Integrated Fuel Technologies Gets
Worldwide License for Argonne-Developed Diesel DeNOx Catalyst
Technology reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by stunning 95 percent
A new, patented catalyst developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of
Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory to reliably and economically reduce
95 to 100 percent of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel-fueled
engines has been licensed to Integrated Fuel Technologies, Inc. (IFT), a
start-up company based in Kirkland, Wash.
IFT plans to integrate the technology – named Diesel DeNOx Catalyst – into
the firm's existing products that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, said IFT
president Robert Firebaugh. The products could be sold to original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs).
"OEMs have expressed an interest in IFT products enhanced with the
Diesel DeNOx Catalyst," Firebaugh said. "These companies want to know if the
technology can survive continuous testing."
"The catalyst can also be easily retrofitted for installation on existing
diesel engine vehicles," said Christopher Marshall, the Argonne chemist who led
the development of technology. "There is a potentially large pool of customers
for this technology, given the 11 million diesel engines currently on the road."
Emissions of NOx are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), which began implementing on January 1, 2007, a more stringent regulation to
reduce releases of the smog-causing pollutant by 2.6 million tons a year on a
phased-in basis through 2010. Standards set by the California Air Resources
Board (CARB) are the strictest in the United States. Argonne and IFT aim for the
Diesel DeNOx technology to meet CARB standards.
IFT is also collaborating with Argonne under a two-year research agreement to
test the technology's longevity in real-world use and to demonstrate it in
real-world applications to determine if it can meet a broad array of
transportation applications.
The Diesel DeNOx Catalyst is a coating that is applied to a ceramic brick,
like a catalytic converter, which is installed in a vehicle's emissions system.
The technology works in conjunction with the particulate matter (PM) trap's
filter. The PM trap's filter removes soot from diesel exhaust, which is then
processed by the Diesel DeNOx Catalyst to remove NOx emissions.
"The key to the Diesel DeNOx Catalyst technology is the reductant," Marshall
said. "Interestingly, it is the diesel fuel that reduces the NOx to nitrogen, a
harmless compound that composes about 72 percent of the Earth's atmosphere. The
catalyst achieves such high rates of conversion because of its interactions with
the hydrocarbons in the diesel fuel. The reduction in NOx emissions comes as a
result of its conversion into nitrogen."
Moreover, the Diesel DeNOx Catalyst has increased performance in the presence
of water vapors. "That characteristic makes it ideal for use in automotive and
truck exhaust systems, where water is always present," Marshall said.
Marshall and Argonne fellow researchers have also found the Diesel DeNOx
Catalyst to be economical to make and use. The technology uses inexpensive
metals — copper and cerium. Using diesel fuel as the reductant eliminates the
need for onboard storage of compounds like ammonia or urea that existing
technologies use as reductants, he said. Compared with existing technologies,
Marshall said, Diesel DeNOx reduces the amount of additional weight a vehicle
has to carry, allowing for more efficient use of a vehicle's fuel.
"Furthermore," he said, "the ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel that will soon be
required for off-road use and is now mandated for on-highway use actually
extends the life of the catalyst technology, which is poisoned by the sulfur."
The Diesel DeNOx Catalyst is a low-cost technology given the usable lifetime
of the catalyst, which is about 400,000 miles. A typical semi-tractor trailer or
shipping and delivery service truck is driven about 45,000 miles in year,
according to the American Trucking Association.
Funding to develop the Diesel DeNOx Catalyst was provided by Argonne's
Laboratory-Directed Research and Development program.
Argonne National Laboratory brings the world's brightest scientists and
engineers together to find exciting and creative new solutions to pressing
national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national
laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research
in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with
researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and
municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America
's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With
employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC
for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.
Argonne National Laboratory News Release (July 1, 2008)
For More Information
For technical information, contact Dr. Christopher Marshall (630-252-4310, marshall@anl.gov).
Media please contact Angela Hardin (630/252-5501 or
ahardin@anl.gov). |