The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has extended verification of BlueCAT 200 and 300 retrofit emission control systems from Nett Technologies Inc.
On its website, ARB posted updated
executive orders 11, 12 and 13, extending the agency's approval of Nett's large-spark-ignition (LSI) engine retrofit kits back to the 1980 model year.
The action allows a range of large fleet operators in California to retrofit with the proprietary Nett-made closed-loop catalyst systems for equipment with older engines and follows on earlier verifications
(Forkliftaction.com News #411).
Nett Technologies of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada says its BlueCAT systems "are the first and only off-road [mobile sources] LSI-2 Level 3a devises verified by the California ARB for engines manufactured between 1980 and 1989".
The BlueCat 300 system is verified at 1.0 gram per brake horsepower-hour (1.3 grams per kilowatt hour) of emissions of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide for engines with 3.0 litres' displacement and below and 2.0 g/bhp-hr (2.7 g/kW-hr) for engines above 3.0 litres' displacement. The BlueCAT 200 is verified at 1.5 g/bhp-hr (2.0 g/kW-hr) of emissions for engines below 2.5 litres and below.
Sacramento-based ARB's off-road LSI measures primarily target forklifts but also include other LSI engine-powered equipment such as airport-ground-support tugs and belt loaders, non-airport tow tractors and industrial sweepers and scrubbers.
Engines in most of these applications are similar to, or derived from, early 1980s automobile engines. Their emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and hydrocarbons (HC) are considerably higher than those from engines in today's automobiles and contribute to the formation of smog that is often visible in urban centres. Smog can inflame breathing passages and can cause eye and nose irritation, shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing.
Three-way catalytic converters, such as used in Nett's BlueCAT systems, convert NOX, HC and carbon monoxide emissions (CO) into carbon dioxide and water. For such a converter to achieve maximum reductions, the relative amounts of NOX, HC and CO emissions must balance. These emissions are balanced when the engine operates at a specific air/fuel mixture called the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
Modern automobiles use fuel injection and on-board computers to keep the engine at the stoichiometric ratio, but off-road LSI engines in use today are less sophisticated.
Nett's systems use digital air-fuel ratio controllers that incorporate oxygen sensors, solenoids and electronic controllers to maintain off-road LSI engines at an optimal stoichiometric ratio. Pairing an engine and a high-performance catalytic converter used in a BlueCAT system can maximise emissions reductions.
Emissions reduction has a torturous history. In the late 1990s, ARB staff proposed emission control regulations for new engines to be phased-in beginning in 2001. In 2003, ARB adopted a state and federal strategy that identified new commitments designed to reduce criteria pollutant emissions and achieve the next increment of progress toward meeting current federal health-based air quality standards by 2010.
The three executive orders were dated 22 July and were the subject of an ARB notification on 6 August.
Nett focuses on emission control products for engines, vehicles, and machinery used in the materials handling, construction, and mining industries and supplies catalytic converters for diesel, natural gas, liquid propane gas and gasoline engines; diesel particulate filters; selective-catalytic-reduction systems; and fume diluters.
Versions of the TermiNOx-brand closed-loop emission control system from Engine Control Systems Ltd of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada are verified under other ARB executive orders.