What is Common Rail? How does the Common Rail system operate? What are the advantages to the Common Rail System? What are the Common Rail vehicles?
Common Rail is a fuel-injection system for diesel vehicles using Direct Injection Technology. This can also be called Retained Injection or Common Pipeline.
Common Rail Technology, which is used for Direct Injection Diesel engines, has many advantages over other diesel systems. The vehicle uses less fuel, runs more quietly, and produces less exhaust emissions. This system reduces fuel consumption by 20% and gives the vehicle a 50% increase of torque at low speeds and 25% for high speeds.
Common Rail technology differs from other diesels in that it separates pressure generation from injection. Common Rail technology can produce a pressure that is higher than 900 bar for conventional diesel direct injectors. Common Rail distributes this fuel to the injectors via a common pipe. ECU (Electronic Control Unit), adjusts the high pressure based on engine speed and load.
Conventional diesel vehicles send the fuel directly to the injectors via a pump. Common Rail Technology has replaced this pump. Common Rail Technology uses a high pressure pump (the ECU), to control the fuel flow. This traps the fuel and then sends it to the injectors. Although each injector is required to be connected to its own fuel circuit in traditional diesel systems, they are all connected to this single rail (or pipeline). The system has the advantage of allowing the injectors to adjust fuel injection and cutting time independently from engine timing. It can thus choose the most efficient injection time and increase combustion in the cylinders.
This system is very sensitive and can be damaged by even the smallest dust particles.
Magnetic valves are located on the injectors and can be quickly switched between different modes to adjust the spray spray. These options allow for another advantage, the pilot, which is the pre-injection. The pilot injection is performed before the main injection. It greatly increases the fuel combustion rate. The solenoid valves are repeatedly activated to create pre or multiple injection. Direct-injection combustion chambers have a lower level of harmful substances, noise emissions, as well as fuel consumption. With the Common Rail System, it is possible to replace the injection system with minimal engine modifications.
This system is used not only in automobiles but also in heavy-tonnage vehicles and ship’s engines.
