Isuzu Commercial Truck of America announced on Dec. 29 that it intends to use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to achieve the 2010 standards for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by diesel engines.
SCR is an after-treatment technology that involves injecting a water-based solution containing urea into the hot exhaust stream of an engine. This Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF), working with a catalyst in the exhaust after-treatment system, breaks down the NOx into harmless nitrogen and water vapor, says the company.
DEF contains an organic nitrogen compound used as a fertilizer in agriculture. It is classified as a non-hazardous substance by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Isuzu intends to continue to use both a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), which it introduced in its trucks in 2007. The new technology will be used in Isuzu engines sold in its trucks in the U.S. under the Isuzu, Chevrolet and GMC trademarks.
According to Shaun Skinner, executive vice president, general manager, “Isuzu has been developing after-treatment technology in Japan for many years. We’ve studied different systems, and found SCR to be highly reliable under even the most extreme applications and conditions.”
