Press information
Future potential: PSG pressure sensor glow plug
from BERU facilitates optimum combustion
The diesel is more popular than ever. To maintain this status, a
reduction in untreated engine emissions is already compulsory due to
drastic exhaust limits planned for the future. As a key component of
BERU
Date
Ref.
274_en
31.01.2008
5.970
controlled combustion, the BERU PSG is helping to reduce NOx and
CO2 emissions.
(Ludwigsburg, 31 January 2008) The future of the diesel has only
just begun. Among the 3.47 million brand-new cars delivered in Germany in 2006, 1.54 million vehicles had a diesel engine under the
bonnet according to Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) statistics. Increase compared with the previous year: 7.7 per cent. In 2006,
the diesel share of all new vehicles amounted to 44.2 per cent. When
it came to new registrations of CI engines in 2006, France reached
around 1.43 million vehicles (diesel share: 71.4 per cent). France is
followed by Italy with 1.36 million new diesel cars (diesel share: 58.2
per cent) and Spain with 1.02 million vehicles (diesel share: 68.2 per
cent). The trend is continuing on an upward path everywhere. In the
USA, experts are likewise predicting enormous potential for CI engines. The current study of a leading American market research organisation is forecasting a US market share of around 12 per cent for
diesel drives in cars and light trucks by 2015; worldwide it is then projected to be just under 25 per cent.
Milestone in combustion technology
In order for the diesel to increase its popularity still further, today and
in the future it must comply with the strictest emissions guidelines.
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Take the example of Europe: from 2009 Euro 5 limits will apply, reducing the discharge of nitric oxides in diesels to 180 mg/km. From
2014, under Euro 6, only 80 mg/km will be permitted by law. In the
USA the challenges for engine developers are likewise growing, with
the tightening of BIN 8 to BIN 5. Instead of 200 milligrams of nitric
oxides per mile, only 70 milligrams will then be allowed.
“These demanding limits can only be achieved technically if the untreated emissions of the diesel engines are already as low as possible”, explains Dipl.-Ing. Hans Houben, Development Director of
Ludwigsburg company BERU AG. “Because the realistic conversion
level of a nitric oxide after-treatment system is limited”. For the partial
load area, according to Houben, alternative combustion methods present themselves. They avoid the area of thermal nitric oxide formation, but are no longer controllable on an “open loop” basis.
“In order to be able to build a closed loop control system and thereby
control the combustion processes in the engine even more precisely,
the BERU PSG intelligent pressure sensor glow plug is of outstanding
importance”. Dr. Leopold Mikulic, Head of Car Engine Development at
Mercedes, confirms the key role of cylinder pressure sensors in the
trade magazine Automotive Engineer: “Sensors for measuring cylinder pressure are key components in highly efficient and low-emission
combustion systems, irrespective of whether they are for diesels or
petrol-driven cars”. To this end, the multiple award-winning PSG, featuring the particularly robust heating rod of the BERU ISS diesel instant start system combined with a piezo-resistive sensor, determines
the pressure in the combustion chamber which changes rapidly on a
cyclical basis and relays it continuously to the engine’s electronics
control system.
Euro 6 with no expensive NOx after-treatment
One of the proofs of the enormous potential possessed by the BERU
pressure sensor glow plug comes in the form of a co-operation
agreement
covering
applications
of
cylinder
pressure-based
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combustion control, between BERU AG and Grazer AVL, the world’s
largest independent organisation for the development of drive systems with combustion engines. Houben: “Using the BERU PSG and
the AVL CYPRESS control system in demonstration vehicles, it was
possible to achieve low emission combustion design with untreated
NOx emissions which are still below the Euro 6 limit currently being
discussed”.
For BERU’s Head of Development, the possibilities of the PSG are
therefore by no means exhausted. “Thanks to the exact recording of
cylinder pressure using the PSG, higher peak pressures can be
achieved and thus standard combustion processes can be taken to
their limits without causing problems, especially in the new generation
of downsizing engines“. Result: higher engine performance, higher
efficiency. Houben sees a further benefit of the PSG in the compensation of different ignition delays: “Each cylinder is unique. Thanks to the
data provided by the PSG, ignition can be optimised based on cylinder selection. Cylinder balancing is technically feasible, the engine
runs like clockwork, cold start and cold running quality is again improved. Particularly also for US applications with a broader dispersion
of the cetane number of the fuel, stable long-term emissions control is
therefore finally representable”.
Further major innovation potential offered by the BERU PSG:

effective compensation of different grades of fuel and injector
ageing,

optimum emissions control over the entire service life of the
engine,

possible savings on cost-intensive NOx sensors and air mass
measuring devices,

reduction in engine-dependent vibration and acoustic problems (noise, vibration, harshness, NVH),

optimum control of torque,

minimisation and optimisation of exhaust after-treatment.
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PSG production at BERU’s Ludwigsburg site
With PSG production at group headquarters in Ludwigsburg, the
specialists in Ignition Technology, Diesel Cold-Start Technology,
Electronics and Sensors are once again declaring their support for
Germany as a location. The pressure sensor glow plugs are produced
on a mid-volume line with the aid of expensive process technology.
This includes a total of twelve operating stations with complex jointing,
casting and laser welding processes, features state-of-the-art technology and is designed for extreme flexibility. Improvements can
therefore be implemented rapidly and in a commercially viable manner.
From the middle of 2008 a large European car maker is installing the
pressure sensor glow plug for the first time as standard. Further series
start-ups for the North American and European markets are already
definitely scheduled.
274_1: As a key component of controlled combustion, the BERU PSG
helps to reduce NOx and CO2 emissions. In addition, with the pressure
sensor glow plug higher peak pressures can be achieved and thus
standard combustion processes can be taken to their limits without
causing problems. Optimum emissions control over the entire service
life of the engine is technically possible with the PSG, as are savings
on cost-intensive NOx sensors and air mass measuring devices.
274_2: BERU’s new pressure sensor glow plugs are being produced
at the Ludwigsburg site with the aid of expensive process technology for the time being on a mid-volume line.
Page 4 of 5
With a world market share of over 40% for glow plugs and electronically
controlled instant-start systems for diesel engines, BERU AG is the world’s
leading supplier of Diesel Cold-Start Technology. It is also one of Europe´s
four leading suppliers in the field of ignition technology for gasoline engines.
And BERU is rapidly expanding in the electronics sector with a focus on
complete electronic systems for the automotive industry. This
longestablished company, founded in 1912, also produces sensors and ignition
systems for the oil and gasburner sector. BERU´s customers include nearly
all of the world’s car and engine manufacturers. BERU AG is represented at
23 locations on three continents, and the company´s headquarters are in
Ludwigsburg, Germany.
Further information available from:
BERU AG – Hans-Peter Vater,
Director – Head Office Marketing Communications, Product Press
Mörikestr. 155, D-71636 Ludwigsburg, Tel.:++49 (0)7141-132-233,
Fax: -385, E-Mail: produktpresse@beru.de
Or visit us on the Internet: www.beru.com. There you'll find more illustrations in the BERU image database at www.beru.com/bildarchiv
Reprinting free of charge, courtesy copy requested.
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