Clean Air Partners' Dual-Fuel Technology Meets Rigorous Japanese Emissions Guidelines
SAN DIEGO--July 14, 2003--Independent Testing by the Japan Automobile Research Institute
Further Validates Low Emission Alternative for Heavy Duty Trucks
U.S.-based Clean Air Partners, a leader in advanced emissions reduction technologies, has announced that its Dual-Fuel(TM) technology has enabled the first heavy-duty truck in Japan greater than 12 tons gross vehicle weight (GVW) to meet Japan's 2003 Ministry of the Environment (MOE) emissions guidelines. In addition, Clean Air Partners met these requirements 18 months ahead of the MOE's compliance deadline. The truck passed the Japanese Automobile Research Institute's (JARI) extensive Diesel Vehicle 13-Mode Emission Test with results that demonstrated nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) levels well below the technical guidelines.
"Meeting the MOE guidelines provides another independent confirmation of the low emission capabilities of our Dual-Fuel technology. It is especially significant because the new Japanese emission standards are among the toughest in the world. In addition, Japanese natural gas has a low methane number which can present a challenge, but it did not adversely impact our test results," explained Dave Morgan, Clean Air Partners' general manager of product development. The company, also recently passed stringent emissions tests in Europe and California.
JARI, a respected independent research and testing agency, performed the test on a Clean Air Partners' Dual-Fuel-equipped Caterpillar 3126E engine operating on diesel fuel and Japanese natural gas to power a two-axle Foden truck at their facility in Tsukuba, Japan. The JARI 13-mode cycle test, in which the engine is tested over 13 different speed and load combinations, averages emissions over the entire cycle using a set of weighting factors intended to simulates real world driving conditions The test emphasizes low-speed driving conditions, characterized by low average engine loads and low exhaust temperatures.
About Dual-Fuel(TM) Technology:
Clean Air Partners' Dual Fuel engines operate on both natural gas and diesel fuel simultaneously. During normal operation, the majority of the fuel burned is natural gas. Diesel fuel serves as a pilot for combustion that ignites under the heat of compression to produce substantially less nitrogen oxide and particulates than engines burning only diesel fuel without sacrificing diesel engine performance. This technology combines the benefits of a diesel engine (quick response to load change, reliability, high efficiency and low cost) with the benefits of a natural gas engine (low emissions and typically lower specific fuel price) to provide a high performance, low emission, cost-effective, cleaner system that may also reduce fuel costs.
About Clean Air Partners:
Founded in 1991 in San Diego, Clean Air Partners' emission reduction solutions for heavy-duty truck and generator engines are based on proven, proprietary technologies. Today, Clean Air Partners' Dual-Fuel(TM), FuelSolution(TM), MicroPilot(R), after treatment, and sub-component products are helping to create a cleaner environment by reducing the supply of harmful diesel emissions around the world in thousands of low emission vehicles and distributed generation applications. For more information about Clean Air Partners and its innovative clean air technologies, systems and services visit www.cleanairpartners.com.
Dual-Fuel(TM), FuelSolution(TM), and MicroPilot(R) are trademarks of Clean Air Partners.
