNG convered engine is being tested on the rollers to meet EURO 6 emissions targets.
One concept of injector was adapted here to meet the specification of a heavy-duty 13L engine.
The direct-injection of natural gas allows advanced features such as:
– engine scavenging (for low-end torque enhancement),
– engine stoechiometric operation: [18-21]% CO2 potential improvement compared to Gasoline Direct Injection.
– engine lean-burn operation: [23-26]% CO2 potential improvement compared to Gasoline Direct Injection, as well as 60% NOx reduction & 85% CO reduction (values prooved at the test bench on a 1.6L T/C gasoline-based wall-guided engine),
– multi-injection: 15% THC potential improvement compared to single-injection.
Two specifications were considered during the design phase:
– SCENARIO #1 injectors deliver a flow rate equivalent to the engine full load at 50 bar operating pressure and 180 cranck angle degrees equivalent injection windows,
– SCENARIO #2 injectors deliver the full load flow rate at 20 bar operating pressure & 180 Cranckshaft angle degrees equivalent injection windows.
The max engine speed considered is 2300 RPM.
Intermediate pressure levels can also be reached for the engine intermediate load points.
These injectors can be controlled with a dedicated driver from 18V to 24V (with or without peak voltage).
A patent has been filed in the meantime to protect several points of the injector design.
As a next step, these injectors will now be tested on single-cylinder test campaings.
Looking forward to confirming the great potential of the concept in terms of fuel economy, CO2 saving & others emissions reduction.