VW's TDI is back!
Are you ready to give Volkswagen's TDI Diesel engines another shot? Volkswagen hopes so because they have a new TDI engine, which they claim is cleaner than ever. Thanks to an innovative new system of catalytic converters and ammonia injection VW is offering its cleanest diesel yet.
After VW’s diesel emissions cheating scandal dubbed dieselgate, many speculated VW would give up on the diesel engine altogether. Although VW has put a great deal of its financial might behind the development of electric vehicles. VW plans to build gasoline and diesel-powered cars alongside their electrified offerings for years to come.
VW recently introduced the all-new EA 288 EVO diesel engine to debut their new Twin-Dosing Technology. To explain this new system, VW created an animated video that shows this new system in action. The EA 288 EVO uses a sophisticated system that features two catalytic converters each with their own Ammonia injection system Ammonia is needed to reduce Nitrogen Oxide emissions which were the main culprit behind the dieselgate scandal.
According to VW, the new Twin-Dosing system reduces NOx emissions by over 80 percent leading to a much cleaner engine. VW goes on to explain this system in their press release, “A metering module injects the substance into the exhaust gas upstream of the relevant SCR catalytic converter as AdBlue. Here, the solution evaporates and the reducing agent (urea) is broken down, combining with steam to form ammonia. In the catalytic converter, the ammonia then reacts with the nitrogen oxides on a special coating to form water and harmless nitrogen.”
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VW believes the new EA 288 EVO engine will give customers all of the benefits that made the past TDI engines so great without the damaging emissions, “ Markus Köhne, Head of Diesel Engine Development at Volkswagen, explains: “the innovative twin dosing technology we have developed means that our diesel engines are significantly below current limits and are in fact also well below the future limits required under the Euro 6d emissions standard in many measurements conducted by independent institutes. Our diesel engines are therefore not only extremely efficient, powerful and generate a high torque – they also contribute to a cleaner environment. We are extremely proud of this.”
Are you ready to give VW’s TDI engines another chance?
80% reduction in NOX emissions
The catalytic converters and the particulate filter are the key components in the purification of diesel exhaust gases. The catalytic converters work best in a certain temperature range. The EA 288 Evo actually features three catalytic converters – an oxidising catalytic converter fitted directly to the engine, and the first SCR catalytic converter inside a component with the diesel particulate filter directly behind it. The second SCR catalytic converter is located in the underbody of the vehicle. Since the distance to the engine is greater, the exhaust gas temperature upstream of the second catalytic converter can be as much as 100oC lower. As a result, one of the catalytic converters is always operating in the optimum temperature range, depending on the vehicle operating mode, to facilitate extra-efficient exhaust gas aftertreatment.
Ammonia is needed to reduce harmful nitrogen oxides. A metering module injects the substance into the exhaust gas upstream of the relevant SCR catalytic converter as AdBlue. Here, the solution evaporates and the reducing agent (urea) is broken down, combining with steam to form ammonia. In the catalytic converter, the ammonia then reacts with the nitrogen oxides on a special coating to form water and harmless nitrogen.
The special feature here is that the twin dosing process is effective at almost all temperatures owing to the two catalytic converters. The first SCR catalytic converter nearest the engine warms up quickly so begins to work quickly once the engine is started and it reaches peak performance when the vehicle is in motion and operating at low loads, while the catalytic converter in the underbody comes into its own when the car is operating at high loads – for instance on motorways or when towing a trailer. The increased efficiency of the dosing process means that AdBlue consumption remains at the same level despite being injected twice.
Uncompromising driving dynamics
The twin dosing process not only maintains smooth running, long range and powerful torque – the three key reasons for buying a diesel vehicle, in addition to fuel consumption – but also enhances these features through the use of ultra-modern engine technology. This gives more driving pleasure with less consumption and lower emissions.
Current RDE (real driving emissions) measurements from independent institutes confirm that, in the new 2.0 TDI Evo engines with twin dosing, NOX levels are reduced by around 80% compared with the previous generation of the respective models – well below the limits of the Euro 6d emissions standard.
The RDE measurements are considered to be particularly conclusive because they are taken while the vehicle is actually moving and not on a rolling road test bed with reproducible results as is usually the case.
Markus Köhne, Head of Diesel Engine Development at Volkswagen, explains: “the innovative twin dosing technology we have developed means that our diesel engines are significantly below current limits and are in fact also well below the future limits required under the Euro 6d emissions standard in many measurements conducted by independent institutes. Our diesel engines are therefore not only extremely efficient, powerful and generate a high torque – they also contribute to a cleaner environment. We are extremely proud of this.”