US EPA adopts equipment verification process for the voluntary diesel retrofit program

13 October 2001

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a number of documents to facilitate verification of emission control equipment to be used in the Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Program (VDRP). Emission control manufacturers may now apply for verification of their technologies. The testing protocol, application form, and other related documents are available from the VDRP Equipment Verification page.

Currently available testing protocols cover verification of catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters, as well as engine modifications. Protocols for testing fuels/fuel additives and SCR technologies will be available at a later date. The testing protocol has been developed by the EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program. The version posted on the VDRP site is still a draft, but it is available for use now.

Under the adopted rules, verification testing will be conducted on the same test cycle as the emission certification of the engine, i.e., on the FTP Transient cycle for highway engines and the ISO 8178 cycle for nonroad engines. Testing is performed on a new device, as well as on a device that has been aged to 33% of a specified durability period. In-use testing is also an important part of the program. All manufacturers who sold over 500 units of their verified emission control systems are obliged to conduct an evaluation of in-use emission performance of their products. Failure to prove acceptable in-use performance will result in loss of VDRP emission credits and removal from the verified technology list.

The VDRP program was launched by the EPA in March 2000. Under the program, the EPA will grant States emission credits in their SIP plans in exchange for retrofitting heavy-duty diesel engines with emission control devices. The definition of “retrofit” is very broad and includes retrofitting engines with a catalytic converter or a diesel particulate filter, engine upgrade, engine replacement, or use of clean fuels and/or fuel additives. The technologies must be verified to be eligible for the VDRP emission credits.

Currently verified technologies include two diesel particulate filter systems (by JM and Engelhard), which were verified by the VDRP predecessor program by NESCAUM, and a number of catalytic converter and engine upgrade kits certified under the UBRR program.

For more information contact Steve Albrink, EPA OTAQ, 202-564-8997, albrink.steve@epa.gov.

Source: US EPA