The traditional diesel engine that runs on diesel fuel will continue to be the main power source in heavy-duty commercial vehicles for a long time to come, despite shrinking oil resources.
Emissions of NOx (nitrogen oxides) reach sustainable levels
Emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide counteract one another. If nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced in the combustion process, fuel consumption increases, in turn causing a rise in carbon dioxide emissions. This has been true for many years but with improved cleaning technologies, nitrogen oxide emissions – as well as particulates – will be reduced to sustainable levels.
We are also focusing on developing even more fuel-efficient engines, as well as engines suitable for fuels produced from biomass, such as synthetic diesel, RME (rapeseed methyl ester) and DME (dimethylether).
HCCI (Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition) is yet another promising new combustion technology that exploits the benefits of both the petrol and the diesel engine.
Exhaust filtration
The Volvo Group uses two methods of exhaust filtration to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide:
- SCR, Selective Catalytic Reduction
- EGR, Exhaust Gas Recirculation
With SCR, the exhaust gases are mixed with a blend of urea and water known as AdBlue. The high temperature in the exhaust system converts the urea into ammonia, which in turn reacts with the nitrogen oxides in the catalytic converter. The residual product is harmless nitrogen and water vapour.
With EGR, some of the exhaust gases are recirculated back into the engine, lowering the combustion temperature and therefore reducing the emissions of nitrogen oxides.
Emissions from our vehicles will therefore be reduced almost a hundred-fold in less than thirty years, that is to say 100 new vehicles will discharge less than one old vehicle.
Meeting stricter demands
One way of decreasing the NOx and PM (particulate matters) is to combine the SCR and EGR technology. Volvo Group is working on this solution.