Impco Technologies Inc. is introducing Eclipse, a new product line designed specifically for the heavy-duty spark-ignition gas engine market-place. "The Eclipse product line is an engine management solution for transportation and industrial markets, with OEM and aftermarket engine applications." said Mike LaPlante, director of sales for the Cerritos, Calif., manufacturer.
The Eclipse heavy-duty product line strategy is built around Impco's core products, with additional technology applied in a building Nock approach, technologically matched to increasing levels of global emissions requirements, LaPlante said.
The system can be used with both naturally aspirated or turbocharged engines and is offered in four series--Eclipse I, II, III, IV, which Impco said achieves progressively more stringent emission standards for global proliferation.
"We looked at what our customers will need over the next decade, where more stringent emission standards and improved fuel economy will be major market drivers" LaPlante said. "The Eclipse system is designed to provide unparalleled flexibility for upgrading to obtain emission targets and proven technology for longevity of the engine."
Advertisement
LaPlante described Eclipse as a full-featured, integrated engine management system for natural gas (CNG, LNG) and LPG heavy-duty engines. The system includes an array of fuel metering technologies constructed in a building block approach based on Impco's existing air/gas mixer, and adding solenoid and electronic pressure regulation enhancements with port fuel and hybrid injection options.
Eclipse employs closed loop feedback and feed-forward fueling strategies, for the control of single point, multipoint and hybrid fuel injection techniques. The system can be configured for both stoichiometric and lean-burn air fuel ratios for naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines.
"The nature of stoichiometric internal combustion requires the use of a three-way exhaust gas catalyst in the system to attain emissions that are compliant with government regulations," LaPlante said. A two-way oxidation catalyst for lean-burn fueling strategies is used to achieve compliance for more stringent emissions standards.
Eclipse has a 24 V CAN Link-enabled engine control unit that has advanced control algorithms capable of precise fuel and air metering management with diagnostics, feedback and feed-forward strategies.
Further, LaPlante said, Eclipse features 10,000-hour target durability, sensors to provide fault indication, and a fail-safe design for engine protection. Additional features include drive-by-wire, vehicle speed limiting, electronic governing, knock detection and abatement, and electronically optimized turbocharger boost via electronic wastegate control.
In bringing Eclipse to market, Impco is looking at a multitude of application possibilities. These include: fuel and spark control systems for gaseous fuel optimized engines; remanufacturing of a diesel engine to gaseous fuel operation using OEM available engine components; diesel-based engine development for gaseous fuel operation and engine management system application; and vehicle intergration.
LaPlante said the same Eclipse technologies can be used for both on-highway and off-highway applications. On-highway applications as transit buses, refuse and cargo vehicles are bring target, ed. Stationary applications would encompass engines with a limited range of speedload operating conditions, e.g., idle to wide open throttle, between 50 hp and 5000 hp. The most common uses are expected to be generator sets, gas compression, drilling and pumping applications.
The launch of the Eclipse system also includes a pair of strategic alliances with E-Controls and Lotus Engineering. The agreement with E-Controls involves the development of proprietary electronic control technology for Impco's commercial product lines. As a result, "the heavy-duty product line has adopted the same ECU technology Impco uses in its material handling applications."
The strategic alliance with Lotus involves, "leveraging each other's resources to provide alternative fuel solutions. This is not an exclusivity agreement, however it does allow Impco to engage with Lotus on a project-by-project basis," LaPlante said.
In cooperation with Lotus, Impco will develop the engine modifications, and then integrate the Eclipse engine management system to the engine. This would include base engine modifications for compatibility with gaseous fuels and calibration to enable power and emission specifications to be achieved.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment