Fuel Systems &
Contamination Research
SwRI Fuel Systems & Contamination Research Laboratory
Measurement of contaminant sensitivity is becoming more important as vehicle longevity requirements increase and production processes leave internal residue in the component.
Excessive wear and malfunctions in automotive systems are often caused by contaminants or small particles that may be built in, self generated, or ingested from the environment. In addition to premature and abrasive wear, these contaminants may cause:
- Blockage
- Lockup
- Premature failure of automotive components
- Valves
- Pumps
- Seals
- Fuel injectors
Premature and abrasive wear may eventually result in:
- Machine performance degradation
- Shortened service life
- Customer dissatisfaction
- Catastrophic failure
Multidisciplinary Approach
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) engineers and scientists address these contamination problems using a multidisciplinary approach that employs:
- Failure analysis
- Laboratory testing
- Experimentation
- Field work
- Modeling
- Predictive correlation
- Design elaboration
- Concurrent engineering
Contamination Focus Areas
The Department of Vehicle Systems Research focus area includes:
- Contaminant characterization
- Accelerated life testing (key-life testing)
- Material compatibility
- Modeling and simulation
- Test procedure development
- Lubricity, friction, and wear
- Environmental evaluation
- Filtration
- Emissions and safety issues
- Component and systems development
ISO Certification
As an independent, multidisciplinary research, development, and testing organization, SwRI provides an unbiased, third-party perspective. The Fuels and Lubricants Research Division has achieved certification to ISO 9001, an internationally recognized quality standard, and ISO 14001 certification, an internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems.
Related Terminology
contaminants • fuel components • fuel system components • powertrain components • air induction systems • lubricant systems • automotive safety • vehicle performance • contamination damage • fuel injectors • functionality testing • contamination sensitivity and durability testing • contaminant chemical composition determination • contaminant particle size evaluation
