May 07, 2008
Texas State Grant Funds Eaton Technology Use to Reduce Texas Shuttle Bus Fleet GHG Emissions
EDEN PRAIRIE, MN –
Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation’s fuel-saving hydraulic
launch assist (HLA) technology will be used on a South
Texas fleet of urban shuttle buses to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions (GHG). The Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) awarded a $499,974
new technology research and development (NTRD) grant to fund the shuttle bus
emissions initiative. The grant builds on a successful 2006 project in which
Eaton’s HLA systems were installed on 12 refuse trucks under a State of Texas NTRD grant,
according to HARC Program Director Rudy Smaling.
“This is
an important technology,” Smaling said. “It cuts exhaust emissions and fuel
costs, making it possible for both operators and the environment to come out
ahead. The refuse trucks delivered fuel savings of 25 to 28 percent, and we
fully expect similar savings from the shuttle bus application.”
According
to Bradley Bohlmann, business development manager for Eaton Fluid Power Group’s
Advanced Technology Team, “We collaborated with HARC on the refuse truck
project and look forward to building on that experience in rolling out HLA
technology into the shuttle bus market.”
Eaton’s
HLA system is a regenerative braking system that captures and stores the
vehicle’s kinetic energy rather than dissipating it as heat. Braking energy is
stored in pressurized accumulators and used to help accelerate the vehicle.
According to Eaton, the HLA system is an ideal hybrid technology for vehicles
with duty cycles involving many starts and stops because it efficiently
captures and recycles energy using relatively simple, highly-durable components
easily integrated into conventional drivetrains.