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An experimental study has been carried out to assess the capability of injecting vaporised fuel into the exhaust gas of a diesel engine to achieve elevated outlet temperatures from an oxidation catalyst for the thermal regeneration of particulate filters. Termed catalytic combustion and passive in nature, controlled experiments have proved the concept with the limitation on catalyst outlet temperature being dictated by the material limits of the exhaust system and the availability of oxygen.

Although successful “precision cooled” prototype engines have been demonstrated, the design of most mainstream coolant jackets has evolved only cautiously, and lacked this major change in approach. The achievements and potential of precision cooling are reviewed, along with an extension into nucleate boiling based heat transfer. It is demonstrated that ideas for advanced “external” cooling systems with low flowrates are in fact extremely compatible with the “internal” precision engine cooling philosophy, and in combination promise even larger benefits.

This paper presents a lumped parameter method for whole circuit simulation of vehicle cooling systems using the Bathfp simulation environment. The dynamic performance of a 1.8 litre internal combustion engine cooling system is examined. The simulation is compared with experimental data from a test rig incorporating a non-running engine with external heat source and a good correspondence is achieved. The background to the modelling approach is described. It is shown that simulating cooling systems with Bathfp offers the designer the flexibility to assess component sensitivity and changes in system configuration which will aid the process of cooling system optimisation.

The authors describe the early stages of a programme to investigate the wear sensitivity of spool valves to abrasive contaminant in the fluid flow. Wear mechanisms in valves and aspects of test rig design are discussed. Methods of assessing wear are considered, both during and after completion of a test. Preliminary results are presented to highlight the difference between these methods and illustrate the changes in geometry that take place during the wear test.