Cleaire Advanced Emission Controls announced the opening of its Heavy-Duty Chassis Dynamometer Emissions Laboratory for outside contract services. Cleaire Advanced Technology Testing Services, or “CATTS,” is located in Richmond, Calif., on the campus of the Chevron Technology Center.
The CFR-compliant heavy-duty chassis dynamometer laboratory is capable of testing a variety of medium- and heavy-duty powertrain technologies, including diesel emissions control systems, hybrid powertrains and alternative fuels.
“We are excited about opening our doors to external customers to perform contract testing services,” said Gale Plummer, Cleaire chief executive officer. “We’ve invested significantly over the past few years to ensure the laboratory is functioning at the highest possible levels of quality and efficiency required to meet customer’s needs.”
The chassis dynamometer consists of a Froude-Consine transient motoring dynamometer designed for full road-load and wind simulation, with power absorption sufficient to test any vehicle up to 575 horsepower. CATTS is equipped with a full-scale insulated dilution tunnel for both continuous and bag measurements of nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbons, as well as the ability to integrate other gaseous pollutant measurements at the customer’s request.
A secondary dilution system allows for measurement of particulate matter over a test cycle, and a coriolis mass flow sensor provides fuel consumption and fuel economy. The facility is capable of handling vehicles ranging from pickup trucks to Class 8 trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles, single- or tandem-axle drive with inertia simulation from 6,000 to 85,000 pounds.
Cleaire Advanced Emission Controls has used the lab since 2002 to support internal product development and verification work for its portfolio of diesel particulate filters. In additional to chassis dynamometer testing, Cleaire also is able to offer services in the areas of field testing, data acquisition and a range of hot- and cold-flow bench test capabilities to evaluate catalysts and filter technologies.
