2008 EPA Regulations: Non-Road Engine Emissions
What you need to know about EPA Emission Regulations of Non-Road Diesel Engines
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about diesel engine emission regulations changing in the United States and Canada. Customers may be confused by new terms such as “Tier 3,” “Tier 4,” and “Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel” being used by some equipment manufacturers. In an effort to keep Bobcat customers informed, this article presents the facts and background on the new EPA requirements and how Bobcat Company is complying with these regulations.
Regulations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides emission requirements to help control the amount of pollution discharged into the air, including combustion engines. Throughout the years engines sold in North America have seen tighter restrictions on engine emissions to control pollution.
Non-road engines are not the first to see a change in emission requirements; automobiles saw a significant change in regulations during the 1970s and 1980s. On-highway diesel engines were affected by the change during the 1990s and 2000s. The first regulation for non-road engines became effective in 1996 starting with Tier 1 requirements. Since that time EPA imposed increasingly stricter emissions requirements. In 2004, the EPA signed the most recent statute requiring a higher level of regulation for non-road engines, known as Tier 4 emission standards. These standards, depending on engine horsepower, are to be phased into all non-road diesel engines, over a seven year period (2008-2015).
Emissions that that are being reduced under these new regulations include: Oxides of nitrogen (NOx), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and particulate matter (PM).
In order for manufacturers to develop new technology to meet the regulations, the EPA released the regulations in several steps or “Tiers” with a transition date for each tier. All sizes and brands of non-road diesel engines are affected by these regulations; the date for each Tier will vary depending on the horsepower category. For an easy, on-location check, locate the engine tag for detailed information as to what “Tier” level the engine meets. For further reference, the table below shows the EPA-regulated dates of change for engines under 100 HP. Notice the goal for each engine group is Final Tier 4 which corresponds with the most recent emission regulations set forth by the EPA.
Visit the Official EPA web site to learn more
For more information Click Here
Tier 4 Engine Emissions Chart and Timeline
Non-Road Diesel Engines
| Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Interim Tier 4 | Final Tier 4 |
| HP | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 < 25 | 7.5 0.80 |
7.5 0.40 |
|||||||
| 25 < 50 | 7.5 0.60 |
7.5 0.30 |
4.7 0.03 |
||||||
| 50 < 75 | 7.5 0.40 |
4.7 0.30 |
4.7 0.03 |
||||||
| 75 < 100 | 7.5 0.40 |
4.7 0.40 |
3.3, 0.19 0.02 |
0.40, 0.19 0.02 |
|||||
| 100 < 175 | 4.0 0.30 |
3.3, 0.19 0.02 |
0.40, 0.19 0.02 |
| Fuel | 5000 ppm |
Low Sulfur 500 ppm |
Ultra Low Sulfur 15 ppm |
|
NOx+NMHC NOx, NMHC 0.xx Pm |
NOx = Nitrous Oxides (g/KW hr) NMHC = Non Methane Hydro Carbons (g/KW hr) Pm = Particulate Matter (g/KW hr) |
What Does This Mean for Bobcat Equipment?
Bobcat Company meets current EPA standards and will continue to update our products over time to meet new and upcoming Tier changes. During the recent Tier change in 2008, many updates were made to engines in Bobcat products to comply with EPA regulations.
Tier 3 Bobcat machines with engine gross power output from 75 to 100 HP became Tier 3 compliant in 2008. Significant changes were made to these engines, including:
- Internal engine and fuel system-- combustion optimization
- Closed breather systems on turbocharged engines
- Cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on some models
Interim Tier 4 (IT4) Bobcat machines with engine gross power output from 25 to 75 HP became Interim Tier 4 compliant in 2008. Significant changes were made to these engines, including:
- Internal engine and fuel system-- combustion optimization
- Closed breather systems on turbocharged engines
- Cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on some models
Final Tier 4 Bobcat machines with engine gross power output less than 25 HP became Final Tier 4 compliant in 2008. These engines did not require significant changes to meet Final Tier 4 regulations.
To see which Tier is currently being met for a specific Bobcat model, visit the specifications table on that model page. The “Emissions Tier (EPA)” spec identifies what Tier is currently met for that model.
Diesel Fuel and Sulfur Content
In addition to the changes in the Tier 4 engines, the fuel that is being used is also undergoing an important change.
Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel which is already required for use in newer diesel-powered on-highway vehicles and buses, contains less than 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. This will be required for Final Tier 4 engines over 25 HP to enable sulfur-sensitive control technologies such as catalytic particulate filters and NOx absorbers.
For non-road engines, the transition to ULSD started in 2007 when sulfur content was reduced to 500 ppm “low sulfur.” In 2010, it will transition to 15 ppm “ultra low sulfur,” making non-highway diesel fuel the same as on-highway fuel. In California, all diesel fuel has already made the transition to ULSD (15 ppm).
Can Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel be used in Bobcat equipment?
ULSD is not required for Bobcat equipment or any other non-road machines at this time, however; it is approved for use in Bobcat equipment if so desired. The one negative aspect of using ULSD is it may slightly reduce the fuel economy because the process that removes sulfur also reduces the energy content of fuel, although only slightly.
Bobcat also approves up to 5% biodiesel content for use in Bobcat equipment engines.
The use of Low Sulfur fuel is required for use on all Tier 3, Interim Tier 4, and Tier 4 engines. The use of 5000 ppm is not approved for use, alternatively, ULSD can also be used.
Note on Tier 4 Advertising Claims
There are statements being distributed by some manufacturers of non-road equipment that their 2008 models use “Tier 4” engines over 25 HP, which is inaccurate. The more correct statement would be that some of their equipment may use engines that meet Interim Tier 4 or “IT4” standards. Final Tier 4 regulations are much stricter, more costly, and the technology for achieving Final Tier 4 is still in development for most engine sizes. For these reasons, it will be unlikely to see a Final Tier 4 engine over 25 HP in non-road equipment until 2012 or later.