Eaton has announced its eMobility business has introduced a 48-volt programmable power electronics control unit for electrically heated catalysts. Rapidly warming up the exhaust aftertreatment catalyst, and keeping it warm during low engine load operation, is essential for optimal performance to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) exhaust emissions.
Eaton’s family of electric heater power electronics controllers are being developed for solutions between 2 kW and 15 kW of power and operate with up to 99% peak efficiency. The controller is designed to receive power commands from the aftertreatment system, provide soft-start and soft-stop capabilities for assisting in maintaining system voltage control, and diagnostic feedback of the heater element.
In Europe, the next stage of emissions standards, known as Euro VII for heavy-duty diesel trucks, is targeted for introduction as early as 2026. In the U.S., the California Air Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are introducing more stringent regulations in 2024 and 2027. Collectively, the new regulations are designed to reduce tailpipe NOx limits by up to 90%, thus accelerating the need for global manufacturers to employ additional emission-reducing strategies such as electric catalyst heating.
