ArvinMeritor has introduced ActiveClean plasma fuel reformer technology, which it says is a key component in 2010 exhaust aftertreatment systems for diesel engines.

“Our new ActiveClean plasma fuel reformer allows truck operators to more efficiently reduce exhaust emissions, while causing minimal financial and performance impact on their fleets,” said Silvio Angori, general manager of ArvinMeritor Commercial Vehicle Emissions. “It enables emissions control devices for particulate matter and NOx removal required by the upcoming standards, and offers fuel savings when compared with competing technologies.”
According to Angori, the ActiveClean plasma fuel reformer separates or “reforms” diesel fuel drawn from the vehicle’s fuel tank into hydrogen and carbon monoxide using electrically generated plasma. The hydrogen and carbon monoxide then are injected into the exhaust upstream of the catalytic elements in the emissions control aftertreatment system to reduce particulate matter and NOx.
The mixture is used in conjunction with Lean NOx Trap catalysts to reduce NOx emissions. Because the reformed hydrogen/carbon monoxide combination is more efficient, the system requires 50 percent less diesel fuel than equivalent Lean NOx Trap systems.
The utilization of hydrogen also allows the removal of sulfur from the Lean NOx Trap – a process called desulfation – to occur at a temperature as much as 200 degrees Celsius lower than other systems that utilize diesel fuel for desulfation. The lower desulfation temperature enables increased durability of the Lean NOx Trap catalyst and reduces the amount of platinum required in the catalyst formulation by more than 50 percent.
The plasma fuel reformer has been designed to provide fast response to transient engine conditions and minimize the space envelope requirements on the vehicle.
ArvinMeritor worked on the initial development of the plasma fuel reformer with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), then further developed the technology to its production-ready state.
ArvinMeritor has a long history of active involvement in developing advanced emissions-control technologies for the Original Equipment market dating back to the catalytic converter in the 1970s. Its portfolio of advanced emissions-control technologies for the commercial vehicle market includes Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems (SCRs) and the Meritor Thermal Regenerator, Thermal Enhancer and Atomizer. The company also is currently researching the development of combinatorial technologies that target both particulate matter and NOx to meet stringent emissions requirements in the United States, Europe, Japan and Europe.