Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR):

One Piece of the Tier 4 Emissions Compliance Puzzle

Introduction. Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 Stage 4 emission compliance standards and
regulations are a complex of policies, rules, and guidelines scheduled for full implementation in the
manufacture and production of “clean diesel” engines for all power unit applications to be deployed in
the United States.

Europe, Canada and Japan have collaborated on emissions compliance standards and regulations in
order to ensure emissions reduction targets for all diesel power are met by all makes and models
across borders, including off-highway (non-road) applications.

As leading manufacturers and marketers of diesel power equipment for their own industrial and
agricultural markets, and as exporters of such equipment, the United States, Europe, Canada and
Japan have made determined investment in research and development programs to bring clean diesel
technology to 21st century markets.

The primary clean diesel technology innovations for emissions control are EGR and SCR systems. Both
systems have emerged as high degree refinements and improvements to traditional EGR and SCR
applications from different sectors of the wide range of commercial diesel applications. Some of the
more prominent commercial EGR applications come from the agricultural, construction, and mining
sectors. SCR applications have been developed over decades of reliable usage in utilities power
generation, locomotive and marine power, and small to mid-sized boiler applications.

The contrast between both systems is an important part of this presentation because it highlights the
development possibilities going forward beyond the fundamentals of meeting emissions standards. As
a first wave challenge to each participating lead country, the emissions compliance efforts have yielded
two effective technologies for controlling particulate and NOx emissions to near-zero levels.

Now comes the ongoing challenge to manufacturers research and development to optimize clean diesel
efficiency in producing near-zero emissions power across the board in all applications deployed at all
levels of the power output ratings (horsepower) curve, both on and off-highway.

Both technologies present challenges unique to their own pedigrees. EGR and SCR technologies are
being adapted to fit new generation power units from as small as a single horsepower to the

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de
 gargantuan 750 plus horsepower off-highway engine applications. Each level brings its own design
challenges to ensure operational efficiency and emissions control while incorporating the most current
characteristics of EGR and SCR technologies.

The Purpose of the Report. The purpose of this report is to articulate the scientific, technological,
and applied mechanical concepts of Selective Catalytic Reduction technologies as applied in off-
highway clean diesel power units, in order to contribute to an understanding of Tier 4 compliant
emission control technologies, and the emergent issues surrounding this specific technology relative to
competing compliant technology, the various commercial fields of operation where competing
technologies compete for a) market share, and b) adoption-diffusion primacy as the norm in
environmentally compliant clean diesel technologies.

Scope of the Report. This report makes no claims to present any original research or findings about
SCR technologies, their worth, value or effectiveness, as applied to the off-highway clean diesel
market. This report will use an aggregate approach to the presentation of facts and, where necessary,
expert opinions, about SCR technology as these pertain to off-highway applications.

Conceptual Overview
Nitrogen Oxide as Pollutant. The reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) as a diesel emissions by-
product is the benchmark measurement of emissions reduction technology effectiveness with good
reason.

Nitrogen oxides are progressively lethal pollutants. NOx is a byproduct of diesel combustion. The net
effects of NOx pollution of the surrounding environment center mainly on soil beds and groundwater
deposits across the country.

The general term for NOx pollution is acidification. Acidification of soil has far reaching environmental
impacts. Acidification by NOx saturation disrupts normal soil pH levels.

The disruption of soil pH causes further imbalances. Nutrients for plant, tree and fauna life is disrupted
because the chemical changes in soil alter the availability of nutrients needed for healthy plant life,
both wild and domesticated species. The alteration of the nutrient bed affects animal health. Plants,
trees and fauna upon which animals feed, both wild and domestic, have less nutritional value.

Animal metabolisms adapt to the nutritional degradation over time due to reduced vitamin and mineral
content in the plants they consume, and which are converted to feedstock. Where feed stocks are

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de
 concerned, additional supplementation requirements become necessary to sustain livestock
productivity but have residual impacts on human consumers of such livestock.

Where rain water percolates over NOx saturated soils, the effect is a chemical change in organic
mineral compounds. The organic mineral compounds become free metallic compounds. These free
metallic compounds are highly toxic to plant, animal and human life. The compounds leach into
groundwater supplies or remain suspended in soil.

Selective Catalytic Reduction and NOx Pollution Control. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) has
been proven to reduce diesel engine emissions of NOx to near-zero levels. The findings from an
extensive testing program in the United States, Europe, Japan and Canada have all validated SCR’s
effectiveness as a driver of reduced N Ox emissions worldwide. Findings have been generally indicative
of high performance in this regard at all levels of the horsepower rating continuum from single
horsepower off-highway power units through the top horsepower range above 700 horsepower.

SCR is based on principles of applied chemistry. A gas is mixed with a compatible reductant creating a
mixture that physically contacts a catalyst. The original gas is transformed into a different compound.
Whereas the original compound contained harmful pollutants before catalysis, post-catalysis the
compound is an organic compound of zero toxicity to plants, animals and humans.

SCR converts NOx found in untreated diesel emissions or exhaust gases. To convert NOx to its
constituent compounds, a chemical catalytic process is required. The exhaust gases which carry the N
Ox out of the engine must be altered by mixing the compounds with a gaseous reductant. The
reductant reacts with NOx when mixed in precise, metered, gaseous p roportions. The NOx is thus
prepared to bond with the catalyst when it comes into contact.

Diesel exhaust undergoes a chemical alteration as the exhaust stream is infused with the gaseous
reductant as the exhaust is discharged from the combustion chamber. Certain exhaust temperatures
are optimal for the alteration to be effective. The NOx rich exhaust gas, once infused with reductant,
can be absorbed in contact with the catalyst.

The gaseous reductant compound used in new generation diesel engines with SCR emission
technologies is commonly known as “urea.” Urea is a form of nitrate that is a staple of agricultural
fertility compounds which improve, artificially, soil nitrogen levels for crop production.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de
 When urea is suspended in a 32.6% aqueous solution, then injected into the NOx rich exhaust gas
stream as an atomized compound, the new gaseous mixture flows into contact with the catalytic
apparatus. The by-product of the instantaneous reaction is carbon dioxide.

The catalytic reduction process known as SCR transforms NOx compounds into diatomic nitrogen and
water vapor. The catalytic reduction process produces a non-toxic compound from toxic diesel
emissions.

Diesel Particulates. For the purposes of this report the main focus on SCR is N Ox emission
reductions. Off-highway clean diesel power units are held to the same high standard for reducing
particulate emissions. EGR and SCR power units rely on electronically regulated, heat controlled,
absorbent-adsorbent filtration technologies to reduce particulates emitted into the atmosphere. The
particulate filtration systems are part of the after treatment systems in EGR and SCR emission models.
Regeneration systems have been designed to keep filtration clog-free with the increased demands
placed on filters to scrub exhaust gas of particulates to near zero levels. Diesel oxidation catalyst
systems filter carbon and THC emissions by a full 90 per cent.

Want to learn more about current technologies

and developments in off-highway engines?
Visit our Download Center for more articles, whitepapers and interviews:
http://bit.ly/off-highway-articles

About IQPC:
IQPC provides tailored conferences, large events, seminars and internal training programmes for
managers around the world. Topics include current information on industry trends, technical
developments and regulatory rules and guidelines. IQPC's conferences are market leading events, highly
regarded for their opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas for professionals from various industries.

IQPC has offices in major cities across six continents including: Berlin, Dubai, London, New York, Sao
Paulo, Singapore, Johannesburg, Sydney and Toronto. IQPC leverages a global research base of best
practices to produce an unrivaled portfolio of problem-solving conferences. Each year IQPC offers
approximately 2,000 worldwide conferences, seminars, and related learning programs.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IQPC GmbH | Friedrichstr. 94 | D-10117 Berlin, Germany
t: +49 (0) 30 2091 3330 | f: +49 (0) 30 2091 3263 | e: eq@iqpc.de | w: www.iqpc.de
Visit IQPC for a portfolio of topic-related events, congresses, seminars and conferences: www.iqpc.de