To simultaneously reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency in a diesel engine during a low-load cycle is no easy feat.
Over the past two years, Cummins and Tula Technology have been working towards this goal. At the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit Tuesday, the companies revealed their best testing efforts to date with Tula’s diesel Dynamic Skip Fire (dDSF) technology.
Compared to today’s cleaner-burning diesel engines, the cylinder deactivation (CDA) system was said to have further reduced NOx by 74%, while dropping CO2 by 5% and improving fuel efficiency up to 20% in a Class 8 tractor powered by a Cummins X15 engine.
[Related: Program aiming to cut emissions could drive fuel costs]
“We are really pleased with the results,” said Lisa Farrell, director of Cummins’ Accelerated Technology Center. “As expected, the technology is showing a lot of promise, particularly for NOx reduction that will help (fleets) meet future NOx regulations.”
While netting up to a 20% uptick in fuel economy is impressive, dropping NOx is “really the driver, the emphasis of the technology,” Farrell said.
