TECT filed a verification application of its PM & NOx CAT3126 product with the EPA. The company received four grants for the commercialization and qualification of the technology for on-the-road applications.  Selected truck applications are accumulating necessary hours for verification testing.

TECT has a few of its retrofit kits accumulated over 1000 hours of durability on the road.  Two retrofit kits will then be shipped to Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) in San Antonito, Texas for verification testing. TECT anticipates receiving verification soon afterwards.

CARB verification is forthcoming.

• diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC)/thermal stabilizer
• diesel particulate converter (DPC)
• low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (LEGR) system
• controller/micropocessor with an on-board diagnostic system (OBD)

The DOC/thermal stabilizer enhances the exhaust gas temperature profiles, assists with the incineration process, as well as the NO2 conversion. The diesel particulate converter houses the composite wire-mesh media, assembled in the form of candles.

The forgoing particulate control system can effectively support low-pressure EGR function. The LEGR system is used to reduce NOx. The EGR strategy is a mature and well-founded technique for reducing NOx by 50%.

The retrofit kit’s microprocessor is used to provide control of all the system’s components. The primary functions are: control of electric incineration, control of EGR function, communication with the engine microprocessor, and to provide an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) signal should malfunction be detected in the system. The OBD signal(s) alerts the driver to take action to remedy or repair any malfunction.

TECT’s retrofit kit is designed to operate on Caterpillar 3126 model engines, model years 1998-2003. TECT plans to expand the eligibility of retrofitted engines to cover dominant classes of on-highway engines.

TECT’s technology provides a practical and effective response to the global warming dilemma. Globalization of diesel soot reduction may appear to be a monumental financial undertaking, but a simplified version of TECT’s product can drastically mitigate the effects of global warming at a lower cost. This strategy addresses particulate air pollution and global warming simultaneously.

TECT’s disruptive, state-of-the-art emissions control technology addresses the foregoing challenges and more. TECT’s strategy focuses on particulate collection with reliance on incineration. At first glance, this appears to be a monumental and radical departure from conventional particulate filters. However, TECT’s two alternative solutions are:

Typical candle assembly

• Reliance on reverse pulse jet technique to dislodge collected particulate matter into a reservoir to bring the filtration media to its original condition ready for a new loading cycle (one pulse every 2 weeks ). This technique proved extremely reliable and durable with almost no maintenance because no heat above exhaust temperature is encountered during operation.

• Advanced self-cleaning incineration technique through reliance on a unique filtration media characterized by a deep-bed and high residence time. Such media provides superb contact between NO2 and soot. As a result, NO2oxidation of soot is very effective and can consume 70 – 90% of the accumulated soot. The incineration process is intermittent with no added cost or temperature rise of the media.The remaining accumulated soot migrates in the down-stream direction, and is collected on a specialty-weaved screen, forming a cake. The cake, once it reaches a certain density, is electrically incinerated. The electrical energy used for incineration only heats the soot with no energy consumption in the surrounding media (substrate), as is the case with competitors. As a result, electric incineration power consumption is 150 – 200 watts, and lasts for a few minutes. We estimate electric incineration is needed once every 1 – 3 weeks, depending on vehicle driving cycle. The electric power cycle uses a pulsed 24 volt up to 3 KHZ.  Heat generated during electric incineration is localized at the outer periphery of the filtration media.  Therefore, no heat build-up occurs in the filtration media, and the incineration heat is very small to the point no temperature rise is detected at the outlet of the filter media during incineration.

The cornerstone of our product is the composite wire mesh “candle”. The candle is a passive device designed to capture and agglomerate raw diesel particulate matters at high-efficiencies. Through the de-greening process, soot dendrites (collected on the wire mesh) function as a trap to the incoming particulate matter. Performance highlights of the candle are:

• High Soot Retention Capacity: Each candle stores up to 50 grams of soot.  The particulate filter employs four candles.  Thus, the filter can operate at low exhaust temperatures for extensive periods of time.
• Very Low Fuel Penalty with Incineration:  Currently estimated at 0.1%.
• Self-controlled/Fail-safe Backpressure: Even with electrical malfunction, the back pressure will not exceed approximately 60 inches of water.
• High Reliability and Durability in Operation:  High tolerance for high particulate emission engines, as well as increased tolerance for sulfur. In other words, TECT cleans the exhaust from old, dirty diesel engines.

The unique composite wire-mesh candle provides very desirable performance in diesel engine applications that can seldom be matched by conventional filtration products. Examples are: excessive particulate emitting engines, low-exhaust temperature profile applications, and above all, it can support EGR function.

Particulate matters (PM) are made of very small solid carbon cores, absorbed with organic materials derived from fuel (SOF) and engine lubricating oil, and sulfate particulates (sulfuric acid water). Some of the absorbed hydrocarbons are highly poisonous. Because of their small size (<10microns) and chemical composition, many countries published stringent standard for the PM emission.

TECT prides itself in being a green technology company with a vision to develop comprehensive solutions to achieve air quality standards in severe and non-attainment air districts in the country.   Today, many states are in violation of the air quality standards established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  As a result, State Implementation Plans (SIPs) were created to bring air quality standards up to federal mandates. TECT’s patented technology provides the answer for states to meet the requirements in their SIPs.

TECT is also committed to expanding its technology to other diesel engine applications, i.e., off-highway, marine applications, diesel generators, locomotives and others.

Refaat (Ray) A. Kammel, President & CEO
Mr. Kammel has over 47 years of experience in various fields of mechanical engineering covering diesel emission control technologies, nuclear power plant design, jet engine R&D with a focus on product development, testing and stress analysis. He is the holder of seven patents in diesel after-treatment technologies. Mr. Kammel received his BSME from Egypt.
 

David F. Merrion, Chairman of the Board
Mr. Merrion is Chairman of David F. Merrion LLC. He is on the Board of Directors of Clean Diesel Technologies Inc and Hy-Drive Technologies Ltd. He is on the Technical Advisory Committee of Achates Power Inc and on the National Academy of Science Committee to develop fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Merrion is the retired Executive Vice President of Engineering for Detroit Diesel Corporation. He is a SAE Fellow, and in 2009 he received the ASME Honda Medal for his contribution to the diesel engine industry. He has a BSME degree from Kettering University and a MSME from MIT.
 

William H. Randall, J.D., Secretary
Mr. Randall has an extensive background in environmental project management, laws and regulations. He authored and published more than twenty papers in the environmental field. He was the former Chairman of the Environmental and Energy Committee of the Council of Industrial Boiler Owners (CIBO) in Washington D.C. Mr. Randall has a BBA and a J.D. from Gonzaga University.
 

Albert Thorrez, Jr., Treasurer
Mr. Thorrez is the Treasurer and Administrative Manager of C. Thorrez Industries, Inc. in Jackson, Michigan. Thorrez Industries is a $35 million a year manufacturer of automotive and industrial products. Mr. Thorrez is a CPA, and has BBA and Master of Accounting degrees from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
 

William Khamis, CFO

Mr. Khamis has diversified experience in manufacturing, new product development, finance and accounting. He is also a CFO for a $100M construction company in Indiana. Prior to joining TECT, Mr. Khamis owns a tooling manufacturing company for carbon fiber and fiberglass reinforced plastics. He also successfully owned and operated a custom home building company. Mr. Khamis is a CPA and has an executive MBA from Notre Dame.

Jynell Berkshire, Management & Government Relations Consultant
Ms. Berkshire is an attorney with more than 14 years experience in national and international business development, Ms. Berkshire represents multiple organizations before federal, state, and local units of government and respective regulatory agencies. She served on the executive committee of the 21st Century Truck Partnership for the U.S. DOE, DOT, DOD and EPA. Ms. Berkshire has a BS and MA from Ball State University, and J.D. from Indiana University.

TECT’s product includes proprietary composite wire-mesh media for the collection of sub- micron and nano-size particles at high efficiencies. These particles are incinerated on a continuous basis. The system is expected to reduce PM emissions by 80 to 90 percent and is augmented with an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to reduce NOx by 50 to 60 percent. The device is approximately the same size and shape as the truck’s muffler, which it replaces.

In addition to the Indiana trucks and buses, 25 more trucks and buses in Texas are being retrofitted with TECT’s devices. A number of the vehicles will be continuously monitored on the road to verify performance and emission reductions in support of EPA verification. Product evaluation through emission testing is being conducted by Purdue University as the third party independent entity.

“Once we receive EPA verification the real commercialization work begins. The market potential is enormous, with the biggest demand from Texas, California and the east coast. So it will bring new money into our state.” says Ray Kammel, founder and chief executive officer.

Kammel estimates TECT will employ up to 90 Hoosiers once full production is realized, and will create even more jobs for Indiana suppliers.The company believes the TECT product has several advantages over the competition. It is passive, providing very high reliability and durability in operation, and requires very limited maintenance, further reducing the cost of operation. It provides simultaneous reduction in PM and NOx, among other pollutants and toxic air contaminants. The technology works on all diesel engines from 10 horsepower up to locomotive engines. Initial installations in Indiana and Michigan demonstrated a very high level of durability and reliability on the road.

Truck Emission Control Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in Indiana in 2002 and is headquartered in Fortville, Ind.

TECT’s PM & NOx Reduction System on the first INDOT truck A total of 30 trucks will be retrofitted by Jan 2011