Frank Fradin, then interim laboratory director, looks on. The breakthrough technology increases engine power as well. In 1999 the research expanded to automotive diesel engines. This center, this development and this teamwork form a model for 21st century research and development.
Diesels are the most energy-efficient internal combustion engines.
Almost all heavy-duty trucks in the United States are diesels and last for hundreds of thousands of miles. Europeans are buying more diesel cars because the fuel is cheaper than gasoline. But despite their efficiency, diesel cars and trucks have a visible drawback. The smoke and the particles of unburned fuel are a potential health problem. When the oxygen in the engine increases from the ambient 21 percent to 23 to 25 percent, particulates and visible smoke drop dramatically.