CatVap® – the Efficient Heating Technology for Future Exhaust Aftertreatment Systems

Mandatory compliance with the most stringent exhaust emission limits is to be expected in the future, e.g. the new European exhaust emission limits for commercial vehicle diesel engines. The new, stringent NOx EURO VII commercial vehicle limits in particular, which are expected not before 2025, can only be achieved with very efficient heating technology for new, adapted exhaust aftertreatment systems. The highly dynamic Real Drive Emission (RDE) test cycles containing a high amount of cold starts that will be used in this context will confront the Euro VII commercial vehicle emission reduction systems with some challenges that are quite difficult to overcome. After the publication of the first promising results of component and initial engine test bench trials with the new heating measure for exhaust aftertreatment (EAT), a.k.a. the CatVap® system (see also previous publications, such as at the 15th MTZ/ATZ On-/Off- Highway Conference or MTZ 01/2021 et al.), more highly dynamic component and commercial vehicle engine test bench trials were carried out with an OEM medium duty and a heavy duty engine, each in conjunction with up-to-date combined exhaust gas aftertreatment systems of the EURO VI+ (e,f) generation, in conjunction with the newly established development consortium consisting of Fraunhofer ISE, Albonair GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Emitec GmbH and Thomas Magnete GmbH. This article shows the most relevant dynamic tests that were carried out (their basis being real world drive cycles, e.g. the special urban cycle), graphically visualized as well as in the form of corresponding test interpretations. Many of these tests were performed using dynamic test cycles, and their results are presented accordingly, including raw emission data in a percentage comparison with the effect on the tailpipe end emissions. It could be demonstrated that low NOx-levels can be achieved with a Euro VI+ EAT box and CatVap®. These tests have also shown strong fuel benefits with significantly lower NOx-emissions through CatVap® in comparison to internal heating measures. CatVap® can mitigate the trade-off between low NOx-emissions and low fuel consumption.