Experience of particulate filters for heavy duty vehicles

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Experience of particulate filters for heavy duty vehicles

Erlandsson, Lennart

Starting April 1, 1996 the three largest cities in Sweden, Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö introduced Environmental Zones, later an a fourth city, Lund joined the group. A major revision of the regulation was introduced January 1, 2002. As technology and regulations gradually are developing it is now time for the next revision of the regulation. It is planned that the new regulation will be mandated from middle of 2005, but no date is yet decided because all details are not yet finalized. There is no exact definition of an 'Environmental Zone', but it is related to an area especially susceptible to emissions. Such areas are mainly city centers where a lot of people living and working are exposed to high levels of emissions. By Swedish law the Municipalities can declare such a specified area as an 'Environmental Zone'. In the Zone they have the right to apply restrictions for traffic with heavy duty vehicles equipped with a diesel engine. By definition those vehicles have a gross vehicle weight of more than 3,5 tons. The restriction make it possible to maximize the period of operation within the Zone for heavy duty vehicles, thereby prohibit old, high polluting vehicles in the city Center. However, as a general waiver, older vehicles might also enter the Zone if approved after-treatment devices such as particulate filter are installed. There are of course cases when particulate filter is installed an vehicles without any legal or voluntary requirements to do so. It is then a question of policy for the transportation company or the bus operator if they would like to present an environmental friendly image to the public.