Clean Diesel Technologies' Platinum Plus fuel-borne catalyst (FBC) technology allows for a 70 per cent reduction in platinum use, according to new tests.

Tests carried out on diesel cars fitted with Platinum Plus catalysts found up to 70 per cent less platinum was used when compared with a conventional non-FBC system.

It is calculated that the reduced use of platinum would allow for savings of between €240 and €400 per car. The company claims that greater savings would be possible with larger vehicles.

Currently high levels of platinum-based catalysts are used with modern diesel particulate filters (DPF) and their use is expected to expand as emissions standards, such as Euro 5 and EPA 2007, come into force.

A spokesman for the company said: "Future Euro 5 legislation for diesel passenger cars suggests that diesel particulate filters will be used with the next generation of diesel engine passenger cars from the end of 2009.

"The car manufacturers concerned about the durability of the emission control performance of their vehicles, and managing the costs of these systems (including platinum and other catalytic material costs) are looking again at DPF systems regenerated with FBC."

He went on to claim that the use of DPF with FBCs has been demonstrated as one of the safest and most cost effective ways of keeping the diesel particulate filter system operating reliably and FBCs with lightly catalysed DPF systems allow for levels of NO2 emissions comparable to highly catalysed systems.
Ÿ Adfero Ltd