PZEV
INERGY’s Plastic Fuel System meeting PZEV specifications well below the norms requirements
Facing one of the highest levels of pollution on the planet, California has adopted strong environmental regulations which require vehicles to reduce their fuel emission by a factor of ten, to under 54 mg per vehicle per day.
INERGY has decided to pull out all the stops in meeting the very stringent requirements of the “Partial Zero Emission Vehicle ”: PZEV.
There were many challenges to achieve this. The first one, was to find technical solutions. Several innovations were developed in parallel to reduce the permeation of various components or areas of the fuel systems. They consist in several add-ons, allowing the upgrade of conventional blow-molded fuel systems.
A special pinch, INPINCHTM, was created to reduce the permeation, by extending the permeation path in this area. It is made directly in the mold with conventional technology.
The integration of components was a major challenge, using two different methods:
1. Introducing the component through a functional hole, and attaching it with a special SNAP-INTM feature directly produced during the blow-molding process.
2. Welding: The permeation of welded components is reduced by applying a multilayer film, INFILMTM, above the welded component, extending the permeation path further.
These solutions needed also to be industrialized. A special process has been developed to laser-weld the film onto the outer HDPE layer of the tank, offering a competitive plastic solution compatible with current architectures where only part of the production lines often need to comply with the PZEV regulations, the rest of it having to comply with less stringent requirements, such as LEV II.
INERGY’s PZEV fuel systems have passed all validations and severe testing before being put on the market.
INERGY is now able to provide its customers with fuel systems that emit less than 20mg of hydrocarbons a day, saving on development and industrial investments, validations and reducing risks for our customers.
This is a rewarding achievement, acknowledged by the Solvay Innovation Trophy, awarded in December 2003 as well as businesses won with our OEM clients.
For years now, more than half of INERGY Research is dedicated to reducing fuel emissions in the frame of sustainable development. So, to comply with these new requirements, at a level never achieved so far, in a cost effective and environmental friendly manner, it is not only a way to demonstrate our technical know-how of the company and the potential of plastic fuel systems to pass the regulations, but to contribute to make a cleaner world, where mobility can be maintained.