Argonne tests find near-zero emissions for BMW Hydrogen 7
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ARGONNE, Ill. (March 28, 2008) – Independent tests conducted by engineers
at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory on the
mono-fueled version of the BMW
Hydrogen 7 prototype have found that the car's
hydrogen-powered engine surpasses the super-ultra low-emission vehicle (SULEV)
level, the most stringent emissions performance standard to date.
Argonne's transportation research program and facilities are primarily
funded by DOE's Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which supports the development of
vehicle technologies and alternative fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and dependence on foreign oil and enables the U.S. transportation industry
to sustain a strong, competitive position in domestic and world markets. |
"The BMW Hydrogen 7's emissions were only a fraction of SULEV level,
making it one of the lowest emitting combustion engine vehicles that have been
manufactured," said Thomas Wallner, a mechanical engineer who leads Argonne's hydrogen vehicle testing activities. "Moreover, the car's engine actively
cleans the air. Argonne's testing shows that the Hydrogen 7's 12-cylinder
engine actually shows emissions levels that, for certain components, are cleaner
than the ambient air that comes into the car's engine."
It was not an easy task to measure the Hydrogen 7's emissions. "A gross
polluter is easy to measure, but the cleaner the car the harder it is to test," said
Don Hillebrand, director of Argonne's Center for Transportation Research. "Most
labs test at the SULEV level. Argonne's vehicle testing facilities are unique
in that they are able to detect even trace levels of emissions. In this case,
it was near-zero emissions."
After an extensive evaluation by BMW, "Argonne's Advanced
Powertrain Research Facility was found to be the only public test facility in North America
capable of testing hydrogen vehicles at these low emissions levels," said
BMW's Wolfgang Thiel, manager, operating support emissions analysis. "Zero
is a very small precise number – we are pushing the boundaries of emissions
testing."
Technical and program information about the Hydrogen 7 tests will be presented
by Wallner and BMW North America's Jason P. Perron Wednesday, April 2, during
the National
Hydrogen Association Annual
Hydrogen Conference, March 30-April
3, in Sacramento, Calif. Argonne will join BMW's Christoph Huss, senior vice
president, science, traffic and vehicles regulations, in a press conference
to present the test results during the Society
of Automotive Engineers 2008 World Congress, April 14-17, in Detroit.
BMW has put the bi-fueled hydrogen model into limited series production. Although
the vehicle is not yet available for sale to the general public, it is being
made available to "influential public figures," whose use demonstrate
a new era in clean energy, BMW has said. In the meantime, the greatest challenge
to widespread use of hydrogen cars is the limited number of hydrogen refueling
stations.
Argonne has conducted cutting-edge transportation research for more than 30
years and employs a multidisciplinary staff of engineers and scientists involved
in engine, battery, fuel cell, vehicle systems and applied materials research.
Argonne National Laboratory seeks 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.
For more information, please contact Angela Hardin (630/252-5501
or ahardin@anl.gov) at Argonne.
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