London General drives for clean air; completes pollution emissions control trials with Engelhard.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 10, 1996--London's millions of pedestrians and bus passengers can benefit from new environmental technologies designed to minimize the harmful emissions produced by diesel engines. These include carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO), hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate emissions.

The London General Bus company is the first of London's bus operators to have tested the newest technology designed to deliver improvement in emissions. They have recently completed trials with Engelhard's revolutionary GPX(R) combustion management coating on their Iveco powered Routemaster buses. The results have shown a significant reduction in smoke to the extent that there is practically no visible smoke under idle or hard acceleration conditions. In addition, fuel consumption was reduced on the test buses by an average of 8%, compared to a standard bus. Drivers also reported an increase in power and improved driveability.

Phil Margrave, engineering director for London General, comments, "As a responsible company, we need to do more than simply stay within the law on environmental issues. As an experienced engineer, I expected Engelhard's GPX coatings to achieve positive results, and have been very pleased with these trials."

Using advanced technology to make diesel vehicles cleaner is a giant step toward addressing the challenges posed by dangerous particulate emissions," said Joseph E. Gonnella, group vice president for Engelhard's Environmental Technnologies businesses. "GPX coatings represent a significant addition to Engelhard's clean air solutions, and we are proud to partner with many of the forward-thinking leaders in industry and government to help address air quality challenges."

The coatings were applied to combustion components as part of an engine re-build program. Subsequent MOT (Ministry of Transport) testing demonstrated that the density of the smoke from an engine retro-fitted with these coatings is reduced from 1.7 on a standard configuration, to 0.5 after an average of three accelerations.(a)

The GPX coatings are robotically applied during engine rebuilds, under strictly controlled conditions. The coating reduces emissions by reflecting heat back into the combustion process, which provides for a more efficient and clean burn of the fuel and hence a reduction in smoke. When applied in conjunction with an exhaust catalytic converter, comprehensive control of emissions is achieved.

The Engelhard GPX coating is currently running on many applications world-wide, including bus and truck diesel engines.

Engelhard's Environmental Technologies Group is the world's leading manufacturer of automotive emission catalysts, clean air catalysts and systems for trucks and buses, as well as a leader in clean air catalysts and systems for construction and mining equipment, and stationery sources such as manufacturing plants, refineries and power generation plants.

Engelhard Corp. is a world-leading provider of environmental technologies, specialty chemical products, engineered materials and related services.

Editor's Notes

Useful Statistics

Though catalytic converters have been standard on all new petrol engine cars in the UK since the early 1990s, there is still great concern about the levels of pollutants, in particular in major UK cities. There are an estimated 28.8 million motor vehicles(b) on Britain's roads, and with this over 340 million(c) bus services currently running in the London area alone, together with over 18,000(c) diesel taxis.

The Perfect Engine

The power to move a car comes from burning petrol or diesel fuel mixed with air, within an internal combustion engine. Gasoline and diesel fuels are composed of a mixture of hydrocarbons (HCs). In the perfect engine, the oxygen from the air would convert all of the hydrogen in the fuel to water, and all of the carbons to carbon dioxide. In reality, all engines are inefficient--the compounds are incompletely converted and pollutants are emitted. New technologies will allow diesel engines to burn cleaner and more completely.

Pollutants(d)

--Nitrogen Oxides are formed by nitrogen and oxygen atoms under the high temperature/pressure conditions within an engine. They are one of the precursors to the formation of ozone, and contribute to the formation of acid rain. High exposures can affect the way that lungs and airways function.

--Carbon Monoxide is formed when the carbon in the fuel is only partially oxidized. It can combine with the hemoglobin in blood to form carboxyhaemoglobin, and can therefore be lethal with prolonged exposure by preventing the flow of oxygen through the bloodstream. At ambient levels the effect is slight, but higher concentrations can also affect mental activity and worsen any existing problems which affect the delivery of oxygen to the heart or brain.

--Carbon Dioxide, although a natural component of air, is starting to attract attention as a pollutant. It does not directly impair human health but is nevertheless a "greenhouse" gas which contributes to the potential for global warming.

--Evaporative Emissions also contribute to pollution to a lesser extent, through the evaporations of fuels in running or warm idle cars, during high temperature weather, and during refuelling. Benzene is one of these, and there are suggestions that long term (lifetime) exposures can cause leukaemia. At ambient levels it does not have short term or acute effects.

--Other products of incomplete combustion are also known to be harmful to health, such as formaldehyde, acetaldhydes, diesel particulate matter and 1,3-butadiene. 1,3-butadiene studies have shown the possibility that this can cause lymphomas and leukaemia, though ambient levels are not harmful. Particulate matter of small size (under 10 micros) can worsen heart and breathing problems in sensitive groups, with effects ranging from days of restricted activity to premature mortality. At the levels found in the UK there is no evidence of effects on people with good health.

--Lead can affect many parts of the body including the production of blood, the nervous system and mental activity, and children are most susceptible.

--Ozone is an irritant at the levels found in the UK. It can inflame airways, lead to sore eyes and throats, and increase sensitivity to some allergens. Current evidence does not suggest chronic effects at typical UK levels.

Further information on Engelhard can also be obtained by viewing Engelhard's website at http:\\www.engelhard.com

(a) Measured on a Department of Transport approved Sun Electric Advanced Smoke Analyzer (ASA200) Smoke Meter. This unit uses a modulated light emitting diode (LED) and a solid state photodiode light receiver to measure the light level received through a portion of the exhaust smoke. Density is calculated and a result given in the form of the Smoke Absorption Coefficient (k).

(b) Based on figures from Society of Motor Manufacturers and

Traders

(c) Based on Department of Transport "Transport Statistics Great

Britain" 1995

(d) Health information sourced from Summary & Overview, UK National

Air Quality Strategy, announced August 21, 1996.

CONTACT: Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, London

Susanna Kolsch, 0171 344 1284

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Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, London

Sue Rizzello, 0171 344 1290

E-mail: [e-mail]

or

London General

Chris Nolan, Press & Public Relations Officer 

0181 646 3371