Caterpillar Cautions Industry on SCR Adoption

Caterpillar Power Systems issued an unusual public statement Thursday urging the industry to keep an open mind on emissions technology to meet 2010 standards.

The statement from James J. Parker, vice president, Caterpillar Power Systems Marketing Division said “selective catalytic reduction (SCR) treatment -- though viable -- may not be the best solution for customers or regulators.”
The balance of the statement follows:
“At Caterpillar, we urge the on-highway market to keep the technology options open regarding 2010 emissions. Several engine manufacturers have indicated that SCR is the only viable path for meeting the 2010 EPA standards -- however, our research indicates SCR might not be the best choice for on-highway applications,” the statement said.
In 2002, when all of the other engine manufacturers decided to use cooled-EGR as the solution to meet the 10/02 emissions standards, Caterpillar developed a new emission solutions -- ACERT Technology -- which has proven to provide customer value in addition to meeting the EPA standards.
Regarding 2010 emissions, John Campbell, general manager of engineering for the Large Power Systems Division, indicated the Caterpillar engineering team is working on engine combustion technology solutions that have been promising in tests.
In fact, the company has engines running in test labs today that are meeting the 2010 emissions regulations without the use of SCR. In addition to combustion technologies, Caterpillar also has established an Environmental Technologies Group that is working on various aftertreatment innovations in the area of diesel particulate filters and NOx aftertreatment. These technologies also will be a part of the total solution for 2010, he said.
“As was the case with ACERT technology, the engineering team is working toward a system solution that combines combustion technologies, fuel system technologies, electronics and aftertreatment to meet the 2010 EPA standards while providing customers with the same reliability, durability, operating cost and fuel economy as today.
“This type of technology solution eliminates some of the concerns regulators have regarding monitoring compliance with SCR--specifically, the regular addition of urea to special tanks on the vehicle. Campbell has indicated that a systems approach can provide customers with on-highway engines that meet emissions while delivering the operating cost they need to be profitable.
“The Caterpillar engineering team is experienced with SCR technology--as a company, we have been using it for a number of years for electric power generation. Our research suggests that while it is an excellent technology for a stationary application, SCR may not be the best technology for mobile applications, such as on-highway trucks. One leading European truck manufacturer recently announced that it will not be using SCR technology to meet the Euro V emissions regulations. While Caterpillar is committed to continuing its research on SCR, our engineers believe other technologies can be developed for 2010 that will better satisfy regulators and customers.
“Several issues exist with SCR. First, regulating the required urea addition to tanks will be a challenge, and we believe there are solutions that easily circumvent this problem. Second, an infrastructure must be built for the logistically complicated North American market. Third, the use of SCR in mobile applications in Europe has shown that the cost benefits for SCR may not be as good as originally expected -- the combined cost for fuel and urea may negate nearly all of the cost benefits provided with SCR for customers. Finally, issues such as the weight of the urea tank and the system’s vulnerability to external damage may further increase owning and operating costs. At Caterpillar, we believe it is critical for the industry to explore all possible technology options before coming to conclusions about any single solution.
“Caterpillar developed ACERT Technology because we are concerned about customer value. We encourage the industry to keep the options open so engine manufacturers and truck OEMs can work to find a solution that delivers clean power for the environment while at the same time providing the owning and operating cost on-highway engine owners need.“