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Two prominent trends are facing diesel engine builders and their customers, environmental regulations and cost containment. Increasingly stringent exhaust emissions regulations have necessitated major changes in diesel engine design. Combustion temperatures and fuel injection pressures continue to rise. This and other factors, such as lower oil consumption for exhaust particulate reduction, place greater demands on crankcase lubricating oils. Another prominent environmentally related cost factor facing fleet operators is that of waste oil management. The inventory and disposal of used lubricants must now be handled in accordance with regulated guidelines and their associated costs. To compensate, new lubricant categories have been designed in both North America and Europe, such that 1994 and later emission controlled engines will perform as reliably as their earlier counterparts.

An earlier study (SAE Paper 920364) documented the ability of a Copper-based fuel additive to initiate regeneration of a particulate trap without external heat sources. Work performed with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority on diesel particulate filter systems for a 6V-92TA mechanical engine has been expanded to include 6V-92TA electronic, MAN and Caterpillar engines as well as an increased number of 6V-92TA mechanical engines. Both cordierite wall flow and fibre filter systems are currently being evaluated for performance and durability in field service. This paper outlines performance of the system which uses a copper-based fuel additive to induce regeneration along with emission reductions and health effects data. Additional data on compatibility of the copper fuel additive with typical commercial diesel fuels and lubricants is also presented.

Digital control in the electronics field has come to be commonplace in the past decade. Analog systems are still the major control means in mechanical and hydraulic machinery. Examples of digital and analog systems in nature are related to common practice. Availability and economics of digital and analog equipment are reviewed.