Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Manufacturing of Ultra‐efficient and Robust Nano‐array based Lean NOx Trapping Devices
EPA Contract Number: EPD15026Title: Manufacturing of Ultra‐efficient and Robust Nano‐array based Lean NOx Trapping Devices
Investigators: Guo, Yanbing
Small Business: 3D Array Technology LLC
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2015 through February 29, 2016
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2015) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Air and Climate
Description:
NOx is a major air pollutants and required to reduce a significant amount in the coming new emission regulation. NOx emission from Transportation sectors (including on-road and non-road) contributes up to 60% of the total emission. Catalytic converter has proved to be the most effective and dominant technology for vehicle exhaust emission control. To effectively control the NOx emission from lean burn engines, two most potential technologies have been developed such as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Lean NOx Trap (LNT). However, NOx emission at the “cold start” period of vehicle is becoming the non-negligible contributor for the overall vehicle NOx emission, which cannot be managed by the current SCR and LNT catalysts. A low temperature active and high efficient NOx removal device for mobile source is on demand. The overall objective of this SBIR Phase I Project is to design, develop and validate a well-defined metal oxide nanostructure array (nano-array) based three-dimensional (3-D) (cordierite, stainless steel) monolithic catalysts, for the application in Lean NOx Trapping (LNT). High low temperature activity and low materials consumption have been specifically focused and proved in this phase I project.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
In EPA SBIR Phase I project, we had successfully designed and fabricated a series of nano-array catalysts including the proposed formulations, and other nano-array based catalysts formulations. The physicochemical and morphology characterization such as Electron Microscope (SEM/TEM), BET surface area, ICP-AES were performed to help optimize the catalysts structure and formulation. NO oxidation, NOx storage and reduction were performed on the as prepared catalysts to evaluate the catalytic activity and NOx removal efficiency. The US Drive recommended accelerate hydrothermal aging and sulfur poisoning protocol for Diesel engine were adopted for our catalysts evaluation. Moreover, the scale up synthesis process were also investigated in the phase I project. A great amount of time and effort were also spent on understanding our market, validating the value proposition and building partnership.
Conclusions:
We have developed and fabricated several nano-array based perovskite and other metal oxide based LNT catalysts through the low cost, wet chemistry method. The optimized nano-array catalysts showed excellent NO oxidation activity, promising NOx storage capacity and decent performance in NSR. Perovskite based nano-array catalyst demonstrated competitive NO oxidation activity to the commercial catalyst, with lowest Pt loading around 10%-20% of regular Pt loading in commercial available catalysts.
While the optimized metal oxide nano-array based catalysts showed great low temperature NO oxidation activity from 150°C-200°C. We had proved the concept of low temperature activity, low PGM usage for the proposed nano-array catalysts in phase I project. However, more R&D optimization are needed to improve its stability and NOx storage capacity in Phase II. In the Commercialization part, we did the in-depth market analysis for our company. Around 60 experts had been interviewed for market needs and technology challenge in our customers and distribution channels including the OEM market and aftermarket such as Cummins and AutoZone. The small engine market such as lawn mower and the industrial engines for tractors were also reached out. Our low temperature and low PGM loading value proposition has been validated.
Potential applications of the research
As the emission regulation for NOx is getting more and more restrict for Diesel engine, current SCR for heavy duty engine and LNT for light duty engine both face the challenge to meet the new regulation by controlling the NOx emission on the short period of “cold start”. Due to the unique low temperature activity advantage of our LNT technology, it could be used as the added device before SCR for heavy duty engine and replace the current LNT catalysts for passenger diesel vehicles. Moreover, the cost reduction by reduced usage of PGM will bring more economic benefit to our customers and shorten the commercialization timeline.
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.