Engine makers find solidarity in SCR

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Not only will SCR technology provide engine makers with an option to meet stringent U.S. EPA rules in 2010, it also gives them an opportunity to finally agree on something.

“This may be the only time you see the world’s three largest producers of heavy duty diesel engines in violent agreement about anything,” said Chris Patterson, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America.

Patterson made his comments during an SCR CEO Summit at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. last week. The event was facilitated by FactsAboutSCR.com on behalf of the North American SCR Stakeholders Group, a coalition of more than 200 companies, associations and agencies involved in the rollout of SCR and the DEF infrastructure to support it.

The summit was staged to mark the official beginning of the SCR/DEF rollout for 2010.

“Our companies produce the only engines in volume production today that will still be available after the new standard comes into effect,” said Patterson. “So when we say that our engines will burn up to 5 percent less diesel fuel after the first of the year, we speak with authority born of experience.”

FactsAboutSCR.com publisher Chuck Mattina, president and COO of Quixote Group (an independent research firm involved in studying the industry) moderated the session. Panelists included executives at six engine makers offering SCR technology, and also included executives at diesel exhaust fluid infrastructure partners and two of the major truck stop chains in the U.S.

Each company provided the back story behind its decisions to commit to SCR technology for meeting the 2010 standing, providing insights into the how and why decisions were made and including the viewpoints and findings of more than a decade of research and testing leading to the investment of resources as well as their commitment to production.

“There are currently no production trucks – anywhere in the world – that deliver 0.5 grams of NOx with EGR only,” Per Carlsson, president and CEO Volvo Trucks North America said. “Never mind the 0.2 gram standard that we’re achieving with SCR – a standard that the competition is going to have to meet once its bank of credits is exhausted.”

“We use EGR today. We know it puts additional stress on an engine. We know it generates a lot of heat, even at today’s levels. We know it presents challenges in engine performance and fuel economy. We’re managing all of this extraordinarily well today,” added Denny Slagle, president and CEO of Mack Trucks. “But we’ve reached the limit of what can be accomplished with EGR. More is definitely not better…And there’s no way around fuel economy and performance penalties. This isn’t marketing – it’s science, pure and simple.”

Jim Kelly, president of Engine Business Cummins, noted the advantages of an SCR plus EGR solution (the generally accepted standard for SCR systems) over an “in-cylinder” or EGR-only solution for meeting EPA 2010 standards.

According to Kelly, Cummins has found SCR offers lower heat rejection, higher power and torque for a given displacement, less complexity, wider operating “sweet spot,” and is the only solution that can meet 2010 emissions regulations and deliver a fuel economy improvement.

Executives from both Pilot Travel Centers and TravelCenters of America/Petro Stopping Centers said pre-packaged containers of DEF would be available at retail locations (more than 500 combined) for the start of 2010 and plans are well underway to have bulk quantities available at a number of locations.

Barry Lonsdale, president of Terra Environmental Technologies, reminded the audience that DEF is non-hazardous according to OSHA criteria and stable, with a shelf-life that is at least one year. He also reported on a new quality control point of difference for North America, citing the American Petroleum Institute and its development of the first-ever DEF certification program.
 


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*