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In our first study[1], we reported that the self-regeneration of DPF is enabled by the function of residual potassium methoxide (CH3OK) as catalyst, contained in biodiesel fuel that is collected in the DPF at lower engine loads[1]. In the present report, exhaust emission characteristics after using DPF were investigated by continuous measurement of exhaust gas. The results show that the self-regeneration of DPF occurs when engine loads change from lower to higher, and at the same time, methanol concentration in exhaust gas reaches to a higher peak. This peak is higher than when self-regeneration does not take place. The higher concentration of methanol is reduced by repeating the self-regeneration. The SOF content in PM is reduced by DPF at both high and low engine load, which is a characteristic that was not seen with gas oil.

The performance of Diesel Particulate Filter(DPF) using biodiesel fuel was evaluated in a vehicle road test and in a diesel engine bench rig. The DPF used for the tests was made of SiC honeycomb which had a soot filtering efficiency close to 100%. The DPF/diesel engine system used was not configured for continuous regeneration. Regeneration was completed by batch heating with electric power. From the result of vehicle road test, the distance between regeneration for the vehicle fueled with biodiesel fuel was longer than that fueled with petro-diesel fuel. This gain in distance was greater than what was expected from the soot reduction because of the biodiesel fuel characteristics. This observation was further investigated in diesel engine bench rig with the DPF using several biodiesel fuels with different degree of purity.

This paper presents the results of engine experiments and spray observations on a VCO nozzle. Two types of VCO nozzles having different hole shapes were investigated. One had a straight step hole (the VCO-S) and the other had a tapered step hole (the VCO-T). Both VCO nozzles could greatly reduce HC emissions in comparison to a standard nozzle. The VCO-S nozzle could reduce NOx emissions more than the VCO-T nozzle, and its spray penetration was shorter than that of the VCO-T.

Several methods to reduce ignition delay period were tested in combination with a high pressure injection and effects on combustion improvement were examined. It was found that the reduction of ignition delay does not give so much improvement at the usual injection timing before TDC, but when the injection timing is considerably retarded or when the original ignition delay is relatively long, shortening of the ignition delay is effective to reduce pre-mixed combustion and NOx emission. Further, assuming the combustion system which conforms to the 1983 Japanese regulation as the reference system, it was found that the combination of pilot injection and high injection pressure, simultaneously reduces NOx by approximately 35% and smoke by 60-80% without worsening the fuel economy.

Two dimensional flame temperature distributions in D.I. diesel engine with high pressure fuel injection were measured by the image analysis of high speed photographs based on two color method. Effects of injection pressure and nozzle hole diameter on flame temperature distribution were examined. The flame temperature in the case of high pressure injection is higher than that in low injection pressure. The higher flame temperature in high pressure injection results from the rapid compression of burned gases. The KL value which is an index of soot density in the combustion chamber decreases as injection pressure increases. The higher oxidation rate of soot at the later period of combustion may contribute to a soot reduction in the case of high pressure injection.

To clarify the detailed structure of high pressure fuel spray, 2-D sectional images of non-evaporating fuel sprays in a high pressure vessel were observed by using the laser light sheet of a copper vapor laser. By this system, many sectional and continuous photographs of the same spray were obtained, and were very effective for the detailed observation of the spray inner structure and its developing process. The spray inner structure was very complicated, and its fuel density distribution was very heterogeneous. And for its developing process, the spray advances straight immediately after injected, then meanders, and deforms into a branch-like structure. Advancing downstream, these branches distribute complicatedly and heterogeneously with low density droplets. The heterogeneity is owing to these branches. And, the developing process is divided into four regions. Further, the effects of some parameters on this process were investigated.

It is well known that increasing the fuel injection pressure is effective for improving the diesel engine combustion. While studying the characteristics of the high pressure fuel spray which is injected in a high pressure vessel, the authors found weak shock waves generating around the fuel spray. To investigate the shock waves effect on the fuel spray the authors measured the propagation speed and pressure amplitude as functions of the injection pressure and ambient pressure. The results indicate that shock waves are generated when the fuel injection speed exceeds the ambient sonic speed. Also it was found that the pressure amplitude of shock wave is approximately 10 % of the ambient pressure and the shock waves spread at a sonic speed. The above results make us think that, isn't it possible to use shock waves for combustion improvement.

The characteristics of diesel combustion with high pressure fuel injection were investigated, using a naturally aspirated single cylinder engine and a high pressure injection equipment which can produce over 250 MPa injection pressure. Observation and analysis of combustion were performed using a high speed shadowgraph technique, with different injection pressures. In the case of high injection pressure in combination with smaller nozzle hole diameter, generation of soot in the combustion field is hardly recognized. Also by increasing injection pressure, ignition points tend to shift to the downstream of spray. Analysis of flame motion and turbulence intensity in the combustion field was performed using high speed direct photographs and image analysis technique by tracing flame luminosity distribution time history. By increasing injection pressure, an increase of turbulence intensity at the early stage of diffusion burning was observed.