Emissions
Most commercial and agricultural goods are shipped throughout the United States using large trucks (commonly known as tractor-trailers) powered by diesel engines. The exhaust from these vehicles contains particulate matter that pollutes the air and is a known contributor to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases—a documented public health concern. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 heavy-duty diesel engine exhaust emissions standards mandate a 90% reduction in both particulate matter over current levels and in the oxides of nitrogen. These standards must be fully implemented by 2010. In response, PNNL is assisting the DOE Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies by applying its knowledge in surface chemistry, catalyst mechanisms, modeling of multiphase flow and chemical processes, material synthesis and aerosols to address abatement of diesel engine exhaust emissions.
PNNL's Exhaust Emissions Science Laboratory (EESL) is a research center intended to support the mission of DOE's Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies, specifically the Multi-Laboratory Heavy Vehicle Emissions Reduction Program.