CRC AVFL-15 Project

E20 Durability Study

Fuel System Component

Mid-Level Ethanol Blends

Research Coordination Group

May 5th, 2010

Presented by: Dominic DiCicco, Ford Motor CompanyProject Co-leads: Sean Torres, Ford Motor Company

Mike Foster, BP

Keith Knoll, NREL

Panel: CRC AVFL Member Companies 
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AVFL-15

Scope• Initial investigation to evaluate the durability impacts of wetted fue

components when exposed to E20.

• Program limited to one piece evaluations due to resource constrain

Technical Approach• Query OEMS for candidate fuel system applications relevant to the 

• Perform specific durability protocols to expose and age componen

mid-level ethanol. 

• Conduct component functionality testing using E0 as the test fluid 

Status: Pilot phase completed December 2008 Fuel Injector testing completed E20A testing Dec. 2009

 Fuel System Rigs completed aging February 2010Fuel Pump testing to complete (E10 Endurance) May 2010

Finalizing setup of Fuel Level Sensor and Fuel Damper testing

Post Mortem in progress or to be conducted for various componen

AVFL-15 Project Summar
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AVFL-15

Vehicle Design Selection

• 1996-2007MY (attempting to represent model years found in the f

Fuel-System Related Components Included in Program

• Fuel pump• Fuel injector• Fuel level senders• Fuel damper• Fuel system rig assembly (from fuel rail to fuel tank and componen

between)

Vehicle Design & Compone
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• Base Gasoline (E0) – used for functional testing – Conventional Fuel with 38-40% aromatics – Instead of isooctane-toluene blend• E10 – durability fuel – blended from the base gasoline• Aggressive E20 (E20A) – durability fuel – SAE J1681 – with agreed modifications – Chlorides – 10ppm max from ASTM 4806 (2ppm for E20) – Sulfates – 4ppm max on denatured ethanol (~1ppm for E20) – pHe – unable to achieve using acetic acid; replaced sulfuric ac

acid (~2.8 as found in SAE J1681)

• Fuels pre-blended and stored at testing facility

Test Fuels
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• Soak fuel pumps in E20A to determine change in pum

performance

• Soak aging of 10 designs (up to 12 weeks) – Soak pump in E20A at 60oC (140oF), non-vented container – Pump on time using 13.5 VDC, pump flow and pressure per spe

– Fuel changed weekly for first 8 weeks, then changed at week 1

• Flow testing – Weekly using SAE/USCAR-13 for first 8 weeks, then final test a

– E0 used for all flow testing

• Follow-up testing – Selected Pump designs impacted by E20A repeated the soak te• Pumps completing testing are to undergo tear down a

Fuel Pump: Soak Durability 
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Sample 1: Fuel Pump Flo

Fuel Pump Soak Durability - Pump Example 1

Pump Flow vs. Soak Time

Test Time

% Change in Flow

Pump Soak Conditions:

 - 60°C (140°F) - E20a (aggressive) test fuel - E10 (nominal) test fuel

Flow Test Conditions:

 - E0 test fuel (retail gasoline) - 12 volt supply - OEM spec. pressure

NOTE:1. This is an example of a fuel pump whicexperienced very little flow change.2. % change in flow does not include incrvehicle flow demand due to lower energy from ethanol.
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Fuel Pump Soak Durability - Pump Example 2

Pump Flow vs. Soak Time

Test Time

% Change in Flow

Pump Soak Conditions:

 - 60°C (140°F) - E20a (aggressive) test fuel - E10 (nominal) test fuel

Flow Test Conditions:

 - E0 test fuel (retail gasoline) - 12 volt supply - OEM spec. pressure

Sample 2: Fuel Pump Flo

NOTE:1. Data shown here is the largest difference between E20a E10 of the pumps tested to date. Statistical robustness to bdetermined by additional testing.2. % change in flow does not include increased vehicle flow demand due to lower energy content from ethanol.

Test Time
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Fuel Pump: Endurance Tes

• Operate fuel pumps in E20A to determine change in pu

performance from nearly continuous operation

• 8 designs tested with E20A initially; repeat with E10 as • Endurance aging: – 3,000 hours (10 minutes on, 6 seconds off) – Aging temperatures included 105oF and 140oF – Fuel pressure is specific to design – Fuel change twice per week

• Test stand functionality as defined in SAE/USCAR-13 – Test every 1,000 hours (and before/after hot temp operation)Status:

 E20A testing completeE10 testing underway (4 designs), near completionTear down in progress
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Fuel Injector Testing

• Operate fuel injectors with E20A to determine change 

pattern, dynamic flow, static flow, and if leakage occuoperation in E20A

• 3 designs tested with E20A initially; repeat with E10 as 

• Aging – 600 MM cycles (approx. 6 weeks), Test every 100 MM cycles – Pulse Width of 2.5 ms with Period of 5.0 ms – Fuel change at Test points – Use aftermarket fuel pump and pressure regulator; pressure se

application

• Injector testing (SAE J1832) – Static and Dynamic Flow – Spray quality degradation (via photograph) – Leakage• Status – Completed E20A testing Dec. 2009
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Fuel Level Sensor

• Operate fuel level sensor in E20A to determine perform

• Fuel Resistance (1000 hr test) – 250,000 cycles (powered), 1 week soak (no power) for 1 million 

– Total duration at 1 Hz: Approximately 40 days

• Full Sweep – 5,000,000 cycles (58 days at 1 Hz)• Evaluation to consist of: – Sensor Accuracy – Continuity and Noise – Resistance Stability – Visual InspectionStatus:

 Endurance aging fuel pumps to be used for design selection

 Actuation method approved, setup finalizing Testing scheduled to begin in May
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Fuel Damper

• Soak fuel dampers in E20A to 

assess damping change

• High Temperature Soak / 

Permeation Test – 100 psig fluid pressure @ 120oC for 120 hrs

• Pulse Attenuation (“water hammer” setup) using fast 

valve – 10 Hz to 200 Hz injector frequency at 20oC

• External Leakage – 72 psig air test while submerged in test fluidStatus:

Setup finalizing (relatively short test)Testing scheduled to begin in May
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Fuel System Rig Testing

• Expose fuel system components to E20A and E10 

• 13 rigs: 6 designs (1 rig for each fuel) & one additional • CRC Project E-65 (on E20A) – Rigs to mimic vehicle fuel system (using new parts)

• 14 month soak at 105oF (40.6oC)• Fuel circulation for 10 min every weekday to wet comp• Fuel replaced weekly, then every 2nd week, then every 

during each subsequent 14 week period

• Conduct Tear Down and Post Mortem Analysis – Capture fuel samples to assess material degradation – Analyze fuel system materials at the end of the soak

• Status

 Aging completed February 2010 Fuel sample analysis underway Rig teardown
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Fuel System Rig Exampl
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Post-Mortem Testing

• Fuel Pump – Flow Test – Teardown (e.g. brush, commutator, impeller)• Fuel System Rig – Leak Test – Disassemble – Component teardowns (e.g. corrosion, contamination, seal deg• Fuel Level Sensor: TBD• Fuel Damper: TBD• Fuel Injector: Not Planned Presently
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Testing Status / Timeline

• Currently Planned / Budgeted Testing• Initial aging & testing only – Does not include post-mortem, data analysis, reporting period• Any additional testing will progress beyond June 201
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What’s Next?

• AVFL-15 was a scoping study• Performance differences in some fuel pumps were f

• Post Mortem and Tear Downs in progress• All testing will not complete by end of Summer 2010Panel Recommendation is that “Further work is needed t

determine the significance of changes in pump perf

found in some models” :

1. To investigate root causes2. To provide some statistical robustness

 Current study involves single sample testing

3. To assess inclusion of additional ethanol fuel types and con

4. To evaluate additional testing/functional protocols