CDTi testing of new diesel oxidation catalyst shows high performance with dramatically lower use of high-priced coatings
The extremely high costs of manufacturing catalytic converters for diesel trucks may be seeing a significant reduction if Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. (CDTi) new coating material goes into production.
CDTi, a leader in advanced emission control technology, released preliminary engine and vehicle test results for its new synergized-platinum group metal (SPGM) diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) technology. DOC is a major component of diesel emission control systems worldwide.
Special platinum and palladium coating materials are used to reduce diesel emissions and improve the performance and reliability of emission control equipment.The tests, run on a 2007 Cummins ISL 8.9L, show the new material performs as well as current catalysts while reducing DOC material usage be more than 80-percent.
CDTi says the goal of its advanced materials research program is to significantly reduce or eliminate the need for costly PGMs in emission control catalysts.
Current designs are heavily reliant on high levels of platinum and palladium for conversion of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC), and for the oxidation of nitric oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to feed the downstream particulate filter and selective catalytic reduction systems.
OEMs spent almost $1.0 billion on PGMs for heavy-duty diesel vehicle catalysts in 2012 according to information derived from Johnson Matthey PLC’s “Platinum 2013” report. CDTi estimates that the vast majority of this spend was for DOCs.
Benchmark testing of Euro VI Certified System on Cummins ISL 8.9L.“Beyond the light-duty vehicle market, heavy-duty DOCs are a major opportunity for our advanced materials technology, ” says Chris Harris, CDTi’s President and CEO. “These initial engine and vehicle tests for our SPGM DOC technology are the first in a series of key development milestones.
“They further demonstrate our ability to invent innovative materials to create significant value propositions in a range of downstream markets,” says Harris. “We intend to commercialize our SPGM DOC technology through OEMs and retrofit catalyst suppliers via our powder-to-coat business model as well as incorporate it into our DuraFit(TM) line of diesel replacement parts.”
CDTi’s SPGM DOC technology is expected to be the first of many planned applications of its new powder capability. The Company has filed patents covering its SPGM DOC design that establishes a synergy between its proprietary catalytic powder and extremely low levels of PGM.
This cutaway shows a DOC (yellow) in front of a DPF in a truck catalytic converter.“We believe our newest proprietary materials will enable OEMs, industry coaters and other catalyst manufacturers to dramatically reduce PGM usage while meeting more stringent emission requirements.
“We also expect to report initial vehicle test results on additional new generation catalysts, including Spinel(TM), in the near future,” concluded Harris.
The SPGM DOC was road-tested on an urban transit bus powered by a 2007 Cummins ISL 8.9 liter engine.
It had equivalent performance to an EPA certified OEM DOC using only 1.5 grams (4.75 g/ft3) of PGM compared to the OEM catalyst’s 11.0 grams (35 g/ft3).
Further benchmark testing was done at an outside facility that demonstrated the SPGM DOC had equivalent performance to the DOC in a Euro VI certified system using 38 g/ft3 (see link to chart below)
In addition, an emission control system supplier evaluated CDTi’s SPGM DOC and demonstrated equivalent filter regeneration performance at just 7% of the PGM loading of its current DOC.
