Technical Bulletin

May 2007

Subject: What is Clean Diesel

Submitted by: Courtesy of the Diesel Technology Forum

The following information is intended for educating ADS Members and their customers on
the subject of clean diesel fuel.

A.D.S. SERVICE INFORMATION COMMITTEE

Association of Diesel Specialists
P.O. Box 26487 z Overland Park, Kansas 66225-6487 U.S.A.
Telephone: 913-345-0288 z Fax: 913-345-0299 z e-mail: tech@diesel.org

The Association of Diesel Specialists publishes this Technical Bulletin with the belief that all the
information set forth is true and accurate, but the Association disclaims any liability to the reader or third
persons for any injury or damages which result from any inaccuracies. The information is for use of A.D.S.
members. Any distribution, reproduction or sale of this material or the contents hereof without the consent
of A.D.S. is expressly prohibited.
 What is Clean Diesel?
Diesel engines are cleaner than ever before, and in the next few years, the diesel industry will virtually
eliminate key emissions associated with on- and off-road diesel equipment. This environmental progress
is the result of the new clean diesel system – combining cleaner diesel fuel, advanced engines and effective
exhaust-control technology.

1 The Fuel 2 The Engine 3 The Emissions

Control System
System
Controller
3
1 Diesel Exhaust
90% Particulate Reduction
25-50% NOx Reduction
ULSD
Ultra High Pressure
Fuel Pump
System
Controller Direct Injectors

90% Particulate Reduction

Diesel Exhaust 25-50% NOx Reduction
Air
Highly Exhaust Valves
ULSD Compressed
Intake Air
Ultra High Pressure
Fuel Pump
Direct Injectors
Piston
4 Stroke
Cycle
Air
Highly Exhaust Valves
Compressed
Intake Air

Turbo
Charger
Piston
4 Stroke
Cycle

2
Turbo
Charger

The Fuel: Diesel is a petroleum-based fuel with a high energy content – helping diesel go further per
gallon than most other alternatives.
Refiners are working to reduce the sulfur content in diesel fuel by 97 percent. This new, ultra-clean fuel is
important because sulfur tends to clog advanced exhaust-control devices in diesel engines, like lead once
clogged the catalytic converters on gasoline cars. Just as taking the lead out of gasoline in the 1970s enabled
a new generation of emissions control technologies that have made gasoline vehicles over 95 percent
cleaner, so will removing the sulfur from diesel help usher in a new generation of clean diesel technology.

By October 2006, clean diesel refiners are committed to making ultra-low sulfur fuel (ULSD) available
FU R RE M
UL Sulfur Recovery
nationwide. The sulfur content in ULSD (15 partsGasoline
per million) is equivalent to one ounce of sulfur per tanker
OV
S

Hydrogen
AL PROC AL PRO

truck of diesel. CRUDE Kerosene / Jet

ULTRA
Diesel LOW
FU R RE M SULFUR
Lubricating Oil UL ES Sulfur Recovery CLEAN
REFINERY
OV

S
Gasoline
S

DIESEL
Hydrogen
Kerosene / Jet
CRUDE ULTRA
Diesel LOW
SULFUR
C

ES
REFINERY Lubricating Oil S CLEAN
DIESEL

MeetCleanDiesel
www.dieselforum.org
The Engine: Diesel is the world’s most efficient internal combustion engine. It provides more power
and more fuel efficiency than alternatives such as gasoline, compressed natural gas or liquified natural gas.

Fuel combustion is the primary difference between gasoline and diesel engines. Gasoline engines
ignite fuel with spark plugs, whereas diesels ignite fuel with compression. The piston stroke
in a diesel engine results in a compression of the fuel-air mixture so intense that it combusts
spontaneously. The compression-ignition process provides more torque and is more efficient than
the use of spark plugs required by gasoline engines.
Advanced technologies – such as electronic controls, high-pressure fuel injection, variable injection
timing, improved combustion chamber configuration and turbocharging – have made diesel
engines cleaner, quieter and more powerful than past vehicles.
System
Controller

Ultra High Pressure

Fuel Pump
Direct Injectors

Air
Highly Exhaust Valves
Compressed
Intake Air

Piston
4 Stroke
Cycle

Turbo
Charger

The Emissions Control System: With the introduction of lower-sulfur diesel fuel, a number of
exhaust treatment systems can further reduce emissions from diesel engines.

Particulate Traps – These filters collect particulate matter (i.e. soot) as the exhaust gases pass through
and can reduce particulate emissions by 80 to 90 percent.

Oxidation Converters – These devices use a chemical reaction to convert emissions, such as smog-
forming nitrogen oxides (NOx), into harmless substances. Some catalysts, like selective catalytic
reduction (SCR) devices and NOx adsorbers, focus on nitrogen oxides and can reduce these emissions
by 25 to 50 percent.

F UR RE M
UL Sulfur Recovery
OV

Gasoline
S

90%Hydrogen
Particulate Reduction
AL PROC

Diesel Exhaust Kerosene / Jet

CRUDE 25-50% NOx Reduction ULTRA
Diesel LOW
ES SULFUR
REFINERY Lubricating Oil S CLEAN
DIESEL

www.dieselforum.org