Meeting Stringent 2025 Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Regulations with an OP Diesel

[wxman]

...this study shows that the final 2025 light-truck CAFE fuel economy regulation not only has the potential to be met but also the potential to be exceeded with a full-size 5,500 lb. pick-up truck by simply applying the Achates Power technology without any hybridization or vehicle improvements....

Source: Redon, et al. (2014) “Meeting Stringent 2025 Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Regulations with an Opposed-Piston, Light-Duty Diesel Engine.” SAE Technical Paper 2014-01-1187, http://papers.sae.org/2014-01-1187/ (abstract)
More info available at http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/04/20140415-achates.html.

 

[Powder Hound]

It will be easy to nit-pick so many will do it. And they will have as justifiable a case for the negative as this claim is for the positive as they are both based on conjecture (aka 'a study'). The difference here is that the retoric is a little better, and better, more colorful graphics have been provided.

What needs to be done is to build an example engine and install it in a real world vehicle, then let others test it to see what can really be done. In other words, put your engine where your mouth is, Achates. Otherwise this is snake oil going up in smoke and creating a haze of vaporware. Surely $38MM is enough to do that, is it not? Or did you just rip off your investors like so many other snake oil salesmen?

 

[TDI2000Zim]

I find the diesel cycle tough to improve on, except reducing friction.

That technology doesn't pass thermodynamics 101, 102, 201, and 202.

 

[James & Son]

Update on Achates Power Inc.

Sign up on web site and they will design an engine for your vehicle. Hard not to be optimistic about this engine. If a major car manufacture buys in they would still have to do the long term testing to meet mechanical durability ( pretty normal) but other that ready to go. India could be a major player as this engine I believe can pass 2010 standards with minimal emission controls as is.

http://achatespower.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017-26-0056.pdf
Now this is more like it. 10 years of development based around 20 % improvement over existing and projected diesel technology and meet 2025 emmissions

electric and this engine for commercial vehicles would help meet emission as well as co2 targets ? Comments ?

 

[turbobrick240]

I find the diesel cycle tough to improve on, except reducing friction.

That technology doesn't pass thermodynamics 101, 102, 201, and 202.

The current crop of automotive diesel engines have about 40-45% thermal efficiency. I'd say there is plenty of room for improvement. I never thought the new, clean technology would include a two stroke. Very cool.

 

[GoFaster]

This (and similar concepts) have now been around for a long time, and have not made it to production yet.

It's fairly safe to say that the venture-capital-investor-friendly website does not draw attention to the big show-stopping issues that are surely present.

In the case of ANYthing that uses piston-porting, there is a tradeoff between piston ring, piston, and cylinder wear, and oil consumption and the resulting emissions.

The piston rings have to cross the ports and they have to be lubricated with oil ... invariably, some of that oil gets into the ports and either goes out the exhaust directly (bad) or goes into the intake stream and participates (poorly) in the combustion process.

 

[turbobrick240]

The Junkers Jumo 205 was a similar concept that made it into production for aircraft nearly 90 years ago.

 

[jackbombay]

This (and similar concepts) have now been around for a long time, and have not made it to production yet.

Yep.

The wankel is the only "non standard" engine that has made it to "mass production" in recent history, and it was inferior in most regards to a piston powered engine.

 

[turbobrick240]

I can see the achates design making inroads in military and heavy trucking applications. But by the time it and other camless designs are ready for prime time, I think electric propulsion will be the dominant technology in passenger cars.