BLUETEC diesel system fails to meet all 50 states' emissions standards
08-29-2006, 02:03 PM
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BLUETEC diesel system fails to meet all 50 states' emissions standards
say goodbye to BLUETEC, at least if you live in California, Maine, Massacheussetes, New York, or Vermont. DiamlerChysler has announced that it hasn't been able to meet the tough emissions standards of these five states, and as such, won't sell any BLUETEC diesel vehicles in them.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...luetec_ar.html
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...luetec_ar.html
E320 BLUETEC Arriving as a 45-State Vehicle; Urea SCR Required for 50-State Rating
28 August 2006
When the Mercedes E320 BLUETEC hits salesrooms shortly, it will be as a 45-state compliant vehicle, not a 50-state vehicle.
BLUETEC is DaimlerChrysler’s modular emissions aftertreatment architecture that provides the potential for 50-state compliance—i.e, meeting EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions levels, which map to California LEV II levels.
To tackle the difficult NOx target, DaimlerChrysler has currently defined two technology approaches.
The E320 BLUETEC, first of the family to arrive in the US, uses a newly developed NOx adsorber, a catalytic device that converts NOx to nitrogen. Subsequent family members are slated to use urea-based injection system for NOx reduction (using an aqueous urea solution called AdBlue, the genesis of the BLUETEC name).
Both are combined with Selective Catalytic Reduction systems, which, while in principle are the same, differ in application design based on vehicle parameters and emissions targets.
Although the E320 BLUETEC comes “quite close” to Tier 2 Bin 5 NOx levels, according to a DaimlerChrysler spokesperson, “the urea SCR system will be necessary” for full 50-state compliance.
Tests by the EPA in 2004 of a E320 prototype indicated that the aftertreatment system came in at just beneath 0.06 g/mi of NOx; the Tier 2 Bin 5 target is 0.05 NOx g/mi.
The EPA has yet to sign off on urea-SCR systems for light-duty vehicles, partly due to concerns on enforcement. It is clear, however, that urea-SCR is going to be necessary to support a full 50-state rollout of most clean diesel vehicles. The EPA said at the recent DEER 2006 conference that it would soon provide guidance to manufacturers on urea-SCR systems for light-duty vehicles.
28 August 2006
When the Mercedes E320 BLUETEC hits salesrooms shortly, it will be as a 45-state compliant vehicle, not a 50-state vehicle.
BLUETEC is DaimlerChrysler’s modular emissions aftertreatment architecture that provides the potential for 50-state compliance—i.e, meeting EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions levels, which map to California LEV II levels.
To tackle the difficult NOx target, DaimlerChrysler has currently defined two technology approaches.
The E320 BLUETEC, first of the family to arrive in the US, uses a newly developed NOx adsorber, a catalytic device that converts NOx to nitrogen. Subsequent family members are slated to use urea-based injection system for NOx reduction (using an aqueous urea solution called AdBlue, the genesis of the BLUETEC name).
Both are combined with Selective Catalytic Reduction systems, which, while in principle are the same, differ in application design based on vehicle parameters and emissions targets.
Although the E320 BLUETEC comes “quite close” to Tier 2 Bin 5 NOx levels, according to a DaimlerChrysler spokesperson, “the urea SCR system will be necessary” for full 50-state compliance.
Tests by the EPA in 2004 of a E320 prototype indicated that the aftertreatment system came in at just beneath 0.06 g/mi of NOx; the Tier 2 Bin 5 target is 0.05 NOx g/mi.
The EPA has yet to sign off on urea-SCR systems for light-duty vehicles, partly due to concerns on enforcement. It is clear, however, that urea-SCR is going to be necessary to support a full 50-state rollout of most clean diesel vehicles. The EPA said at the recent DEER 2006 conference that it would soon provide guidance to manufacturers on urea-SCR systems for light-duty vehicles.
08-29-2006, 04:18 PM
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Good riddance. It's very annoying to be stuck in traffic behind a diesel car. At least the big diesel trucks have roof mounted exausts, so the fumes are exausted high into the air, but regular diesel cars just don't belong on the road, I don't care how economical they are.
08-29-2006, 08:51 PM
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What is interesting is that Honda might get there first with a EPA Tier 2 Bin 5/CARB 2007 certification for a diesel engine, thanks to a recent patent for a new type of electric filter that breaks down NOx in diesel exhaust into simple NO2 by forcing the exhaust gases through a plasma of electrically-charged air. This allows for the use of a simpler catalytic converter to remove the NOx gases to very low levels, and combined with a particulate trap that "burns off" the particulates the result is extremely low exhaust emissions.
08-30-2006, 04:58 AM
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Honda may have been late to the game in diesels but the 2.2 liter turbo diesel is the class of field in Europe (Honda's first attempt at a production in house diesel engine) - in fact this diesel has broken many speed & economy records for its class and size.
I do think Honda will be the first to meet this and more to the point will out squirting cat piss into the exhaust to do so. This takes away another maintenance problem as many people do not get them done on schedule so they'd often be running out of the urea making the exhaust as bad as ever (ever see a poorly maintained VW TDI - plumes of black smoke out the back).
I have an idea for the urea based technology - they could sell cat litter boxes that can have a built in urinal where they can fill up a jug to put in their car when its needed. The sh!t could be packaged and sent to the car companies to reuse in advertisements and marketing efforts. That's recycling!
I do think Honda will be the first to meet this and more to the point will out squirting cat piss into the exhaust to do so. This takes away another maintenance problem as many people do not get them done on schedule so they'd often be running out of the urea making the exhaust as bad as ever (ever see a poorly maintained VW TDI - plumes of black smoke out the back).
I have an idea for the urea based technology - they could sell cat litter boxes that can have a built in urinal where they can fill up a jug to put in their car when its needed. The sh!t could be packaged and sent to the car companies to reuse in advertisements and marketing efforts. That's recycling!
08-30-2006, 06:41 AM
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I have an idea for the urea based technology - they could sell cat litter boxes that can have a built in urinal where they can fill up a jug to put in their car when its needed. The sh!t could be packaged and sent to the car companies to reuse in advertisements and marketing efforts. That's recycling!
08-30-2006, 12:35 PM
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Why doesn't every manufacturer work on developing low sulfur, low emission diesel systems like those in Europe? The US will be getting low sulfur diesel in the next year or two. Those diesels in Europe are great, without the annoyances of typical diesel engines (rackety idle and smokey exhaust).
08-30-2006, 01:21 PM
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08-30-2006, 02:10 PM
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Why doesn't every manufacturer work on developing low sulfur, low emission diesel systems like those in Europe? The US will be getting low sulfur diesel in the next year or two. Those diesels in Europe are great, without the annoyances of typical diesel engines (rackety idle and smokey exhaust).
08-30-2006, 07:15 PM
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Why doesn't every manufacturer work on developing low sulfur, low emission diesel systems like those in Europe? The US will be getting low sulfur diesel in the next year or two. Those diesels in Europe are great, without the annoyances of typical diesel engines (rackety idle and smokey exhaust).
08-30-2006, 10:35 PM
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The I-4 engine will likely make it to the CR-V and Element small SUV's and the Accord sedan; the V-6 will likely make it to the Ridgeline truck, MDX and Pilot full-size SUV's and Odyssey minivan. There are pictures of a disguised Ridgeline doing some sort of engine testing floating around the Internet nowadays; there's a good chance that Ridgeline test mule may be testing the V-6 turbodiesel engine.