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2009-01-0915

Cost and Fuel Efficient SCR-only Solution for

Post-2010 HD Emission Standards

Robert Cloudt, Frank Willems and Peter van der Heijden

TNO Automotive
Copyright © 2009 SAE International

ABSTRACT in Europe. Table 1 gives an overview of the current and

future NOx and Particulate Matter (PM) limits for the US
A promising SCR-only solution is presented to meet and Europe.
post-2010 NOx emission targets for heavy duty
applications. The proposed concept is based on an Table 1. US and European Heavy Duty emission targets
engine from a EURO IV SCR application, which is
considered optimal with respect to fuel economy and Emission Year Test cycle NOx PM limit
costs. The addition of advanced SCR after treatment legislation limit (g/kWh)
comprising a standard and a close-coupled SCR catalyst (g/kWh)
offers a feasible emission solution, especially suited for
EURO VI. US 2007 2007 FTP / SET (1.5)
1
0.013
US 2010 2010 FTP / SET 0.27 0.013
In this paper, results of a simulation study are presented.
This study concentrates on optimizing SCR deNOx EURO V 2008 ESC 2.0 0.020
performance. Simulation results of cold start FTP and
WHTC test cycles are presented to demonstrate the ETC 2.0 0.030
2
potential of the close-coupled SCR concept. Comparison EURO VI 2013 ESC / ETC 0.40 0.010
with measured engine out emissions of an EGR engine
shows that a close-coupled SCR catalyst potentially has WHSC 0.40 0.010
NOx reduction performance as good as EGR. Practical 0.50-
WHTC 0.010
issues regarding the use of an SCR catalyst in close- 0.70
coupled position will be addressed, as well as engine
1
and exhaust layout. There is no crisp NOx limit for US 2007. The 2010 NOx limit is
phased in from 2007 to 2009 on a 50% of sale basis. The EPA
Averaging, Banking and Trading scheme further allows postponing
For comparison, the requirements of a US 2010/EURO and compensation of emission reduction, based on other engine
VI compliant high EGR engine are discussed: base families or saved credits. According to [1], most 2007 model year HD
engine design, heat rejection, fuel injection equipment, truck engines have been certified at a NOx level of 1.6 to 2.0 g/kWh.
turbo charging and fuel economy. From this study, it is 1.5 g/kWh is based on the mean of 2004 and 2010 targets.
2
concluded that the SCR-only approach leads to a less Expected values, legislation is not fixed yet
expensive engine design with better fuel economy and
lower PM emissions. Details of the EURO VI legislation have not been
consolidated yet, though emission targets based on ETC
INTRODUCTION and ESC cycles have been published. Correlation factors
for emissions on the WHTC are being determined. The
European Automobile Manufacturers Association
During the past decade, heavy duty truck and engine
suggests a WHTC offset of +0.3 g/kWh relative to the
manufacturers have been facing challenges in complying
ETC, for NOx emissions only [2]. An expected WHTC
with more and more stringent emission standards,
NOx target of 0.5 g/kWh has also been reported. The
culminating in the US EPA 2010 standard and EURO VI

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WHTC will be tested twice in a cold start - soak - hot
start order. The expected weights for the cold and hot
start cycles are 10% and 90% respectively.
To further reduce the impact of heavy duty vehicles on
health and air quality in densely populated areas, the
final EURO VI legislation may include limits on the
particle number emission and NO2 emission. By limiting
the particle numbers instead of particulate mass, the
emission of fine particulates is more heavily penalized.
EURO VI may also include a limit on NH3 slip for after
treatment systems using urea Selective Catalytic
Reduction (SCR). Besides emission targets for test
cycles, requirements for real-world performance will be
introduced during the next stages: On-Board Diagnostics
(OBD) and In-Use Compliance (IUC).
Figure 1 gives an overview of the applied and expected
emission reduction technologies during the different
emission legislation stages. With the introduction of
EURO IV and V emission limits, urea SCR after
treatment systems were introduced to the heavy duty
truck market to reduce NOx emissions. A few European
truck brands have opted for a solution which does not
require an additional reagent to be carried on board.
These non-SCR solutions generally apply Exhaust Gas
Recirculation (EGR) and a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)
to reduce the increased raw PM emission.
SCR + DPF
SCR
EGR + SCR + DPF
EGR + DPF
EGR
2004 2005 2007 2008 2010
EURO IV EURO V
US 2004 US 2007 US 2010
Figure 1. Overview of emission reduction technologies
for HD applications
In Europe, the urea distribution network is gradually
becoming mature. In North America on the other hand,
the urea infrastructure is still rather sparse. Concerns
about the availability of AdBlue, lower fuel prices and
advances in EGR, turbocharging and fuel injection
equipment technology, have caused 2007 model year
heavy duty engines for the US market to be equipped
with EGR and DPF systems.
US 2007 engine platforms can be made US 2010 or
EURO VI compliant, by either adding urea-SCR after
treatment, or by further developing EGR technology.
Some parties announced that they will pursue in
400 SAE Int. J. Fuels Lubr. | Volume 2 | Issue 1
developing an EGR based engine solution for the US
2010 emission target [3, 4]. However, growing concerns
about CO2 emission contributing to the greenhouse
effect, energy security and especially fuel prices, have
caused a shift in attention towards fuel efficiency. EGR is
well known to cause an increase in fuel consumption,
and clearly is not the favourable solution when fuel
economy is of concern [5].
In this paper, the potential of an alternative SCR-only
solution is examined. Starting from a basic non-EGR
engine, SCR after treatment with a close-coupled SCR
catalyst is added to comply with post-2010 emission
standards. This approach will result in an inexpensive
engine design with better fuel economy and lower PM
emissions, especially suited for EURO VI.
This paper starts with a comprehensive discussion on
design and performance considerations for the high EGR
engine concept. Secondly, the SCR-only approach is
introduced. This approach requires very high NOx
conversion efficiencies of the after treatment system. For
this concept, issues and trade-offs in achieving optimal
SCR performance are discussed. Focus is on low
temperature and cold start performance. Finally, possible
after treatment configurations for EURO VI will be
dsicussed.
HIGH EGR ENGINE CONCEPT
2013
EURO VI
Figure 2. High EGR engine concept
Figure 2 shows the general layout of a high EGR engine
concept. Such an engine can accomplish low engine-out
NOx emission (well below 2 g/kWh) by applying high
EGR rates: over 20% at full load and over 40% at some
partial load conditions. A DPF is incorporated in the
exhaust line to reduce the PM emissions. A fuel
vaporizer and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) facilitate
active regeneration of the DPF.
An already performed study [6] into EGR trade-offs on a
two-stage turbocharged 12 litre heavy duty diesel engine
provides general trends for NOx and PM emission and
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Break Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) as a function COOLING

of the EGR percentage. Figure 3 depicts the NOx, PM
and BSFC trade-offs for the A25 and C100 ESC modes. The exhaust gas diverted back to the engine intake is
cooled by an EGR cooler for lower NOx emission and to
0.9 4.0%
prevent over heating of the engine. With increasing EGR
NOx
rates, the amount of heat rejected to the cooling circuit
0.8
PM 3.5% gradually increases. For an EGR rate of 30% at full load
0.7 BSFC on a 350 kW engine, the EGR cooler needs to have
3.0%
cooling capacity of 100 kW [6]! Taken into account the
0.6

BSFC penalty (%)

NOx, PM (g/kWh)

2.5% additional heat form the intercoolers, the total cooling

0.5 capacity for a high EGR engine needs almost to be
2.0%
0.4 doubled in comparison with a conventional 350 kW class
1.5% engine.
0.3
1.0%
0.2 Recent improvements in (EGR) cooling technology may
0.1 0.5% relieve the impact on the cooling system [8], but still EGR
C100 A25 cooler design poses challenges with respect to
0 0.0%
25 30 35 40 45 50 55
performance, durability and sizing aspects. The EGR
EGR (%)
cooler is suspect to fouling and corrosion. Corrosion is
promoted by condensation, which is of concern
especially during low temperature load conditions. The
Figure 3. NOx and PM emission and BSFC penalty as a cooling efficiency of the EGR cooler drops, once it is
function EGR percentage. BSFC penalty is relative to fouled. Catalysts and filters fitted upstream of the EGR
lowest EGR percentage. cooler can alleviate this issue, but will also increase the
cooler back pressure [9].
The next sections will present a discussion on the
subsystems of the high EGR engine concept. FUEL INJECTION EQUIPMENT

TURBOCHARGING To comply with 2007 PM targets and beyond, the engine

out PM emission needs to be below 0.2 g/kWh, when an
The high EGR engine concept as described requires a overall DPF filtration efficiency of 95% is assumed. An
high performance turbocharging system in order to even lower engine out PM level of about 0.1 g/kWh is
establish the required in-cylinder Air Fuel Ratio (AFR) in desired to reduce the DPF regeneration frequency and
combination with high EGR rates. The turbo charging according fuel penalty, prevent filter plugging, and
system needs to deliver higher inlet manifold pressures reduce EGR cooler fouling.
compensating the increased in-cylinder mass flow
demand. As a result of this, both pre-intercooler When high EGR rates are applied to reduce engine out
temperature and intake manifold temperature will NOx emission, low PM levels can only be accomplished
increase significantly. by high pressure fuel injection equipment (up to 2400
bar) [7, 10]. These advanced high pressure diesel
The pressure ratios required for a high EGR engine push injection systems introduce additional costs and parasitic
the envelope for single-stage turbocharging compressor. losses affecting the fuel economy.
Two-stage turbocharging can deliver the required boost
pressure, but is more costly. Moreover, the additional BASE ENGINE DESIGN
pumping work will cause an increase in fuel consumption
[7]. Apart from all the requirements a high EGR engine is
posing on the subsystems, the base engine design is
Achieving a US 2010 engine-out NOx level of 0.27 g/kWh also affected. Depending on how far one is pushing to
requires EGR rates of 35% at full load and 50% at partial lower NOx emissions through EGR, requirements on the
load. For these EGR rates, it is expected that the mechanical components tighten. If the engine power
required boost pressure causes the compressed air output is kept constant, engine Peak Firing Pressures
temperature at the outlet of the low pressure compressor (PFP) will increase, due to higher injection pressures and
to be too high for a standard material high pressure turbo high EGR rates. High Peak Firing Pressures (up to 250
compressor. Advanced materials like a Titanium bar) are demanding for the cylinder head, gaskets and
compressor wheel and a die-cast compressor housing bearings, and may require different materials for the
will be required to withstand the more severe conditions. piston (steel). High boost pressures (up to 4 bar)
Alternatively, a second intercooler can be placed challenges the intake manifold fastening, construction
between the low and high pressure compressors. and seals.

Oil change intervals will have to be shortened due to

interference of the high pressure fuel injection jet with the

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cylinder wall oil film, and increased exposure of oil to
exhaust gas due to high EGR rates
In summary, EGR is a successful method of NOx
abatement. With application of a DPF and recent
improvements in cooling, turbocharging and fuel injection
equipment, it appears even possible to accomplish US
2010 and EURO VI emission targets without using NOx
after treatment like SCR. However, by adopting such an
EGR-only approach for post-2010 emission targets, the
solution compromises on:
• Specific power output
• Fuel economy / CO2 emission
• Costs
The increased costs are due to the additional cooling
equipment and turbocharger, advanced fuel injection
system and the extra expenses for the improved base
engine design.
It will be a challenge to design an EGR-only engine
platform that is robust and durable. It pushes the limits of
vehicle cooling capacity, and has to accomplish
compliant emission results under off-cycle conditions and
a broad range of ambient temperatures and altitudes.
In the next section a promising alternative approach is
presented. Starting from an engine that is optimised for
cost and fuel consumption, the requirements for SCR
NOx after treatment are investigated, necessary for post-
2010 emission standards.
SCR-ONLY CONCEPT
Heavy-duty engines used in EURO IV applications with
SCR after treatment are relatively inexpensive and are
optimised with respect to fuel economy. They generally
focus on low temperature performance, because of the
required cold start testing for US legislation and EURO
VI, and on-road performance.
The choice of the SCR catalyst is strongly influenced by
the exhaust line layout. If the SCR catalyst is applied
downstream of a DPF, it has to withstand the high
temperatures encountered during active DPF
regeneration. Zeolite based catalysts are applied in these
configurations. Cu-Zeolite SCR catalysts are attracting a
lot of attention for their low temperature performance.
Combinations of Fe-Zeolite and Cu-Zeolite catalysts can
benefit from a broad temperature activity window and
less NH3 slip [11].
Vanadium based catalysts have a temperature limit of
about 500 ºC, which prevents them from application
downstream of a DPF. However, a Vanadium based
SCR catalyst performs better than a Zeolite catalyst in
the absence of NO2, and has improved tolerance for fuel
quality [12, 13]. Moreover, a Vanadium catalyst is
generally less expensive than a Zeolite catalyst.
Given the choice of a certain catalyst type, the SCR NOx
conversion performance can be optimised by:
1. Optimisation of the catalyst operating temperature
2. Optimisation of the NO2:NO ratio
3. Increasing the SCR catalyst volume
4. Effective use of the available SCR volume
0.7
450oC 400 oC
0.6
0.5 200 oC
250 oC
NO2/NOx ratio

apply a straightforward single stage turbocharging 0.4

system and no EGR. The fuel injection equipment knows
275 oC
maximum pressures of 1200 to 1800 bar. Fuel injection 0.3
timing is mainly optimised for fuel consumption. For
these systems, engine out NOx emission is between 6 0.2 300 oC

and 9 g/kWh. PM emissions are very low ranging from

0.01 to 0.03 g/kWh. 0.1
325 oC
350 oC
Using this engine as a starting point, SCR deNOx after 0
0 10 20 30 40 50
treatment is added in an attempt to comply with post- SCR Catalyst Volume (litre)
2010 emission targets. It is evident from the high raw
NOx emissions, that very high NOx conversion Figure 4. Trade-off curves for 80% steady-state NOx
efficiencies are required over the life time of the SCR conversion on a Vanadium type SCR catalyst at 900 kg/h
catalyst: 90% to 97%. exhaust flow, 500 ppm NOx and stoichiometric NH3
injection
Before discussing possible after treatment
configurations, the aspects contributing to the required Figures 4 and 5 present the relations between NOx
optimal SCR performance are addressed first. conversion, catalyst temperature, NO2:NO ratio and
catalyst volume. The figures are generated for a
OPTIMAL SCR PERFORMANCE modeled Vanadium catalyst in TNO’s SimCat simulation
tool [14]. Such a simulation environment offers a
Catalyst manufacturers are continuously attempting to valuable tool in studying trade-offs and determining the
improve their catalyst’s performance. There is a strong most cost-effective exhaust after treatment configuration.

402 SAE Int. J. Fuels Lubr. | Volume 2 | Issue 1

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The model has been used in prior publications.
Background information on the SCR model is provided in
[14, 15, 16].
100
90
80
70
NOx conversion (%)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 5 10 15
SCR Catalyst Volume (litre)
Figure 5. Steady-state NOx conversion at stoichiometric
NH3 injection vs. Vanadium SCR catalyst volume for
several conditions: 250 ºC (blue solid), 300 ºC (red
dashed), 350 ºC (green dotted), NO2/NOx = 0.1 (circles),
NO2/NOx = 0.33 (triangles), NO2/NOx = 0.5 (plusses),
NO2/NOx = 0.7 (squares). Exhaust flow = 900 kg/h, pre-
SCR NOx = 500 ppm.
In Figure 4 the trade-off between temperature, NO2/NOx
ratio and SCR volume is visualized, for achieving 80%
steady-state NOx conversion on the modelled Vanadium
catalyst, at stoichiometric NH3 injection. The figure
shows that for this particular catalyst and a exhaust flow
of 900 kg/h, 80% NOx conversion is infeasible for
NO2/NOx ratios larger than 0.7 and below 200 ºC when
the NO2/NOx ratio is not between 0.5 and 0.6. Judging
from Figure 5, 98% NOx conversion can be obtained for
about any temperature, as long as the NO2/NOx ratio is
close to 0.5. At an NO2/NOx ratio of 0.7, the maximum
NOx conversion under the studied operating conditions is
limited to 75%. When NO2 only accounts for 10% of the
NOx, an SCR temperature of at least 325 ºC is required,
but an SCR volume of 10 litres is yet sufficient for 80%
conversion. If the SCR temperature is increased to 400
ºC, a 5 litre SCR catalyst will achieve at least 80%
conversion at the simulated exhaust flow over a wide
range of NO2/NOx ratios up to 0.6.
The fourth mentioned way of optimizing the SCR
performance, is based on better utilization of the
available SCR volume. Allowing steady-state NH3 to NOx
dosing ratios in excess of one can improve NOx
conversion, as for example is demonstrated in [17]. The
increased NH3 supply results in a higher NH3 surface
coverage towards the end of the catalyst. This improves
NOx conversion at the expense of increased NH3 slip.
The same principle can also be applied under transient
SAE Int. J. Fuels Lubr. | Volume 2 | Issue 1
conditions. This method requires a catalyst downstream
of the SCR where excess NH3 reacts; an Ammonia
Oxidation (AMOX) catalyst, for instance.
A concept that adds extra SCR volume to the after
treatment setup, and benefits from elevated exhaust gas
temperatures, is the addition of a close-coupled SCR
catalyst. Similar to close-coupled catalysts in light-duty
applications, this close-coupled SCR catalyst needs to
be mounted as close to the engine as possible for rapid
heat up. The potential of this approach for US 2010 and
EURO VI applications is investigated through simulation.
CLOSE-COUPLED SCR CATALYST
Figure 6 shows simulated temperatures in a cold start
WHTC cycle from a 12 litre 350 kW class engine used in
a EURO IV SCR application. Three scenarios are
simulated:
• 5.6 litre close-coupled SCR catalyst (ø6” x 12”)
20 25 30
• 34 litre SCR catalyst upstream of a DOC/DPF
• 34 litre SCR catalyst downstream of a 41 litre
DOC/DPF combination.
All substrates are assumed to be cordierite, with a
simulated heat capacity of 1050 J/kg/K.
Substrate between the turbine outlet and the SCR
catalyst’s backside provides a temperature buffer and
smoothens the course of the temperature. For the 34
litre SCR catalyst downstream of the DOC/DPF, it takes
669 s before the whole catalyst is above 200 ºC, as
opposed to 495 s for the SCR catalyst upstream of the
DPF. The smaller close-coupled SCR catalyst shows a
fluctuating temperature, but can benefit from the faster
heat up and the high temperature periods.
Temperatrures in cold start WHTC
500
Turbine outlet and post-SCR Temperature ( C)
o
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100 Turbine outlet
5.6 litre close-coupled SCR
50 34 litre SCR downstream of 41 litre DOC/DPF
34 litre SCR upstream of DOC/DPF
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Time (s)
Figure 6. Temperatures in cold start WHTC
403
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To investigate the NOx reduction potential of the close- NOx in cold start WHTC
coupled SCR catalyst, cold start test cycle data from two 450.0
T post-Turbine
engines is used; 400.0 Engine-out
200
5.6 litre Vanadium cc-SCR
350.0
1. Cold start FTP of a 12 litre 350 kW class engine

Cumulative NOx (g)

150

Temperature (ºC)
300.0
equipped with EGR. This engine is calibrated to
250.0
comply with US 2010 targets using a DOC/DPF and
downstream Fe-Zeolite SCR. 200.0 100

2. Cold start WHTC of 12 litre 350 kW class non-EGR 150.0

engine calibrated for EURO IV using Vanadium SCR 100.0 50
after treatment.
50.0

For the EGR engine, it is possible to compare the 0.0

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
0
1800
simulated close-coupled SCR NOx reduction potential to Time (s)
that of EGR.
Figure 8. Cumulative NOx emission in cold start WHTC
NOx in cold start FTP
450.0 160
T post-Turbine Based on the impression of the NOx reduction
400.0 EGR disabled
EGR
140 performance of a close-coupled SCR catalyst, targets for
350.0 EGR + downstream SCR
120
NOx reduction in the second, large SCR can be
5.6 litre Vanadium cc-SCR
established. Table 2 and 3 illustrate the NOx conversion
Cumulative NOx (g)
300.0
Temperature (ºC)

100
250.0
scenarios for US 2010 and EURO VI. The engine from
80 the EURO IV SCR application emits about 6.3 g/kWh
200.0
60
NOx both in the FTP and WHTC cycles. When the
150.0 engine has warmed up, the raw cycle emissions can be
100.0
40
as high as 9 g/kWh.
50.0 20

0.0
0 200 400 600
Time (s)
Figure 7. Cumulative NOx emission in cold start FTP
Figure 7 presents the cumulative NOx emissions for the
cold start FTP cycle of the EGR engine. When EGR is
disabled, the particular engine emits 150 g NOx in the
cold start FTP cycle. With EGR enabled, the raw NOx
emission drops to 58 g. The Fe-Zeolite SCR catalyst
downstream of the DPF reduces the NOx to a tailpipe
level of 27 g over the cold FTP cycle.
0
The US 2010 scenario in Table 2 requires a very high
800 1000 1200 NOx conversion efficiency for the second SCR catalyst.
95% conversion over the life time of an SCR catalyst is
very ambitious. In order to successfully apply close-
coupled SCR for US 2010 applications, the raw engine
out NOx emission needs to be lowered. Either through
adjusting the injection timing or through modest EGR.
Both solutions compromise on fuel economy. Hence they
cancel the fuel saving targeted by opting for a SCR-only
NOx emission solution. The combination of EGR and
SCR NOx after treatment turns out to be most feasible
for US 2010. It is well accepted, and most manufacturers
seem to choose for this route.

The measured raw NOx emission with EGR enabled is Table 2. US 2010 NOx conversion targets
compared to the NOx emission downstream of the
simulated 5.6 litre (ø6” x 12”) Vanadium close-coupled
engine-out
NOx

Șcc-SCR

ȘSCR

tailpipe
NOx

weight

result
Cycle
catalyst. The NH3 storage in the close-coupled SCR
catalyst is assumed high enough not to limit the NOx
conversion. This is not unrealistic as the close-coupled
SCR catalyst will be followed downstream by a second
SCR or DOC/DPF combination. The simulation shows Cold
6.3 1.1 0.16
that the NOx conversion obtained with the 5.6 litre close- start 63% 53% 1/7
g/kWh g/kWh g/kWh
coupled SCR catalyst is as good as the NOx reduction FTP
accomplished by EGR.
Hot 9.0 0.13 0.11
73% 95% 6/7
FTP g/kWh g/kWh g/kWh
A similar simulation is conducted for a cold start WHTC
test of the non-EGR engine. Figure 8 shows the
measured cumulative raw NOx emission, and the 0.27
g/kWh
simulated post close-coupled SCR NOx emission. The
simulated close-coupled SCR NOx conversion is on the
same order as for the cold start FTP: 69% on the WHTC,
63% on the FTP.

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Table 3. EURO VI NOx conversion targets
engine-out
NOx
Șcc-SCR
ȘSCR
tailpipe
NOx
Cold
start
6.3
69% 44%
1.1
g/kWh g/kWh
WHTC
Hot 9.0 0.43
75% 81%
WHTC g/kWh g/kWh
The EURO VI scenario presented in Table 3 is much
more favourable for the close-coupled SCR case. The
lower weight on the cold start cycle, and the higher NOx
target both relieve the pressure on the required NOx
conversion in the second SCR catalyst. Even when the
WHTC NOx emission limit is decided to be 0.4 g/kWh,
the required NOx conversion for the second SCR catalyst
will only be 87%, with still some opportunities left to
optimize raw NOx emissions through engine design and
fuel injection timing. This makes the EURO VI scenario
viable. It appears that it will be possible to design an
SCR-only EURO VI engine and after treatment concept
that will be cost and fuel efficient.
First investigations have proven that application of a
close-coupled SCR can be very attractive. However,
there are still issues that need to be addressed with
regard to practical application. Urea injection for the
close-coupled SCR catalyst can be challenging because
of the short mixing length. Mixers, possibly in
combination with a hydrolysis catalyst, can improve the
distribution and decomposition of urea upstream of the
close-coupled SCR [18]. The mechanical design of the
close-coupled SCR catalyst and possible mixer has to fit
in a confined space under the bonnet or overhead cabin.
When used in a close-coupled position, the SCR catalyst
has to withstand the exhaust environment encountered
right behind the turbine. The catalyst will be exposed to
elevated temperatures, temperature fluctuations and the
wet urea spray. The bulk material needs to be tolerant to
these conditions without causing too much
backpressure. The catalytic material itself needs to be
long-term stable up to the maximum temperature
encountered at the turbine outlet. Furthermore, it has to
be resistant to Hydro Carbon (HC) poisoning (especially
at cold start conditions, HC emission can be significant).
Control and On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) for the close-
coupled SCR catalyst is not trivial. The urea dosing
strategy has to be robust and ensure maximal NOx
conversion. A model-based NH3 storage based urea
dosing strategy can offer this combination of
SAE Int. J. Fuels Lubr. | Volume 2 | Issue 1
desirabilities [15]. A study into an OBD algorithm concept
has to point out where NOx and/or NH3 sensors are
required.
weight
result
Cycle
AFTER TREATMENT CONFIGURATION FOR
EURO VI
1/10
0.11 The close-coupled SCR concept offers an innovative
g/kWh approach for HD EURO VI applications. It relies on a
proven, robust, cost effective and fuel efficient engine
0.39 design from EURO IV SCR applications. With small
9/10 improvements of the engine design and fuel injection
g/kWh
equipment, it will be possible to accomplish engine out
0.50 EURO VI compliant particulate mass emission, without
g/kWh PM after treatment. However, having particle filter
technology available, a DPF with a certain minimum
filtration efficiency might become mandatory in the near
future.
PM after treatment requirements are very modest,
because of the low engine out PM emission. A partial
flow filter is an attractive option [19]. It can be placed
downstream of the large SCR, which is beneficial for NOx
conversion, and does not require active regeneration, as
long as there is enough NOx (or actually NO2) available
for passive soot oxidation. It is yet unclear whether the
partial flow filter will provide enough reduction of
particulate numbers, possibly required for EURO VI.
A wall flow DPF provides excellent PM reduction. In
combination with a non-EGR engine, near zero PM
emission seems feasible. DPFs are usually applied
upstream of a Zeolite SCR catalyst. This position is
mainly dictated by thermal requirements for frequent
active DPF regeneration. With raw PM emissions of a
non-EGR engine 3 to 10 times lower than for an EGR
engine, the regeneration frequency and according fuel
penalty is drastically reduced. This may allow to apply the
DOC/DPF combination downstream of the SCR catalyst,
and use thermal management to improve regen
conditions when required.
Excess NH3 slip can be oxidized in the DOC and DPF, if
the DOC/DPF is placed downstream of the main SCR
catalyst. This helps improving the NOx conversion of the
SCR catalyst. When the main SCR catalyst is placed at
the tailpipe position, an AMOX is desired to prevent NH3
slip and promote NOx conversion. In absence of an
AMOX, the urea dosing has to be conservative in order
to prevent NH3 slip.
Urea has to be supplied to both the close-coupled and
the main, downstream SCR catalyst. If the close-coupled
catalyst is directly succeeded by the main SCR catalyst,
all urea can be supplied by the injector upstream of the
close-coupled SCR catalyst. When the main SCR
volume is located downstream of a DPF, a second urea
injector will be necessary to provide the reagent. NH3
slipping through the close-coupled SCR catalyst will then
be oxidized in the DOC/DPF combination. This option
adds extra costs to the after treatment setup.
405
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The decision on the after treatment layout and catalyst
sizes and types has to be based on technological,
economical and legal considerations. Within the
boundaries defined by catalyst technology, the costs for
the after treatment solution are optimised. Trade-offs can
be made based on precious metal prices (Pt, Pd, present
in DOC DPF and AMOX) and the cost of other catalyst
technology (Vanadium, Cu and Fe Zeolite).
CONCLUSION
An original approach for complying with HD post-2010
emission targets has been presented. The application of
a close-coupled SCR catalyst allows a cost and fuel
efficient engine and after treatment solution, especially
suited for EURO VI. The US 2010 scenario is less viable
because of too ambitious NOx conversion targets.
In contrary to the generally adopted approach for post-
2010 emission targets, the presented concept does not
rely on EGR. Instead, it is based on a EURO IV engine,
that is considered optimal in terms of costs and fuel
consumption. Simulation results of cold start FTP and
WHTC cycles prove the feasibility of the close-coupled
SCR concept.
Future work will focus on the practical aspects of the
application of a close-coupled SCR, and the
demonstration of the concept on an experimental set-up.
Control and OBD strategies for the close-coupled SCR
are being developed.
REFERENCES
1. www.dieselnet.com
2. ACEA comments concerning the European
Commission’s public consultation on future Euro VI
emission limits for heavy-duty vehicles,
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesback
ground/pollutant_emission/heavy_duty/public_consul
tation/acea.pdf
3. International Trucks and Engines Will Comply with
2010 Emissions Standards without SCR, Navistar
press release dd. 31 Oct. 2007, www.navistar.com
4. Cummins Announces Right Technology for 2010,
Cummins press release dd. 23 Sept. 2007,
www.cummins.com
5. Cummins Announces Recent Technology
Development Achieves Significant Fuel Economy
Benefits, Cummins press release dd. 13 Aug. 2008,
www.cummins.com
6. Van Aken, Willems and de Jong, Appliance of high
EGR rates with a short and long route EGR system
on a Heavy Duty diesel engine, SAE 2007-01-0906
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Emissions as the Key to the Future of the Heavy-
Duty Diesel Engine – New Development Results,
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8. Krüger, U., Edwards, S., Pantow, E., Lutz, R. et al.,
“High-Performance Cooling and EGR Systems as a
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“EGR System Fouling Control” SAE Int. J. Engines 1(1):
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10. Scania XPI – the fuel injection system of the future, Scania
press release dd. 12 Dec. 2003, www.scania.com
11. Girard, J., Cavataio, G., Snow, R., Lambert, C.,
“Combined Fe-Cu SCR Systems with Optimized Ammonia
to NOx Ratio for Diesel NOx Control” SAE Int. J. Fuels
Lubr. 1(1):603-610, 2008.
12. Chatterjee, Burkhardt, Weibel, Nova, Grossale, Tronconi,
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Catalytic Converters, SAE 2007-01-1136
13. Girard, J.W., Montreuil, C., Kim, J., Cavataio G. et al.,
“Technical Advantages of Vanadium SCR Systems for
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14. Van den Eijnden, Cloudt, Willems and van der
Heijden, Automated model fit tools for SCR control
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15. Willems, Cloudt, van den Eijnden, van Genderen,
Verbeek, de Jager, Boomsma, van den Heuvel, Is
closed-loop SCR control required to meet future
emission targets?, SAE 2007-01-1574
16. Van Helden, Verbeek, Willems and van der Welle,
Optimization of Urea SCR deNOx Systems for HD
Diesel Engines SAE 2004-01-0154
17. HȨnnekes, van der Heijden, Patchett, Ammonia
Oxidation Catalyst for Mobile SCR Systems, SAE
2006-01-0640
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Mai, Paulus and Spengler, High performance SCR
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and Strategies for the Future, ICPC 2007-2.1, 4
AVL International Commercial Powertrain
Conference
CONTACT
Robert Cloudt
TNO Automotive
Steenovenweg 1
P.O. Box 756
5700 AT Helmond
The Netherlands
E-mail: robert.cloudt@tno.nl
Tel: +31 15 269 676