VW's 2008 Diesel Technology

PDJetta

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Volkswagen will introduce new Diesel emissions-reducing technology in 2008

SCR catalytic converter reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent
Wolfsburg, Germany - On its new Touareg Volkswagen is introducing one of the cleanest diesel engines in the world: The BlueTDI with SCR catalytic converter. This converter reduces nitrogen dioxide (NOx) emissions by up to 90 percent.
The Touareg BlueTDI, that delivers 165 kW / 225 PS, meets even the most challenging exhaust emissions standards. Currently, the lowest limits are set in the US states California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Maine: In the “Tier2 Bin5” standard. The Touareg BlueTDI being presented in Geneva is one of the first vehicles with a diesel engine that can clear this hurdle too. Especially in the USA, economical turbo-diesels like the V6 BlueTDI can contribute, more than any other current powertrain technology, toward reducing oil consumption and the generation of climate-impacting greenhouse gases.
Therefore, Volkswagen will be offering the Touareg with SCR catalytic converter starting in 2008, initially in the USA, as part of the BlueTec Alliance started together with Audi and DaimlerChrysler at the end of last year. Also slated for 2008: The company for smaller vehicles like the Jetta will introduce, in America, a NOx storage catalytic converter that eliminates up to 90 percent of nitrogen oxides. The two technically challenging systems are scheduled to debut in Europe a short time later.
The Euro-4 standard currently specifies a NOx limit of 0.25 g/km here. The US standard, which the Touareg BlueTDI satisfies, specifies among other things a NOx limit of 0.043 g/km (0.07 g/mile).

New catalytic converter technology targets reductions in nitrogen oxides; Nitrogen oxides are converted to harmless nitrogen and water

SCR is the usual international acronym for "Selective Catalytic Reduction". "Selective" refers to the fact that this catalytic converter has a very special task. Its purpose is to selectively convert the nitrogen oxide (NOx) exhaust components to nitrogen and water without generating any undesirable side products. It was developed precisely for this highly specialized task. Therefore, in the future vehicles such as the Touareg BlueTDI, being shown for the first time in Geneva, will also be equipped with an oxidation catalytic converter and a diesel particulate filter.
The nitrogen oxides are converted utilizing a synthetically produced, water-based urea solution, e.g. AdBlue, which is stored in an auxiliary tank on the Touareg BlueTDI. The substance, consisting of 32.5 percent urea, is continuously sprayed into the exhaust stream before the SCR catalytic converter. It is metered based on the mass flow of the exhaust. Engine management ensures precise regulation, based on information from a NOx sensor located after the SCR catalytic converter.
Atomized into a fine spray by a screen, the urea is transformed in the hot exhaust gas stream upstream of the catalytic converter. In the SCR catalytic converter this reacts with the nitrogen oxides and splits them, as described, into nitrogen and water. The water-based additive AdBlue is non-toxic, odorless and biodegradable.
AdBlue is consumed at an average rate of about 0.1 liter per 100 kilometers. Consumption and tank size are sized so that the AdBlue supply does not need to be replenished until the next scheduled service.
Combustion chamber sensors that are unique worldwide monitor each cylinder; Common rail injection system operates at pressure of 2,000 bars for first time
Besides introducing the SCR catalytic converter, the engineers at Volkswagen Automotive Group have put together an entire bundle of innovative modifications. Combustion chamber sensors are being implemented for the first time; they monitor pressure conditions in the cylinders. And a new common rail system with 2,000 bar injection pressure atomizes the fuel even finer. The ideal combustion achieved by these measures enhances smooth engine running and lowers overall raw emissions.
In the effort to reduce emissions, especially NOx raw emissions, efforts being made in internal engine modifications include measures to lower maximum temperatures in the combustion chambers and to reduce oxygen concentration by exhaust gas recirculation. Nitrogen oxides generated despite these measures are fed to the new SCR catalytic converter and are removed, as outlined above.
Combustion chamber sensors optimize injection and combustion; Piezo injectors with newly developed eight-hole nozzles
As engineers began to develop the BlueTDI, their first goal was to achieve further overall combustion optimization in the engine. The world premiere of such an innovation is being celebrated in the BlueTDI – the combustion chamber sensor. Integrated in the glow plug, the sensor continuously measures pressure conditions in the cylinder and reports the data to engine management.
This enables perfect control of injection and combustion in each cylinder; it is even possible to compensate for fluctuating qualities of fuel. Ideal combustion helps to reduce raw emissions. It also optimizes smooth running and noise behavior.
The intensively refined common rail injection system serves the same purposes. With a newly designed pump, the system builds up 2,000 bar of pressure – also an innovation. The piezo injectors have been significantly modified too. Their smaller eight-hole nozzles inject miniscule spray volumes into the combustion chambers. This, together with the higher pressure combine to produce an injection that is even more precise and dynamic – detailed work that as a whole has resulted in one of the most economical and cleanest six-cylinder diesel engines in the world.

Presentation of technologies such as the SCR catalytic converter in a special exhibit area lets visitors experience key mobility technologies of today and tomorrow

To point out its activities in the area of environmental protection, Volkswagen has set up a BlueMotion Park at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. At numerous exhibits and interactive information terminals on technological highlights visitors can experience how Volkswagen technologies are preserving the mobility of today and tomorrow. Key topics addressed here are engines, transmissions, synthetic fuels, lightweight construction and aerodynamics. Exhibits relating to BlueTDI systems are another focal point: The SCR catalytic converter for larger vehicles like the Touareg, and the NOx storage catalytic converter such as the one Volkswagen introduced for the first time in a Jetta test car.

Note:
All data and equipment contained in this press release apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries. All information is subject to change or correction. TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries.

http://www.carbuyersnotebook.com/archives/vehicles/volkswagen/
 

bBay

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Interesting technical details. It is especially good news that VW will be implementing the pressure-sensing glow plug to improve efficiency. I wonder whether the new technology will be applied across the TDI line or only on the upper end Touareg. A possible concern is whether the new higher pressure and finer nozzles of the piezo injectors will limit the use of biodiesel.
 

retmil46

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bBay said:
Interesting technical details. It is especially good news that VW will be implementing the pressure-sensing glow plug to improve efficiency. I wonder whether the new technology will be applied across the TDI line or only on the upper end Touareg. A possible concern is whether the new higher pressure and finer nozzles of the piezo injectors will limit the use of biodiesel.
Certainly means that fuel quality, period, is going to be a primary concern. With some of the crud that passes for diesel I've gotten from local service stations, any vehicle with this setup best have a bloody good filtration system.
 

lam121

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Aren't all the Gas (haha) Stations supposed to have diesel with sulfur content less than 15ppm? Even though we are far behind Europe's fuel quality, this "new" diesel is of pretty good quality - no?
 

jhintontdi

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lam121 said:
Aren't all the Gas (haha) Stations supposed to have diesel with sulfur content less than 15ppm? Even though we are far behind Europe's fuel quality, this "new" diesel is of pretty good quality - no?
No, only 85% of the stations are required to have ULSD. I have not found a station in my area that carries ULSD yet. Also, Alaska has applied for and received a waiver from the EPA that allowes the state of Alaska to use LSD until 2010.
 

tdipdphd

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i haven't seen USLD either in DC/VA. of course i go to two trusty sources for diesel for me but those shell stations don't have it.

i wonder due to this USLD not being available everywhere, then what is the purpose in having such cleaner diesels if we won't be able to use them appropriately?
 

Tin Man

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tdipdphd said:
i haven't seen ULSD either in DC/VA. of course i go to two trusty sources for diesel for me but those shell stations don't have it.

i wonder due to this ULSD not being available everywhere, then what is the purpose in having such cleaner diesels if we won't be able to use them appropriately?
Mercedes Benz has a web page that will help find some of the stations that have ULSD. You can download a PDF file with the latest information for all 50 states. This list is way incomplete, though. Locally, I have found at least 4 stations not on the list that have ULSD stickers.

TM
 

kcfoxie

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One of the stations that I get B20 from has a ULSD sticker, but I can gurantee you that the amount of black smoke coming out of my tailpipe is NOT ULSD. It's LSD, just because it has the sticker does not mean the tank has ULSD. The BP I go to which has straight D2, is ULSD and I can tell by filling the tank up, then revving the engine and seeing little to no smoke pour out the back. Do this with the retail B20 pump that is LSD-based, and I see a moderage plume of smoke pour out the back.

Edit: The BP that I use is NOT on this list; I know for a fact that it is ULSD because we own the station and have seen the fuel receipts and questioned the tanker. It's actually the only BP fuel the station carries, the petrol unleaded fuels are actually GATE or sometimes EAGLE fuels.
 
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Scooby Doo

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YAWN!!!! someone call me when they have 300k miles on one.

diesels have a longivity advantage bacause of fewer moving parts, in fact the origional diesels needed no electric to run. to shut them off you had to cut the fuel. adding a MAF to curent diesels was one thing, then electric injectors, then full computer controled injection timing? come on now. we are killing the best part of the diesel, longevity. if i wanted a car to go 100k miles with moderate matinance i would buy a gasser, not some space monkey drivin uber high tech diesel. how mutch do you think a glow plug job will ocst on that truck? $800 sound fair? because thats what they think.
 

GoFaster

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There is no significant difference in the number of moving parts in a diesel engine versus gasoline (if anything, the diesel has more, because of the turbo and the injection system), and modern engines gasoline or diesel ALL require electronic controls in order to remain within emission regulations ...
 

Tin Man

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Glow plug replacement on the CDI was relatively cheap - I believe it was $150 for two with labor.

Oh, as for longevity:
'05 E320 CDI: 92,500 miles
'04 NB GLS TDI PD 6 speed DSG, daughter's: 18,000 miles
'02 NB GLS TDI 5 spd: 136,500 miles
'99.5 ML320 7 passenger: 132,000 miles

and the gasser is sounding a bit long in the tooth and using a little oil. The diesels are happy.

TM
 

EddyKilowatt

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Dunno how anybody can look at an exploded diagram of a diesel injection pump, and think diesel engines are significantly less complex than gassers. Especially when you think about the machining tolerances needed. Or if you add a turbo, pretty much mandatory to get a passenger-car power-to-weight ratio.

And who appointed "longevity" as the "best part" of diesels, anyway? Personally it is third or fourth on MY list of why I drive a diesel...

Eddy

/... especially a VW diesel...
 

Kiwi_ME

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I think the variable valve timing mechanisms becoming common on gasoline engines is shifting the complexity balance though, plus the diesel injection pump for a common rail is relatively simple compared to the older type.

BMW's valvetronic "throttle" control on their gas engine intake valve is certainly not as simple as a butterfly valve. On diesels we are seeing EGR-assist throttles and swirl-inducing butterflys in the intake. It's unlikely to get any less-complex until we have fuel cells, and even then who knows?
 

GoFaster

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The current trend is indeed towards more mechanical complexity ... Gasoline engines are getting complex mechanisms added to them in order to improve their efficiency.
 

Kabin

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Another downside with new technology diesels has been lower fuel economy. Hopefully they'll be able to refine it for better fuel economy in the years to come otherwise gas engines will continue to close the gap.
 

MrMopar

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Kabin said:
Another downside with new technology diesels has been lower fuel economy. Hopefully they'll be able to refine it for better fuel economy in the years to come otherwise gas engines will continue to close the gap.
I think diesel fuel economy will be on an upswing in the near future. In the past few years, there has been a good sized drop in fuel economy of diesel engines due to emissions tweaks. The auto makers have had to make changes in order to comply with emissions, and these changes freqently affected the efficiency of the fuel burn in the cylinder. Compromises were made to avoid particulate pollution, and NOx pollution.

Newer engines are pretty much mandated to have exhaust after treatment. This actually is working out good for fuel economy, because it turns out that combustion can now be tuned for efficiency without having to worry much about particulates and NOx - because those pollutants are now being treated by the aftertreatment equipment.
 

Scooby Doo

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Tin Man said:
Glow plug replacement on the CDI was relatively cheap - I believe it was $150 for two with labor.

Oh, as for longevity:
'05 E320 CDI: 92,500 miles
'04 NB GLS TDI PD 6 speed DSG, daughter's: 18,000 miles
'02 NB GLS TDI 5 spd: 136,500 miles
'99.5 ML320 7 passenger: 132,000 miles

and the gasser is sounding a bit long in the tooth and using a little oil. The diesels are happy.

TM
the cdi doesent have the "sensor plug"(i dont believe) i was refering to thoes costs.


as for longevity, i am wondering how much it will cost per 100k for matinance.

furthermore diesels have no ignition system to screw up.
 

runonbeer

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bBay said:
A possible concern is whether the new higher pressure and finer nozzles of the piezo injectors will limit the use of biodiesel.
I spoke with Norbert Krause (Director of Engineering and Environmental Office VW) at the NBB confrence this year and he stated that the main factor limiting <B5 biodiesel use on the newer TDIs is a "late injection event", which is used to raise the DPT catalyst temperature, that deposits fuel into the crankcase oil and due to biodiesels low volatility it would be left in the oil. I see no mention of the "late injection event" or a DPT in the above article. Presumably, all fuels result in the crankcase oil deposit but it is the lower volatility of BD that makes this a problem.
 
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Tin Man

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Scooby Doo said:
as for longevity, i am wondering how much it will cost per 100k for maintenance.
From my experience, so far what it looks like approximately is:

Oil change and filter every 12,000 miles ($60 in parts, me, myself, and I)
New wipers every year or so ($16)
Fuel filter every 60,000 miles ($45)
Air cabin filter every 30,000 miles ($30)
Ball joints every 85,000 miles ($600 with alignment)
Tires every 45,000 miles with wheel alignment ($750)
Bleed the sensotronic brakes every 2 years ($125)
Transmission service every 100,000 miles ($350)
A couple of new glow plugs every 100,000 miles ($250)
A new EGR valve every once in a while ($500)
Brake pads as needed (mine are still OK at 92,500 miles - the 2002 Beetle has plenty of pad left at 136,000 miles the way we drive!)
Rotors? Shocks?? Coolant???

Bodywork from adventurous tire rubber, overstuffing the trunk, and parking lot bumpins not included. Yearly taxes (Kentucky) fees, and insurance not included.

The battery may need replacement every 5 or so years, but its very high tech and may last longer ($285). Springs/bushings?

So far, its been pretty good, needing just a few recall items done and some computer resets, but nothing out of the ordinary except having the alternator die, and that cost me about $900 including labor and the attached voltage regulator for a rebuilt unit.

Overall fuel economy: 31 mpg

Resale value lost after buying it new: $16,000 after 3 years and 92,000 miles

Not bad for a premium ride that basically stills runs like new.

TM
 

TDIMeister

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runonbeer said:
I spoke with Norbert Krause (Director of Engineering and Environmental Office VW) at the NBB confrence this year and he stated that the main factor limiting <B5 biodiesel use on the newer TDIs is a "late injection event", which is used to raise the DPT catalyst temperature, that deposits fuel into the crankcase oil and due to biodiesels low volatility it would be left in the oil.
Makes sense.
 

Smokerr

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jhintontdi said:
No, only 85% of the stations are required to have ULSD. I have not found a station in my area that carries ULSD yet. Also, Alaska has applied for and received a waiver from the EPA that allowes the state of Alaska to use LSD until 2010.
Alaska does not have a waiver for on road LSD. Keep in mind, huge parts of Alaska do not have roads (other than in town local roads, road to airport). They are not tied into any highway system (we have maybe 1,000-1500 miles of paved highway up here).

What I believe has been requested, is that locales that are hundreds of miles form the nearest road link, be allowed to use LSD.

When you consider that we are 1/5th the size of the lower 48, getting anything to the towns and villages is costly (barge or aircraft are the only way to do it) complying with a stateside requirement is extremely difficult, costly and gains very little. We have maybe 600,000 people up here, and 80% of them live on the roads. The rest is too tiny to make any real difference to anyone.

That said, LSD is damned hard to come by, as the only refinery that makes diesel up here, puts out 100% ULSD. About all they avoid is the technical ULSD, as they do not have to have special tankers to deliver (cross contamination of sulfur from say jet fuel delivery).

And while your pumps do not say ULSD, I think if you look into it, you will find most if not all of them are compliant. Not all pumps in Anchorage do not have the ULSD on them, and the refinery that ships fuel to Anchorage shifted to ULSD in May of 2006, well before the requirements.

Why, because we did have an exemption from LSD, but we had to come into compliance (LSD stickered) with that, so they just went straight to ULSD, and diluted the non LSD and got compliant, and by the fall, they had enough turn over to be fully ULSD compliant.

Not the first place that is non compliant with stickers.
 

Smokerr

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Kabin said:
Another downside with new technology diesels has been lower fuel economy. Hopefully they'll be able to refine it for better fuel economy in the years to come otherwise gas engines will continue to close the gap.
Big trucks yes, so fare the reports on the new autos seems to be at least as good, and maybe better.
 

Smokerr

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GoFaster said:
The current trend is indeed towards more mechanical complexity ... Gasoline engines are getting complex mechanisms added to them in order to improve their efficiency.
Well they have to do something, diesel are winning car races for crying out loud!

Next thing you know, well shoot, they will be direct injected and turbo charged!
 

FourBanger

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so can we just throw one of these new lower NOx catalytic converters on our cars even if we don't have all the fancy atomizing fuel rails and filters beforehand? Sounds like it'd be a good retro-fit for the environment regardless of the technology under the hood.
 

PDJetta

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I was hoping with common rail and a reduction catalyst, the engine-damaging, nasty, EGR system on VW diesels would be history. But after reading the article I found, I'm not so sure:

"In the effort to reduce emissions, especially NOx raw emissions, efforts being made in internal engine modifications include measures to lower maximum temperatures in the combustion chambers and to reduce oxygen concentration by exhaust gas recirculation. Nitrogen oxides generated despite these measures are fed to the new SCR catalytic converter and are removed, as outlined above."

Maybe, the exhaust recirculation flow rates will be lower, though. On the PDs, its wicked high, up to half of the intake charge, on light load operation.

--Nate
 

Wyatt Earp

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lam121 said:
Aren't all the Gas (haha) Stations supposed to have diesel with sulfur content less than 15ppm? Even though we are far behind Europe's fuel quality, this "new" diesel is of pretty good quality - no?
All fuel in Canada is already ULSD as it is in 15 states in the USA (Komifornia being the leader). You guys will see it all at every station for Tier II bin 5 reg's at the end of September 2007 I beleive.

Oh and as a result our ULSD in North America will be cleaner than that of the EU but may still lack the Cetane to make us go fast!

Cheers
 

FredIA

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Tin Man said:
Mercedes Benz has a web page that will help find some of the stations that have ULSD.
Whoopie! 8 whole stations in the entire state of Iowa. Half of them in Iowa city/Coralville. Good thing that BlueTec is here!

(You dudes from Chi-town coming through on 80 with your '07's Merc Diesels better bring a can full with you!)

I'm glad I got an '06, that's all I can say.

I think most of the stations are serving up ULSD but aren't going to change the labels until the VERY LAST moment. The fines if you are "spot checked" by the EPA would put many stations under.

Fred
 
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