Cost-effective compliance with Eminox retrofits
Emission technology specialist Eminox has reminded fleet operators of the need to ensure compliance with changes to London’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ), which from 1 March requires all buses, coaches and trucks over 3.5 tonnes to be Euro VI compliant if operating n Greater London, or face a £100 daily charge.
The change is just one of a range of tougher emissions standards set to come into force in cities across the UK this year, with local clean air zones (CAZs) also set to introduce tighter Euro VI emissions standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), helping reduce pollution and improve air quality and public health in urban areas.
From 25 October, London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is also expanding from central London to create a single, larger zone up to the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205).
Heavy-duty fleet operators have two options, says Eminox – replacing otherwise usable but non-compliant vehicles, which is costly, or retrofit their existing fleet with Exhaust Aftertreatment Systems (EATS) that enable them to achieve compliance.
“Engine exhaust gases enter the EATS and first pass through the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst which burns hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, converting NOx into nitrogen dioxide to enable the later Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) process to take place more rapidly,” said Eminox.
“Particulate matter and carbon monoxide is then captured through the diesel particulate filter, before the AdBlue system injects urea to enable the conversion of the NOx. The SCR catalyst then converts NOx into harmless nitrogen gas and water vapour, before the final catalyst removes any ammonia residue.
“The clean emissions are then discharged via the exhaust tailpipe. NOx and NO2 are reduced by up to 99 per cent, with particulate matter reduced by 95 per cent – all well under Euro VI emissions limits.”
The average cost of an EATS is between £14-18,000, says Eminox, dependent on quantity and vehicle type, meaning that multiple vehicles can be retrofitted for the price of buying a new one.
“This removes the need for major investment in new vehicles – which is key at a time when Covid has impacted the cashflow of many operators,” said the company.
“It preserves your existing investment in your fleet by lengthening vehicle lifetimes. It also increases uptime as you don’t need to wait for new vehicles to be delivered.
“However, to meet the requirements of LEZ and to ensure that your retrofit system is Euro VI compliant, it needs to be certified by the government’s Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS), run by the Energy Saving Trust. This demonstrates that it has undergone stringent testing before being approved for specific vehicle/engine combinations.”
Continued the company: “Eminox has been supporting the emissions control needs of UK fleet operators for 42 years. It understands the complexity of designing and manufacturing a retrofit system that meets stringent real-world demands, such as operating at low temperatures, and was the first company to market for CVRAS-approved systems for coaches, trucks and buses.
“Eminox has sold and distributed more than 85,000 retrofit solutions around the world, and has worked on key projects, including the £86 million Transport for London (TfL) project to upgrade 5,000 buses to Euro VI equivalent standards.
“All Eminox EATS are designed and manufactured in the UK and are backed by full aftersales support. It has an ongoing development programme to ensure it is delivering cost-effective retrofit solutions to the UK market.
“With compliance deadlines looming, now is the time to invest in cost-effective emissions control with an Eminox exhaust aftertreatment system.”
