Navistar to acquire interest in Amminex
23 December 2009
Navistar has signed an agreement to acquire an interest in Danish technology company Amminex, a developer of a “solid-SCR” technology using solid ammonia precursors rather than urea solutions for selective catalytic reduction of NOx. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
“Amminex offers another tool for Navistar to explore cost-effective, customer-friendly technologies that fit our MaxxForce® Advanced EGR platform, meeting emissions requirements while removing the burden liquid urea places on the industry,” said Navistar chairman Daniel Ustian.
The Amminex technology—based on a metal ammine NOx reductant delivery system—is a tool which Navistar engineers will use to explore exhaust gas NOx reduction for specific applications, said Navistar. Navistar 2010-compliant engines have achieved 0.4-0.5 g/bhp-hr of NOx using in-cylinder NOx reduction technology, “MaxxForce Advanced EGR”. The difference from the 0.2 g/bhp-hr NOx emission standard will be initially covered by emission credits accumulated by the company. Navistar considers the Amminex ammonia delivery system a potential cost-effective added component to eventually reach the 0.2 g/bhp-hr NOx standard. In addition, several automotive OEMs are evaluating the technology’s use in light-duty vehicles such as autos and pick-ups.
The metal ammine-based delivery system by Amminex involves storage of non-pressurized ammonia in the form of metal chloride ammines, such as strontium chloride ammine, Sr(NH3)Cl2. On-vehicle, gaseous ammonia is released through thermal decomposition of the ammine at temperatures on the order of 80°C.
Amminex was formed in 2005 by a group of scientists from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) led by Tue Johannessen. Amminex has raised DKK 150 million in connection with a capital increase by existing investors: SEED Capital, Nordea Foundation, Conduit Ventures and Yasuda Enterprise Development Company, as well as by Navistar.