Rhodia Automotive offers three solutions for reducing CO2 emissions and a closed system for reducing particulates emissions to 99.9 per cent in diesel engines.
An interview with Jean-Claude Steinmetz, Rhodia Group Vice-President in charge of Automotive and Transportation,
by Pim van der Veer
At their stand at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt Rhodia claimed on press day September 11, 2007 that its overall technologies dedicated to Automotive and Transportation contribute to reducing the CO2 emissions of a passenger car by over 20g per kilometre.
The basically chemical company addresses three main environmental issues: clean air, energy savings and CO2 emissions reduction. These are reducing rolling resistance, enhancing aerodynamics and lowering car weight, in addition to all the possible advancements that can be brought to car engines and emission control devices themselves.
“By 2012, the emissions target imposed on car-makers will have toughened, down to 120g of CO2 per kilometre, which represents on average an extra 40g reduction to be achieved per vehicle,” explains Jean-Claude Steinmetz, Rhodia Group Vice-President in charge of Automotive and Transportation. “A chemist such as Rhodia has the expertise to offer key technologies to help car-makers reach this objective, which is beyond the mere technical constraints imposed on powertrain.”
Rhodia has developed a high-performance silica, which is the key ingredient of energy efficient tyres aimed at reducing rolling resistance by up to 25% and CO2 emissions by 5%, giving an average gain of 10g/km. Rhodia Silcea worldwide headquarters is located in Lyon, France, and it is obvious that this product was a joint development with Michelin. In the interview with Vehicle Engineer International Mr Steinmetz explained that historically Lyon was the end of the Silk Route and where the silk-based industry started. For instance Jacquard (Joseph Marie) was a well known French silk weaver manufacturing products in Lyon which bears his name. Later the silk supply lessened and the Lyon industry turned to artificial fibres like polyester and later nylon. It is from this traditional expertise that Rhodia developed their products for the automotive industry.
Plastics
Polyamide technical plastics are used for body parts, structural parts and under-the-hood applications, in which they are able to replace traditional metal parts. The potential weight reduction is significant as an average 100kg of plastics is equivalent to 300kg of metal. Due to the technological progress embodied in these materials, they offer car-makers the possibility to reduce car weight by another 10%, which translates into a further 10g reduction in CO2 emissions per kilometre. Moreover, the high flexibility brought to automotive design by plastics in exterior parts can also enable the optimisation of aerodynamics, which contribute to more than 30% of total vehicle CO2 emissions. Mr Steinmetz pointed out that weight reduction is important in vehicles in urban conditions with a lot of stop-start traffic. A lot of energy is spent on getting a vehicle from standstill to a cruising speed. On a motorway with sustained cruising speeds this energy consumption is replaced by the energy necessary to overcome air resistance. Aerodynamics at low speeds are insignificant and the high torque necessary to get the vehicle moving from standstill and frequent acceleration is less important at constant cruising speeds on a motorway.
Rhodia catalytic materials are developed not only to help eliminate the main pollutants, but also to minimise the impact on CO2 emissions. For instance, Rhodia’s Eolys™ technology for Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) regeneration require the lightest over-consumption of any DPF system on the market. This makes it the best solution available today in terms of CO2.
Additive based diesel particulate Filter
Initially, PSA in a joint development with Rhodia equipped passenger cars with A-DPF. Now, SUV and Heavy Duty vehicles benefit from the technology. Improvements made to the system and therefore to the performance of the Eolys™ additive have enabled a reduction in on-board volume. With second generation Eolys™, launched in 2002, the additive tank required refilling every 140,000 km (87,500 miles). Third generation Eolys™, currently being launched, enables a maintenance-free system with only 1.5 litres on-board for a range exceeding 250,000 km (155,000 miles).
The PSA/Rhodia A-DPF system is a closed system, able to reduce diesel particulate to a degree of 99.9 per cent. PSA (Peugeot-Citroen) as a major manufacturer of diesel engines adopted this system in 2001. Manufacturers sourcing diesel engines from PSA, such as Ford, Mazda, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Fiat vans, and BMW for their diesel powered Mini, are also using the Rhodia A-DPF system.
After more than 6 years’ practical experience and with more than 2.5 million vehicles on the road - with zero recalls - the Additive-based Diesel Particulate Filter (A-DPF) with Rhodia’s Eolys™ technology has demonstrated its efficiency, robustness and durability under all driving conditions.
It is clear that the closed A-DPF system differs from open retrofit particulate filters. In the Netherlands the Ministry of Environment began a programme on September 12, 2006 subsidising the fitting of diesel particulate filters on older diesel engines. According to the latest statistics, more than 32,000 have been fitted. Volvo was the first in free fitting these open retrofit filters passing the 11,614 mark. Volkswagen overtook them with 14,744 retrofits. The subsidy of € 500 to € 1,500 - according to the size of the engine - is cashed by the fitter. Open retrofit diesel particulate filters as fitted in this programme have been tested by the Dutch technical institute TNO. It was found that a reduction of particulate emission was achieved between 20 and 55 per cent, 44 per cent on average. In many cases this reduction is sufficient to allow access to city zones where only Euro IV engines qualify.
Mr Steinmetz points out that Rhodia needs their A-DPF system to be integrated in the total engine control which involves more engineering than just fitting a filter in the exhaust pipe. More space is required, as well as a higher price. In addition to the passenger car market, Eolys™ technology has proved its value in the retrofitting of light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles. These applications are particularly demanding in respect of cost, durability and performance, as well as under severe thermal management conditions. Rhodia’s Eolys™ is not only used in retrofit applications for buses, delivery and commercial vehicles but also in off-road applications such as construction machinery, forklift trucks and generators. Importantly, Rhodia is actively involved in urban vehicle retrofit partnerships with many cities in France, Germany, Switzerland, China, Korea and Japan. In these cases the unit price of € 3,000 – € 6,000 is paying off because of the almost 100 per cent elimination of diesel particulate emissions. Also engineering and finding space under the bonnet is less of a problem.
This development is currently ongoing for Euro V applications with SUV, utility and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers. The advantages offered by A-DPF technology are key to these applications. A-DPF ensures optimum performance under all driving conditions, motorway or urban, and requires very limited fuel consumption, compared to 3 to 5% for other technologies. Moreover, A-DPF technology is completely transparent for the driver and passengers: the system requires neither intervention by the driver nor a change in driving style. Currently there is no equivalent available in the marketplace.
Heavy-duty applications will also benefit from the advantages offered by A-DPF technology for DPF-DeNOx combinations. Due to its outstanding performance, this technology offers wide integration flexibility in these two emissions control systems (DPF located upstream or downstream of a De-NOx catalyst), which constitutes a key element in current US and future European emission standards. Mr. Steinmetz mentioned that Rhodia supplies up to half of all coating of 3-way catalysts.
Silcea is Rhodia's fine inorganic chemistry enterprise and the global leader in rare earth-based materials and high performance silica. Rhodia Silcea supplies major players focused on sustainable mobility with a complete range of materials for exhaust emissions control. On the electronics market, Silcea is the specialist for phosphors used in low-energy lamps, LCD and plasma flat screens. Inventor of high dispersibility silica, which in particular reduces fuel consumption, Rhodia Silcea is a key partner for the tyre industry, as well as the elastomer, feed and food industries.
Rhodia is a global specialty chemicals company recognised for its strong technology positions in Performance Materials, Functional Chemicals and the Organics and Services clusters. Partnering with major players in the automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, consumer care, tyres, and paints and coatings markets, Rhodia offers tailor-made solutions combining original molecules and technologies to respond to customers’ needs. Rhodia subscribes to the principles of Sustainable Development communicating its commitments and performance openly with stakeholders. Rhodia generated sales of € 4.8 billion in 2006 and employs around 16,000 people worldwide. Rhodia is listed on Euronext Paris and the New York Stock Exchange.
To better address current and future challenges of sustainable mobility, Rhodia is presently strengthening its automotive team. Based in Lyon, this trans-integrated organisation provides the necessary interlinking support to the high performance silica, engineering plastics and catalytic materials businesses, in which the Group holds leadership positions.
For more information, please contact:
Rhodia
Jérôme Pisani
Tel: + 33 4 37 91 81 13
Fax : +33 4 37 91 81 04
E-mail:jerome.pisani@eu.rhodia.com
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