Delphi Automotive Systems of Troy, Mich., and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have teamed to develop a new technology that greatly reduces emissions from lean-burn engines, such as diesels. The non-thermal plasma technology is durable, compact and energy efficient, and can be incorporated into a vehicle’s existing exhaust system to break apart and destroy oxides of nitrogen, or NOx, and particulates in auto emissions.

Initial tests on a diesel engine show a 55 percent reduction in NOx without the need to add additional hydrocarbons to the exhaust. The technology recently won the Financial Times Global Automotive award, which recognizes "technical development with the greatest potential to improve efficiency, safety, comfort, environmental performance or cost structure of motor vehicles and their associated services." Delphi and Pacific Northwest continue research aimed at optimizing the performance of the non-thermal reactor and catalyst materials.

Article courtesy of "PNNL TechNotes"

Contact: Marv Clement at (509) 375-2789

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