Off-Road Engines, Aftertreatment Systems Perform Well on B100

(AGQM/Biodiesel Magazine) The University of Rostock demonstrates in current research results that off-road engines conforming to exhaust emission category EU Stage IV are suitable for operation with pure biodiesel.

The German government’s climate protection plan 2050 intends a reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions in transport sector by 40 percent until 2030. A reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions of fuels by 6 percent is fixed by law until 2020. Fleet operation with pure biodiesel (B100) is already an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly.

The research project at the University of Rostock shows the suitability of B100 at an EU Stage IV engine for industry and agriculture. Special attention was given to the operational stability of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems in endurance tests. The use of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems with diesel particulate filters (DPF) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is mandatory to comply with the increasingly stricter emission limits for vehicles.

As a reaction to the promising outcome of the project, Deutz AG last November approved all of its EU Stage IV tractors for the use of B100. The tested aftertreatment system is in principle also used for emission category EU Stage V engines, which is why a B100 release appears to be possible here as well.

The project was supported by the German Ministry for Food and Agriculture (Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, BMEL), AGQM, Deutz AG and UFOP (Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen). The final report can be downloaded on the website of the Agency for Renewable Resources (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V., FNR) under www.fnr.de. READ MORE