10. Conclusions

This presentation of the various aspects of combustion in diesel engines does not claim to be exhaustive. Only the most salient points of the many physical and chemical phenomena involved, and the methods of realization currently in use or planned for the near future, have been highlighted.

The complexity of the phenomena involved in diesel combustion means that there is no such thing as a perfect combustion chamber. Only a successful marriage of combustion chamber and injection system over the engine's entire operating range can deliver the desired longevity, performance, fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.

Exhaust gas recirculation is a promising way of reducing nitrogen oxide emissions.

Exhaust gas cleaning solutions for the future include particulate filters and oxidation catalysts. Significant development...