The Engine and Emissions Research Laboratory (EERL) at WVU is equipped with state-of-the-art engine test equipment and is capable of operating light and heavy duty engines over both transient and steady state cycles. The EERL is equipped with a 500 hp DC dynamometer that occupies one of the two main test beds in the engine cell while a transient eddy current dynamometer is mounted on the second test stand. The EERL also performs development research using an additional two eddy current, a Superflow water brake and a Go-Power water brake dynamometers. Emissions are measured using a full scale dilution tunnel system meeting the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR 40) requirements to perform engine certification. A new AC engine dynamometer is being procured to perform medium and heavy duty engine and emissions research.

 

Engine and Emissions Research Laboratory
 
Engines tested: 
  • Navistar T 444E
  • Cummins N14 (Biodiesel), M11, L10, L10G
  • Caterpillar 3306
  • John Deere
  • Detroit 6V92 TA
  • Hercules 3.7 liter (NG)
  • Saturn 1.9 liter
  • MerCruiser 3.0 liter (Marine)
  • Westerbeke 40 (Biodiesel Marine) 
  Projects: 
  • Dual-Fuel Engine Optimization
  • General Aviation Aircraft Engine Control
  • Linear Engine Generator Development
  • Medium Duty Natural Gas Engine Development
  • Neural Network-Based Virtual Emissions Sensors
  • Micro Pilot Dual-Fuel Diesel/Natural Gas Engines
  • Impact of Marine Engine Emissions on Water Quality

    • Mining Engine Particulate Matter Emissions Reduction
    
 
    Engine exhaust is ducted to a full scale dilution tunnel (18 inches in diameter and 20 feet in length) based on the critical flow venturi-constant volume sampler (CFV-CVS) concept. The tunnel employs an orifice of 8 inches placed 3 feet from the beginning of the tunnel. The orifice ensures that the dilute exhaust is thoroughly mixed by the time it reaches the sampling zone, ten diameters downstream of the orifice. The exhaust is mixed with air and the quantity of diluted exhaust is measured precisely using critical orifices. A set of critical flow venturis are placed upstream of a blower that pulls the diluted air at constant mass flowrate once the venturi is under sonic or choked flow conditions. The tunnels have selectable flow rates of 400, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 scfm, depending on the size of the engine and the dilution rate required. Temperature in the venturis is measured with a 3 wire RTD and pressure by an absolute pressure transducer. Sampling probes send diluted exhaust to a number of different gas analysis instruments. An air intake pre-conditioning system has recently been added to the laboratory. Microprocessor controlled heated probes and sampling lines are used to draw gaseous samples into the gas analysis bench.

  

    Continuous sampling and analysis of the exhaust stream is done by non-dispersive infrared analyzers (NDIR) for carbon monoxide (low and high) and carbon dioxide; wet chemiluminescent analyzer for oxides of nitrogen and heated flame ionization detector (HFID) for total hydrocarbons. The gas analysis bench is equipped with exhaust sample conditioning and analysis systems as per EPA, CFR 40 requirements. Data from the exhaust analyzers, sampling trains and the double dilution tunnel, and the engine are acquired and archived at 5 Hz.

 

Gaseous emissions analyzers used at the WVU EERL

 

Carbon Monoxide NDIR Rosemount Analytical 868
Hydrocarbons HFID Rosemount Analytical 402
Oxides of Nitrogen Chemiluminescent Rosemount Analytical 955
Carbon Dioxide NDIR Rosemount Analytical 880A
 
 
Total particulate matter is sampled on 70-mm fluorocarbon coated glass fiber filters for subsequent gravimetric analysis. An environmental chamber (maintained at 70 F and 50% RH) and a Cahn microbalance are part of the particulate matter sampling and analysis system.
 
The Engine and Emissions Research Laboratory (EERL) also has a mini-dilution tunnel, three other engine test beds (another eddy-current absorber based dynamometer, Superflow water brake dynamometer, and a Go-Power water brake dynamometer). High speed data acquisition equipment is used. A compressed natural gas trailer stores sufficient fuel for repeat testing and is refilled at an on-campus 3,000 psi compressor station.
 
The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering includes comprehensive Workshop and Laboratory facilities. For example, a machine shop well equipped with milling, turning and welding equipment is available for project support. Overhead and mobile cranes are available to assist with engine removal and installation. A thermal sciences laboratory incorporates additional dynamometers, a CFR octane test engine, and fluid flow and pressure measuring equipment. A comprehensive chromatography laboratory is built around two high temperature Varian 3600 gas chromatographs which have been automated for fuel analysis and exhaust speciation and have thermal conductivity, flame ionization and photo-ionization detectors in place. Extraction equipment is also available in this laboratory.

The department has outstanding existing computer facilities, with widespread use of networked personal computers and rapid access to Silicon Graphics machines and the College and University mainframe machines.