In Talking Automotive with Mark and John Ep 15, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair talk to Gavin Houghton MD, Ron Kukler Chief Technical Officer and Howard Gerwin VP Product Development from RKLAB AG. They share insight into engine development and electric vehicles and the various challenges engine manufacturers are working with to reduce emissions.
They discuss where electric vehicles can have success and solutions for large diesel engines such as marine, rail and large truck engines such as the class 8 engine.
They also share information on Euro 6 and USA emission requirements and talk about NOx and particulate emissions in detail. They delve into the current solutions to address these emissions such as catalytic converters, particulate filters, EGR, AdBlue and Diesel common rail.
They provide detailed explanations about blue flame technology, combustion efficiency, high pressure injection, quiescent vs. swirl combustion chambers, low temperature combustion, ethanol fuels and how this all relates to emissions reduction.
They share the high cost to try and deal with emissions after the combustion process and the advantage of addressing it in the chamber. They introduce us to the RK Injector and how this technology can have significant impact on emissions in large engines, retrofitted in existing engines and work as a complimentary technology to existing technologies such as electric.
Testing has shown that the RKInjector can work well with all levels of fuel lubrication. The technology is ready for the newest low sulphur fuels appearing in all transportation sectors.
They talk about the commercialisation of the technology and where they are working with PTL and SWRI and two large automotive brands. How they are setting up a research program with SWRI which will be open to academia and engine companies to get involved in testing the injector.
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Production and editing by Ky Sinclair.