NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Cummins has announced it can meet 2010 emissions standards for heavy-duty truck engines without employing a NOx aftertreatment system.

The announcement contrasts the widely-held opinion that Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) would be required to meet the EPA2010 emissions standards. Cummins did announce that it will use SCR on its mid-range engine line.

Cummins officials said the company will evolve the its existing cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology and slightly modify the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) to meet the 2010 NOx standards, while maintaining power and torque capabilities as well as fuel economy. The ISM engine line will be replaced with higher displacement X-series engines in 11.9-, 15- and 16-litre configurations.

There will be very little change in terms of architecture, Steve Charlton, executive director, heavy-duty engineering with Cummins said at a press conference this weekend. It will look and feel very much the same (as todays engines).

He also said We are content that we can hold the line on fuel economy.

Cummins plans to reach the 2010 standards through an integrated solution consisting of: an XPI High-Pressure Common Rail fuel system; increased levels of cooled EGR; advanced electronic controls; enhanced air handling capabilities; and the Cummins DPF, featuring a close-coupled catalyst which will change the way regenerations take place. Cummins Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) will continue to be an integral part of the package, the company announced.

Meanwhile, the company will use SCR on its mid-range engine platform. Cummins officials said medium-duty operators have different concerns than truck owners in the heavy-duty longhaul sector, focusing primarily on power density, adaptability and maintenance intervals.

Cummins will continue using the same technology it employed on its 2007 mid-range engines, coupled with an SCR system that will inject small doses of urea into the exhaust stream. The urea reacts with NOx to form harmless nitrogen and water which is then expelled into the atmosphere. SCR is already widely used in Europe.

Our 2007 products are working well and customers are delighted, said Jeff Weikert, executive director of mid-range engineering with Cummins. For 2010, we will simply add a proven NOx reduction system to ensure a highly reliable and cost-effective solution.

For an in-depth look at Cummins 2010 emissions strategy, see the November issues of Truck News and Truck West.