Modern Diesel Technology of the 2000's

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Introduction When someone mentions diesel, many people still have the image of a loud and obnoxious machine that is hard to start in the cold weather. This may have been true twenty to thirty years ago, but could not be further from the truth today! With all of the advancements in engine and emissions technology; diesel has become the new standard in fuel economy and power while still maintaining strict pollution standards as mandated by the EPA. As C.J. Baker explained here, “Diesel development has come a long way, but the public perception of diesel is lagging 25 years behind...but the bottom line is still the same. Modern diesels are quick, powerful, quiet, easy to start in the cold, and don't smoke.”(Baker 2). Therefore I have chosen modern diesel as my topic, to help shine some light on the misunderstood beast that we call diesel. Also I hope to inform the public, that there is alternative technologies to gasoline and hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles, that perform a multitude of times better, while not damaging the environment. Diesel Fundamentals The way a diesel engine operates is drastically different from gasoline, instead of a spark plug pulsing seventeen times a second to initiate the explosion of the fuel, diesel relies on compression to generate the heat required to ignite, and create the explosion of the fuel. Also because of this diesel engines need to be built much stronger to endure the high-compression ratios required to contain the explosion. According to Lucy Lazarony, diesel cars and trucks provide twenty to thirty percent better fuel economy than comparable gasoline models (para. 1). This is because down to a molecular state diesel has “eleven percent more energy per gallon”(Baker, para. 7). The... ... middle of paper ... ...nce.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/algae-biodiesel.htm/printable>. "Nitrogen Dioxide | Air & Radiation | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA, 28 Oct. 2010. Web. 7 Apr. 2011. . Roy, Rex. "Diesel vs. hybrid: How to save fuel the smart way - CNN." CNN. N.p., 15 May 2009. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. . Swan, Katharine. "What is a Turbocharger?." wiseGEEK: clear answers for common questions. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . "Trip Calculator: Fuel Consumption Calculator & Travel Time Calculator." Trip Calculator: Fuel Consumption Calculator & Travel Time Calculator. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. .

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