Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. (Clean Diesel) has signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Eaton Corporation (Eaton). In this agreement, Eaton will use the company's advanced reagent injector system (ARIS) technology for injection of hydrocarbon fuel in the emissions reduction applications, including the Eaton's Aftertreatment System. This technology can also be applied to the regeneration of diesel particulate filters and lean NOx traps in a variety of global applications.

Both Eaton’s Aftertreatment and fuel dosing systems have application for decreasing NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions from the diesel engines. NOx and PM are an important health hazard and are expected by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cause 20,000 premature deaths annually in America. Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, like asthma are particularly at risk. These systems can be used for the on-road, off-road and stationary applications, with a combined global market size of new medium duty and higher engines exceeding 7 million per year. Eaton is targeting the NOx and PM control technologies for the production in 2011 and beyond in a variety of applications.

Eaton’s Aftertreatment System does not need the use of additional urea for the NOx reduction. It is an integrated system that effectively meets EPA and international regulation requirements without on-vehicle storage, replenishment and infrastructure a urea based system needs. For example, EPA regulations need that all new 2010 on-road engines comply with the increasingly strict NOx and PM standards.

The company’s ARIS technology is designed for use in all types of the combustion engines. Its main advantages include the use of single emissions reduction fluid to offer injector cooling and the fact that it is easier to manufacture, install and operate than the compressed air systems.

Dimitri Kazarinoff, general manager for emerging technologies and business development at Eaton, said: “We are excited to enter this licensing agreement with Clean Diesel. It provides access to a key technology, which helps us provide system based solutions to reduce NOx and PM, hence making significant contributions toward emissions reduction and sustainability. We are working with numerous global OEMs to provide them with NOx and PM emission reduction solutions.”

Bernhard Steiner, chief executive officer of Clean Diesel, said: “We are delighted with the use of our ARIS airless return-flow technology in this application. ARIS technology is more commonly associated with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems based on urea injection; Eaton’s use of hydrocarbon injection underscores the broad applicability of our ARIS technology.”

“Eaton has taken two NOx-reducing technologies and packaged them into a system where they can work together, taking advantage of several catalytic reactions to reduce harmful emissions,” Dr. Steiner added. “We are pleased to provide a key technology that will help reduce global emissions and that supports Eaton’s commitment to environmental sustainability.”

Vishal Singh, manager for Eaton’s Aftertreatment business unit, said: “Eaton’s versatile solution makes use of diesel or fuels from renewable resources to meet emission standards without the logistical and cost-related issues associated with on-board urea storage and wide-scale urea distribution. Clean Diesel’s patented technology, when combined with our own in this unique way, will enable our customers to benefit from an aftertreatment system that is simple yet effective in significantly reducing PM and NOx emissions. This technology license strengthens our portfolio and combined with our own technology provides our global customers with more technical solutions to meet the strict upcoming diesel engine emissions standards worldwide.”

Hydrocarbon injection is a vital and growing technology for the diesel particulate filter regeneration applications, and also for NOx absorbers and the NOx conversion catalysts. The company supplies technology allowing both urea-based and alternative SCR solutions for the fuel-efficient emission control.