Tenneco and GE to develop HC-SCR technology for locomotives

11 February 2009

Tenneco Inc. and GE Transportation have signed a joint agreement to develop a hydrocarbon selective catalytic reduction (HC-SCR) aftertreatment technology to control NOx emissions from diesel locomotives and other applications.

HC-SCR technology has been under development since 2001 at GE Global Research. GE and Tenneco will collaborate on the development and production of GE’s HC-SCR technology for the locomotive and off-highway vehicle markets. Once fully developed, the technology will also be offered to customers in the on-road, marine and stationary power markets, as an alternative to urea-SCR technology.

In the HC-SCR technology, NOx is reduced through catalytic reactions with hydrocarbons present in the diesel exhaust gas. Additional quantities of hydrocarbons, such as diesel fuel, are often injected upstream of the catalyst to achieve higher NOx reductions. The commercial use of the technology—also known as the “lean NOx catalyst”—has been very limited due to low NOx reductions and high fuel economy penalties in systems with HC injection. More active and durable lean NOx catalysts would be necessary for a wider commercial deployment of HC-SCR.

Under the agreement, Tenneco has been awarded a development contract for locomotive projects and is positioned to become a long-term strategic supplier of diesel aftertreatment solutions to GE Transportation.

Tenneco will also have the opportunity to develop GE’s HC-SCR technology for expanded markets. Through an agreement with GE’s Technology Ventures team, Tenneco has acquired licensing rights for GE’s HC-SCR technology for on-road and off-highway vehicles, marine and stationary power applications and certain locomotive fields of use.

Source: Tenneco