Exhaust Emission Catalyst Technology NEW CHALLENGES and OPPORTUNITIES in EUROPE
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Exhaust Emission Catalyst Technology NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN EUROPE By Dirk Bosteels and Robert A. Searles Association for Emissions Control by Catalyst, Av. de Tervueren 100, 6-1040 Brussels, Belgium; (www.aecc.be) New technologies, incorporating the platinum group metals, are available to meet the exhaust emission regulations for cars, light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles and motorcycles being adopted by the European Unionfor implementation during the new century. These technologies include low light-offcatalysts, more themlly-durable catalysts, impmved substrate technology, hydrocarbon adsorbers, electrically heated catalysts, DeNOx catalysts and adsorbers, selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters. This large range of technologies will allow exhaust emissions from all engines, both on- and non-road, to be lowered to unprecedented levels. This paper examines the state of emission control technologies currently available for all types of engine. Catalyst-equipped cars were fist introduced in challenge is to abate the remaining pollutants emit- the U.S.A. in 1974 (1) but only appeared on ted while enabhg use of fuel-efficient engine European roads in 1985. Indeed, it was not until technologies. This is paramount for achieving 1993 that the European Union (ELI) set new car good air quality and the targets for greenhouse gas emission standards that effectively mandated the reductions given the large increase in the number installation of emission control catalysts on gaso- of vehicles on European roads, the projections for he-fuelled cars. Worldwide, now more than 275 further increases in vehicle numbers and the million of the world's 500 million cars and over 85 greater distances driven each year. per cent of all new cars produced are equipped with autocatalysts. Emissionsfmm On-Road Vehickr In the EU directives are being adopted to leg- The EU emission limits for passenger cars that islate the maximum exhaust emissions permitted came into effect from 1993 were lowered in 1996 from a wide range of vehicles and equipment pow- and again in 2000. For passenger cars (Tables I and ered by the internal combustion engine. Exhaust Il) and hght commercial vehicles the emission emission catalyst technology is increasingly being standards have been agreed for 2000 and 2005 (3). fitted on heavy-duty vehicles, buses, motorcycles Lght commercial vehicle limit values are adjusted and on non-road engines and vehicles. The 13 to compensate for the &her vehicle weights. candidate countries currently negotiating entry to Heavy-duty diesel (HDD) vehicles have new the EU (includingPoland, Hungary and the Czech test cycles and tougher emission standards Republic) d,as a result of adopang the limit val- finalised for 2000 and 2005. The limit values for ues of the EU, increase the application of the enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles technologies developed to control emissions in (EEVs) are set to serve as a basis for fiscal incen- the EU. tives by EU Member States. The 2005 (Euro W) emission standards set limit values for carbon European Union Exhaust Emission monoxide (CO) (1.5 g/kWh), hydrocarbons (HCs) and Fuel Legislation (0.46 g/kWh) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) (3.5 The final report of the European Auto Oil II g/kWh) and also PM limit values intended to force programme (2) concluded that some ait quality the use of particulate traps/diesel particulate filters problems, such as atmospheric levels of particulate (DPFs). The PM limits are 0.02 g/kWh on the matter (PM) and ozone, are not yet solved. The steady state cycle (ESC) and 0.03 g/kWh on the Phtinwnr Met& Rev., 2002,46, (I), 27-36 27 Table I Gasoline Car Limit Values, g/km Year co HC NOx HC t NOx 1993/94 2.72 - - 0.97 1996/97(*) 2.2 (2.7) - (0.341) - (0.252) 0.5 2000/01 2.3 0.20 0.15 - 2005/06 1 .o 0.10 0.08 - ' Limit values corrected to current EU test cycle with no 40 second idle at start of test transient cycle (ETC). The new limit values are a being ratified by the European Parliament and 30 per cent reduction in CO, HC and NOx and an Council. Tighter emission limits from 2003 for 80 per cent reduction in PM from Euro III limit new types of motorcycles are agreed and corre- values of October 2000. spond to a reduction of 60 per cent for HCs and In 2008 (Euro V), the NOx limit of 2.0 g/kWh CO for four-stroke motorcycles, and 70 per cent reflects the need for DeNOx or Selective Catalytic for HCs and 30 per cent for CO for two-stroke Reduction (SCR) catalysts. The limit is subject to a motorcycles. A second stage with new mandatory European Commission study, which will report by emission limits for 2006 is proposed, to be based the end of 2002, on technical progress of the on the new worldwide motorcycle emission test required emission control technologies (4). cycle 0,which is also being developed by The Working Party on Pollution and Energy the UNECE in Geneva. (GRPE), an expert group of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations’ (WP.29) at Emissionsfrom Engines Used in Nan-RoadApplications the United Nations Economic Commission for The process of bringing emission limit values Europe (UNECE) in Geneva, is developing a and fuel quality in non-road applications in line worldwide heavy-duty certification procedure with those of on-road vehicles has begun. (WHDC) and is loow at new measurement pro- Technology adopted and proven in on-road appli- tocols in order to ensure that ultra heparticles are cations will in time be transferred to non-road controlled by hture emission legislation to mir- applications. The first European legislation to reg- imise the health effects of diesel patticle emissions. ulate emissions from non-road mobile equipment Another current action is a proposal by the is being implemented in two stages (5): European Commission to set tougher, catalyst- Stage I implemented in 1999 requiring emission limits for motorcycles. This is Stage I1 implemented from 2001 to 2004, Table II Diesel Car Limit Values, g/km Year co HC t NOx NOx PM 1993194 2.72 0.97 - 0.14 1996/97( *) 1.o 0.7/0.9§ - 0.0810.1 0 (1.06) (0.71/0.91§) (0.63/0.81§) - 2000101 0.64 0.56 0.50 0.05 2005106 0.50 0.30 0.25 0.025 Limit vulues corrected to currenr EU test cycle with no 40 second idle at starr oftest Values.for Direct Injection Diesels Phtintm Metuh h.,2002,46, (1) 28 Table Ill EU Emission Limits for Non-Road Diesel Engines, g/kWh Net Power co I HC NOx I PM Stage I 130-560 kW 5.0 1.3 9.2 0.54 75-1 30 kW 5.0 1.3 9.2 0.70 37-75 kW 6.5 1.3 9.2 0.85 Stage II 130-560 kW 3.5 1 .o 6.0 0.2 75-1 30 kW 5.0 1 .o 6.0 0.3 37-75 kW 5.0 1.3 7.0 0.4 18-37 kW 5.5 1.5 8.0 0.8 dependmg on the engine power output. emission limits for small spark-ignition engines The equipment covered indudes mobile con- below 19 kW used in lawn mowers, chain saws, struction machinery, forklift trucks, road bush cutters, trimmers and snow removal equip- maintenance equipment, ground support equip- ment. The proposal, which is now being ment in airports, aedal lifts and mobile cranes. considered by the European Parliament and Agricultural and forestry tractors have the same Council, has been developed in cooperation with emission standards but with different implementa- the US. Environmental Protection Agency in a tion dates (6). Engines used in ships, railway move toward worldwide harmonisation. locomotives, aircraft, and generating sets, not yet The proposal indudes two stages of limit val- covered by the directive, are being considered by a ues: the first to be met 18 months after the Commission working group and will be included directive comes into force and the second one in the future. between 2004 and 2010 dependmg on the catego- Stages I and I1 are based on a steady-state 8- ry of the engine. The second stage will lower mode test procedure, and emission limit values are emissions from handheld engines by about 80 to shown in Table 111. 85 per cent. Values for the Stage 111 limits using a new tran- Gasoline and diesel engines installed in recre- sient test procedure (NRTC) are under discussion ational crafts and personal watercrafts are already in a European Commission working group. The subject to some emission and noise requirements intention is to develop global solutions and to and limits (8). The European Commission pro- develop the legislation in dose cooperation with posed amendments in October 2000 to the current the U.S.A. and Japan, using the global agreement directive, fuaher reducing the exhaust pollutants. under UNECE in Geneva as the basis for legisla- tion. Fuels A European Commission Task Force has been The mandatory standards for fuel sulfur levels set up to improve the fuel quality for non-road for on-road fuels were set in 1998 (9). However applications. Reducing sulfur content in non-road after a full technical study the European fuels in line with those being introduced in the Commission adopted a proposal in May 2001 to road sector would allow engine makers to use the require the introduction of sulfur-free (< 10 ppm) advanced emission control technologies of cata- gasoline and diesel by each EU Member State lysts and traps to reduce gaseous and particulate from 1 January 2005.