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Convergent Science Joins the Clean High-Efficiency Diesel Engine VII (CHEDE-VII) Consortium

Building on more than 24 years of diesel engine research, the Clean High-Efficiency Diesel Engine VII (CHEDE-VII) Consortium was founded in November 2015 at the Southwest Research Institute. The Consortium is pursuing the world's most efficient engines in order to meet industry needs in the next 5 to 10 years. The four-year multi-client consortium will consider worldwide markets and the effects of new technologies on these markets.

Convergent Science is pleased to announce our membership in the CHEDE-VII Consortium. Dr. Daniel Lee, Vice President at Convergent Science, stated, “We are delighted to be members of CHEDE-VII. Convergent Science looks forward to working closely with SwRI and the other CHEDE members to utilize cutting edge Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in the design of the world’s most efficient, cleanest, and cost effective engines.”
Other members of the CHEDE-VII consortium include: Cummins, Caterpillar, Toyota, Dongfeng, Honeywell, Detroit, BorgWarner, Federal Mogul, Isuzu, Hyundai, Tata, Lubrizol, Bosch, Weichai Power, Paccar, Hino, John Deere, Jacobs Vehicle Systems, VanDyne SuperTurbo, Tata, Volvo and MAHLE.

About Convergent Science

Founded in Madison, Wisconsin, Convergent Science is a world leader in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Its flagship product, CONVERGE, includes groundbreaking technology that eliminates the user-defined mesh, fully couples the automated mesh and the solver at runtime, and automatically refines the mesh when and where it is needed.

More About the CHEDE-VII Consortium

Goals include research and demonstration of technologies to achieve 55% engine-system efficiency
HD diesel engine system goal of approximately 55% BTE at future low NOx standard
LD diesel engine goal of providing a low cost effective, clean LD Diesel at 2025 GHG

CHEDE-VII Three Main Areas of Concentration

  • Low NOx + Low CO2 Heavy Duty Diesel Engine
  • Goals: Research and demonstration of technologies to achieve 55% engine-system efficiency that meets future low NOX emissions standards (engine goal ~50% BTE, plus waste energy recover =55% BTE total)
  • Alternative Combustion Technology
  • Goals: Evaluation and demonstration of new and alternative combustion systems. Topics include advanced dual-fuel engine technologies, smokeless diesel combustion, and gasoline compression ignition. Project goals to demonstrate potential engine efficiency and emissions improvements from alternative combustion technology.
  • Cost Effective, Light Duty Diesel
  • Goals: Multiple paths that include cost effective LD diesel system, opening new potential for diesels in LD gasoline markets (drive-cycle efficiencies 10% better than premium gasoline), emission solution to meet U.S. SULEV, and CO2-minimized diesel for Euro-VI and beyond.

Specific Clean High-Efficiency Diesel Engine Research Areas

  • Combustion systems
  • Advanced air and EGR systems
  • Waste heat recovery
  • Advanced friction reduction
  • Systems approach to aftertreatment solutions
  • 15.0L High Efficiency Diesel test bed
  • 13.0L Dual Fuel test bed
  • 6.8L test bed
  • Optical combustion bomb
  • High-pressure spray laboratory

On-Site Clean High-Efficiency Diesel Engine Facilities

  • 15.0L test bed
  • 6.8L test bed
  • 1.6L test bed with HIL hybrid
  • 0.4L single-cylinder VCR test bed
  • Optical combustion bomb
  • High-pressure spray laboratory

Past technologies have included advanced boost systems, dual-fuel diesel engine, RCCI, cooled EGR, fuel effects, VVA, full-range HCCI, Stoich-diesel, LD cold-start, and SCR integration. The consortia celebrate 17 awarded patents and an additional ten patents in progress. Participants in the diesel consortium receive royalty-free license to use all patents resulting from the program.

About Convergent Science

Founded in 1997 in Madison, Wisconsin, Convergent Science is a global leader in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Its customers include leading automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturers, tier one suppliers, and professional motorsport teams.
Its flagship product, CONVERGE, includes groundbreaking technology that eliminates the user-defined mesh, fully couples the automated mesh and the solver at runtime, and automatically refines the mesh when and where it is needed. CONVERGE is revolutionizing the CFD industry and shifting the paradigm towards predictive CFD.
Published March 3, 2016