The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has verified Johnson Matthey’s SCRT System as the first 4-way emission control technology for on-road vehicles. Applicable to 1994-2002 model year engines, the SCRT system is verified to reduce NOx emissions by 70% and cut CO, HC and PM emissions by more than 90%.

Johnson Matthey said it combined two of its highly successful catalytic technologies to develop the SCRT system. They include a urea-based SCR system, which has been used successfully for some 30 years on a wide range of stationary engines and other industrial applications, and the patented CRT particulate filter, which was introduced in the 1990s and was also the first particulate filter to be EPA/CARB verified.

Marty Lassen, Johnson Matthey’s director of commercial development and marketing, said EPA’s verification is very significant. “We are the first manufacturer to market a verified 70% NOx retrofit. This is further confirmation that Johnson Matthey’s technologies remain among the best choices for improving air quality.”

He added that once the SCRT system gains CARB verification later this year or in early 2011, it will be the only retrofit technology to significantly help meet the CARB private fleet rule requirements. It will also provide states that are in ozone non-attainment another tool for control of NOx from on-road mobile sources.

Johnson Matthey said it has more than 50 demonstration units running in California and Texas and after thousands of hours of operation, the SCRT system retrofits on both EGR and non-EGR engines has reduced NOx emissions by as much as 84%.  

“The experience gained from these demonstration units and from over 250 SCRT systems being installed via grants from the EPA’s Emerging Technology program will give the market confidence in the SCRT system’s performance and durability,” said Lassen.