Technology Changes Opinions about Diesel Trucks and School Buses

Diesel trucks and school buses have been criticized over the years for “black smoke and bad smell.” Diesel vehicles get much better mileage, and therefore save fuel and protect against “global warming” – but what about the smoke and smell?

You’re right. Diesel trucks and buses get up to 40% more miles to the gallon of fuel, compared to gasoline. In addition to this energy and environmental benefit, manufacturers like International Truck and Engine Corporation have advanced diesel engine technology over the years to produce what are being called “no smoke, no smell” diesel – or clean diesel. Another big leap forward for clean air occurs in 2007, as the nation implements new rules developed by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, with assistance from American diesel engine manufacturers.

What will the stringent new heavy-duty diesel emissions regulations from US EPA mean to the future of diesel engines, trucks and buses?

Technologies evolve with the tremendous amount of development work that has gone into diesel products, and this work is paying off. Advanced technologies and the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel which becomes available nationwide beginning later this year (2006) are applicable to all diesel trucks and buses (heavy duty or light duty) in 2007. The products will change the way people see diesels and there is a high probability of the expansion of diesel use in all vehicles, including automobiles. At these near-zero emissions levels along with the fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions benefits of diesel, diesel becomes an environmental solution.

What improvements are you working on at International Truck and Engine Corporation to meet 2007 environmental requirements?

Our 2007 product is an evolution of the platform of our 2004 engines. We are focusing on five technologies: fuel system, air management, combustion, electronics, and aftertreatment.

We are making advancements in fuel systems that allow the use of pilot injection for nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduction and sound quality improvements, higher injection pressure for improved NOx and particulate emissions, and post injection for soot cleanup. The focus is to take advantage of improved fuel systems technology to reduce in-cylinder emissions.

To achieve even better air management, the evolution of the electronic controls of the turbocharger will continue and the air system will be optimized for emissions improvements and performance enhancements.

Although engineers have been designing combustion bowls on the top of the piston for more that 50 years, new analytical tools combined with the fuel system, the turbocharger and EGR (exhaust gas re-circulation) have resulted in combustion-chamber improvements that reduce in-cylinder emissions sufficiently to eliminate the need for NOx aftertreatment on the 2007 products.

We are taking advantage of dramatically greater computing power that is cost-effective. This allows us to use more sophisticated control algorithms and even virtual sensors where the computer knows what the engine will do from an emissions standpoint without having to measure the actual emissions

Finally, all 2007 diesel vehicles, school buses, and trucks, whether heavy-duty or light-duty, will use particulate filters. These filters eliminate over 90% of the particulate and hydrocarbon emissions, leaving the exhaust smokeless and odorless.

The nationwide availability of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel makes it the main pipeline fuel for "on-highway" diesels. This cleaner fuel is a technology enabler, helping us to reach the new, near-zero emission goals in 2007 and 2010. This fuel is already available in some areas, including California — where International’s Green Diesel Technology® school buses are using the fuel and the technology to meet the particulates and hydrocarbon standards that will be required next year (2007).

Will both Canada and Mexico have the same level of cleaner, ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel available in the same timeframe (starting in 2006) as the U.S., so truckers can fuel new, low-emitting trucks or buses going back and forth across borders?

By a regulation of the Canadian federal government, all diesel fuel sold in Canada for on-highway use will have to be ultra-low-sulfur (<15 parts per million) as of October 2006.

The Mexican government has drafted a regulation requiring ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel in Mexico beginning in September 2008, but the regulation has not been finalized. This could change next year, when the new low-emitting vehicles begin to travel between Mexico and its northern neighbors. If there is no change in the situation, 2007 model-year U.S. vehicles entering Mexico will need to fuel up in the States &#8212; and it is possible that some fuel supplied by U.S. refineries could be stored in Mexico for use under private, contractual arrangements.

What if a 2007-compliant truck is mis-fueled with regular high sulfur "on-highway" fuel or runs into an emergency where the only fuel available is regular high sulfur “on highway" fuel. Will it damage the particulate filter?

Not necessarily. Tests indicate that filling the tank of a low-emitting diesel vehicle with regular diesel fuel on a rare occasion won't damage the filter system. However, this shouldn't be a habit. Use on a repeated or regular basis would do damage.

How do these changes affect existing engines in your lines/ and/or engine components? What are you doing to deal with any changes?

We continue to evolve the components of our engines for emissions, performance, reliability, durability, fuel efficiency and cost effectiveness. The basic platform stays the same. But because of the long lead time that we have for the 2007 rule we were able to choose our technologies early (we did this in the later part of 2003) to have the time to do the design and development for a quality product and to get product into our customers' hands this year to get them comfortable with the technology.

Will the new Federal rules affect the way that diesel trucks and buses are accepted and used, compared to alternatives?

There is no question that the 2007 products are going to change the way people see diesel. The new trucks and buses will have no smoke or smell. They will have sound quality and performance improvements, and the reliability and durability that customers expect. Diesel will stay the leader in the long haul, ahead of other power alternatives.

Describe how the technology integrating Green Diesel Technology&reg; improves performance and reduces emissions.

We have taken our electronically controlled engine, reduced NOx emissions through calibration, utilized a particulate filter and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel to meet the 2007 particulate and hydrocarbon standards today. This product shows the benefits of a systems approach to emissions reduction, which includes engine technology, aftertreatment and fuel. All 2007 diesels will utilize a systems approach to emissions compliance.

Will these changes affect engine and vehicle prices?

Cost will be affected because we are adding components for aftertreatment. But we have already been able to eliminate that need for NOx aftertreatment in 2007 by reducing "in-cylinder" emissions, which is a tremendous cost reduction. The use of particulate filters will go from volumes of a few thousand units per year to almost one million per year in 2007. This dramatic increase in manufacturing scale will help reduce the overall cost of aftertreatment and mitigate the increased cost of the 2007 technology package.

Will the 2007 engine reduce fuel economy in trucks and school buses?

We are working with the big-bore engine suppliers that produce these engines to make sure we continue to deliver reliable, cost-efficient trucks and school buses, and we believe the 2007 vehicles will provide the added benefit of emission reduction without degrading the customary benefit of diesel fuel economy.

How difficult will it be to integrate your improved diesel technology into existing fueling and service infrastructures?

Our diesel technology is designed to seamlessly integrate into the existing fueling and service infrastructure. We utilize ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel that will be available at filling stations and truck stops in 2006.

For more information, visit the Diesel Technology Forum’s website – starting with "Meet Clean Diesel."

 

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