Jacobs Partners with West Virginia University to Research Low-Emissions Engine Systems

Jacobs Vehicle Systems announced a collaboration with the Center for Alternative Fuels, Engine, and Emissions at West Virginia University to further define the benefits of Jacobs’ Cylinder Deactivation and Early Exhaust Valve Opening systems on heavy-duty diesel engines for commercial vehicles.

Jacobs notes it has a long history of partnering with OEMs to provide commercial vehicle engine systems and says it will partner with the CAFEE engineering group to combine resources to further understand the full potential for CDA and EEVO in the market, with a focus on testing trucks in low load operation. The joint research team will use both the engine laboratories at Jacobs in Bloomfield, CT, and CAFEE in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Jacobs’ CDA, which was unveiled at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover, Germany, last fall, improves fuel economy by selectively preventing the intake and exhaust valves from opening on designated engine cylinders. When combined with the elimination of fuel injection, the engine operates with the fuel consumption of a smaller engine. Emissions are reduced, particularly at lower loads, because CDA achieves higher exhaust temperatures in the operating cylinders and makes it possible to maintain optimal after-treatment temperatures. Jacobs and CAFEE research groups will measure the fuel economy and engine operational improvements of CDA, including how to keep the aftertreatment system hot and to safely convert engine-out Nox and particulates, while quantifying the vibration characteristics of the engine in various deactivation modes.

Jacobs’ EEVO is a closely related engine system, which reduces emissions by opening the exhaust valve during the expansion or power stroke of the engine cylinder, which releases high energy expansion gasses directly to the aftertreatment system, allowing for faster warm-up of the selective catalytic reduction system. This enables the earliest possible conversion and removal of NOx emissions from the exhaust. Jacobs’ engineers will work closely with CAFEE counterparts to determine the benefits of EEVO in combination with rapid warm-up strategies, to ensure the aftreatment system is operational quickly, even in cold-start conditions. 

As worldwide emissions are continually scrutinized and target markets such as California look to further reduce tailpipe NOx output, engine manufacturers need proven mechanisms and technologies that can keep the aftertreatment system hot and improve overall fuel economy," said Steve Ernest, vice president of engineering and business development at Jacobs Vehicle Systems.