Common-rail diesel systems featuring high-pressure direct-injection are the key to success in developing low-consumption, high-performance engines according to Bosch, the world's largest provider of automotive technology to all leading vehicle and component manufacturers.
As a result, Bosch production of high-pressure diesel injection systems will exceed eight million units for the first time this year.
Modern common-rail direct-injection diesel engines use up to 30 per cent less fuel while emitting up to 25 per cent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than comparable gasoline engines with manifold injection. Common-rail technology also makes a significant contribution to ensuring modern diesel engines will meet the strict future emission levels and Bosch plans to improve fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by further optimising common-rail system technology and components.
Bosch is working on developing both piezo and solenoid-valve injectors further, extending the ten-year success story of the common-rail system. The new, highly dynamic solenoid-valve injectors are similar to piezo injectors in terms of performance and are designed for injection pressures of more than 2,000 bar. As well as working towards increasing injection pressures, Bosch believes that emissions and fuel consumption could be further improved by increasing the pressure of the common-rail pump.
Bosch is to introduce the CP4 common-rail pump, with a pressure potential of 2,000 bar later this year. This is designed for hydraulic efficiency and supports combustion processes with extremely high injection pressures even at low engine speeds and medium to high loads. The ability to vary the injection timing has a significant effect on engine performance - pre-injection reduces NOx emissions and noise, while post injection reduces soot emissions
As fuel prices have more than doubled in the US since the 1990s, clean diesel engines fitted with a commonrail system have helped make the technology a success. US buyers are increasingly looking for low-consumption, environment-friendly engines and, by 2015, the proportion of diesel engines in newly registered cars and light commercial vehicles is expected to grow to 15 per cent - around three times more than today.
Ultra low sulphur diesel - cleaner diesel fuel with a sulphur content of just 15 ppm - was introduced in the US during October 2006, and has been an important factor in ensuring the success of the diesel engine in this market. Bosch is using fact-based marketing campaigns to nurture the increasingly positive perception of diesel in the US. The aim is to show government offices and US citizens how diesel has undergone a process of development in terms of improving fuel consumption, performance, and eco-friendliness - and continues to do so. In 2006 alone, this Bosch information campaign reached an audience of around two million people. In this campaign, Bosch is working closely with the automotive industry, suppliers, and leading industry organisations.
Diesel will also break through in the emerging markets in Asia as a result of increasingly stringent emissions standards. This year, Bosch will sell around 100,000 common-rail systems in China, and the same number in India. By 2010, it is likely that there will be some 1.3 million such systems in each of these countries.