Effects of including a NOx storage component on a TWC when using a lean spark ignition gasoline engine combined with a passive SCR system

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Abstract

A three-way catalyst (TWC) and a TWC with a NOx storage component (NS-TWC) were evaluated on a lean spark ignition (SI) engine platform to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of a passive selective catalytic reduction (pSCR) emission control system. The pSCR system is an approach for controlling NOx emissions from lean SI engines. It relies on onboard NH3 generation over a TWC during brief periods of fuel-rich operation. The NH3 is then stored on a downstream SCR catalyst and is available for NOx reduction during subsequent periods of lean engine operation. The NS-TWC addition enabled longer lean operation and more efficient NH3 use, which lowered fuel penalty of the pSCR system. Over a pseudo-transient drive cycle, the lean SI engine with pSCR that included NS-TWC demonstrated a 8.3% reduction in gasoline consumption over stoichiometric-only engine operation, and the NOx and non-CH4 organic gas emissions were consistent with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 3 levels. The CO emissions, primarily from rich operation, exceeded the EPA Tier 3 levels. A cleanup catalyst (CUC) with high oxygen storage capacity was used to oxidize tailpipe CO during rich excursions by using the stored oxygen from the preceding lean operation. Although the CUC decreased CO emissions and reduced NH3 slip, some of the NH3 was converted back to NOx. Furthermore, rich CO control remains challenging. The results of this work demonstrate significant improvement in fuel consumption and emissions with a modified pSCR system architecture.

Original languageEnglish
Article number100150
JournalApplications in Energy and Combustion Science
Volume14
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2023

Funding

This research was supported by the US Department of Energy , Vehicle Technologies Office. The authors thank program and technology managers Siddiq Khan, Ken Howden, Gurpreet Singh, and Mike Weismiller for their support and guidance. The authors also thank their colleagues Patrick Szymkowicz, Wei Li, Paul Battiston, Kushal Narayanaswamy, Arun Solomon, and Paul Najt of General Motors, and Ken Price, Ryan Day, David Moser, and Tom Pauly of Umicore for valuable discussions and guidance in parts of this work.

FundersFunder number
U.S. Department of Energy

    Keywords

    • Ammonia
    • Lean NO
    • Lean SI
    • NH formation
    • NO storage catalyst
    • Passive selective catalytic reduction
    • Three-way catalyst

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