The US
EPA says school buses are the safest way for children to get to
school. However, pollution from diesel vehicles has health
implications for everyone, especially children. According to the US
EPA, American children spend three billion hours on school buses
each year - 99% of which are diesel.
Exposure to particulates from diesel engine exhaust is associated
with a range of health effects from exacerbation of asthma,
bronchitis, and pneumonia symptoms to retarded lung development.
Retrofitting diesel school buses, can reduce children's exposure to
potentially dangerous particulates.
To reduce diesel particulate matter, one of the most effective
retrofit options is a diesel particulate filter. Diesel particulate
filters are devices that collect particulate matter in the exhaust
stream. The high temperature of the exhaust heats the structure and
allows the particles inside to break down (or oxidize) into less
harmful components.
Diesel particulate filters can be installed on new and used buses,
but must be used in conjunction with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD)
- fuel with a sulfur content of less than 15 parts per million. The
combination of diesel particulate filters and ULSD can reduce
emissions of hazardous particulates, smog causing hydrocarbons, and
poisonous carbon monoxide by 60 to 90 percent. The EPA verifies
retrofit technology, and certifies cleaner fuels to ensure that
they produce the emission reductions advertised by their
manufacturer.
BASF is a leading supplier of cost-efficient, effective
diesel-emission-control technologies, including DPX™ catalytic
particulate filters. These technologies are in use today on
thousands of trucks and buses around the world. BASF's DPX
catalytic particulate filters first trap particulates and then use
a patented catalytic technology to continuously burn them at normal
diesel operating exhaust temperatures.
Key characteristics of BASF DPX catalytic particulate filters
include:
- Verified by the EPA
- Approved for the Clean Buses for Kids School Bus Retrofit
Program
- Can reduce particulate matter by up to 90%
- Can reduce carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by up to 90%
- Can be provided in a standard or custom configurations
- Feature a simple design and economic construction for easy
installation
- Can regenerate at normal diesel operating temperatures
For more information, please contact a member of the
BASF Diesel Retrofit Team
or our engineered integrator and verifier:
Donaldson