Empirical study of the effect of the air filter on the performance and exhaust emissions of a diesel engine

Abstract

The results of an experimental study of the effect of the pressure drop of the air filter pf on the operat-ing parameters and exhaust emissions of a modern CI internal combustion engine of a truck equipped with an electronically controlled power system are presented. The tests were carried out for an air filter with a clean filter cartridge Δpf0 = 0,58 kPa and with a cartridge contaminated after a service mileage (about 50 thousand km) ΔpfD = 2,024 kPa. In each test, engine performance, exhaust emissions and relative change in emissions were determined: CO, NOx, HC, CO2, H2O. It was found that an increase in the filter resistance pf causes a decrease in the filling degree by 12%, engine useful power by almost 10%, exhaust gas temperature by a maximum of 30oC and an increase in specific fuel consumption by almost 5%. Air filter resistance has no significant effect on NOx emissions and HC concentration. There is a reduction in H2O emissions by up to 7%, CO by up to 13% and CO2 by up to 4%, and an increase in oxygen emissions by 15%, depending on operating conditions.