Platinum Plus diesel fuel additive reduces particulate emissions by 25% in fleet tests

5 December 1997

Stamford, CT—Clean Diesel Technologies Inc. announced that two fleet tests of its Platinum Plus fuel additive in diesel passenger vehicle engines showed a 25% reduction in particulate emissions, as well as measurable reductions in hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.

In the first test, conducted by an independent U.K. engine laboratory, six new Peugeot passenger diesel vehicles were selected for testing. Grouped into three pairs, the vehicles were first tested on an untreated reference fuel to establish baseline emission levels. Two vehicles continued to run on the reference fuel, two vehicles were treated with a commercial metallic additive and two were treated with the Platinum Plus bimetallic formulation. After 12,000 km of testing Platinum Plus-treated vehicles performed substantially better than either of the other two groups. Particulate emissions were reduced by an average of 25%, hydrocarbons by 35%, and carbon monoxide by 11% for the Platinum Plus-treated vehicles. After stopping treatment, the residual effect of the additive continued to show reductions in hydrocarbons and particulates for nearly 7,000 km before approaching baseline conditions.

Clean Diesel Technologies reported that separate fleet testing conducted by its marketing partner, U.K.-based Holt Lloyd, Ltd., in conjunction with a Pacific Rim national oil company, had shown fleet average reductions in opacity (smoke) of 23%, hydrocarbons of 13% and carbon monoxide of 24% after 600 km of treatment with Platinum Plus. Testing was conducted by a national laboratory on a six-vehicle fleet including a mix of new and aged vehicles.

The Platinum Plus bimetallic additive has been chemically formulated to utilize the synergy between platinum and cerium at very low levels of metal. Levels as low as 5 ppm of metal in the fuel were found to be effective in this fleet test.

"The bimetallic performs better than either metal alone on these new diesels and at levels far below the 25-100 ppm normally proposed for other metallic additives," said James Valentine, CDT chief operating officer. "The low levels of Platinum Plus prevent engine wear or fouling of aftertreatment devices by metallic ash," he continued, "and at this level represents only a fraction of a percent of the emitted particles." According to Valentine, other tests have shown the benefits of Platinum Plus when applied in conjunction with diesel oxidation catalysts or soot filters used as aftertreatment devices.

"With more than $8 million invested in engine and fleet tests over the past two years, and more than $400,000 invested in these two programs, we now have the data in hand to support the use of Platinum Plus by major oil companies as a component of a cleaner burning diesel fuel", Valentine said.

"Platinum Plus' platinum and cerium compounds are already used in many auto and truck catalysts. We've adapted that chemistry to work as a fuel additive, alone or in conjunction with aftertreatment devices. Platinum Plus could provide a low cost alternative to costly refinery upgrades and would be compatible with new engine designs and aftertreatment devices aimed at lower emission."

Clean Diesel Technologies is a development-stage company with patent protected products that reduce emission from diesel engines while simultaneously improving fuel economy and power. R&D efforts and products are grouped into two categories: Platinum Fuel Catalysts and NOx Reduction Systems. Platinum Plus is a registered trademark of Clean Diesel Technologies.

Source: Clean Diesel Technologies