18-06-2012

Linde helps Husqvarna reduce emissions across outdoor product range

Linde Gases, a division of the Linde Group today announced a new contract agreement with Swedish outdoor power products manufacturer, Husqvarna, for the supply of specialty gases and the installation of a central gas supply system to help test exhaust emissions at the company’s new research laboratory in Huskvarna, Sweden.

Husqvarna is the world’s largest producer of lawnmowers, garden tractors, chainsaws and trimmers and with North America a key market, it is critical for Husqvarna’s engines to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Regulation 1065 which sets limits on emissions for multiple types of non-automotive engines, including recreational and non-road combustion engines. It is also vital that Husqvarna engines comply with emissions legislation set down by the Californian Air Resources Board (CARB) which promulgates its own emissions standards beyond those of the federal government. 

“With millions of non road-going combustion engines manufactured per year, environmental agencies like the EPA are growing ever more stringent on emissions standards for this category of engine,“ said Stephen Harrison, Head of Specialty Gases and Specialty Equipment, Linde Gases Division. “The EPA’s new exhaust emissions standards will mean a reduction of hydrocarbons being emitted from motorised lawn equipment by 35 percent and illustrates intensified efforts to protect our environment. However, as ever more emissions need to be measured and our ability to detect pollutants at increasingly low levels is challenged, Linde is helping engine manufacturers by harnessing innovative high purity gases and precision gas mixtures to meet reduced detection limits.”

Linde’s high purity specialty gases and gas supply system will play an integral role in Husqvarna’s newly enhanced emissions detection capability through the supply of thirty gases in total, including three highly innovative ultra low hydrocarbon gases - nitrogen, synthetic air and fuel gas for use in chromatography analysis, and almost two kilometres of high integrity piping. Although already available in the US, it will be the first time these ultra low hydrocarbon gases will be made available in Europe. 

In order to comply with the legislation, engine manufacturers must follow rigorous test procedures where instrumentation needs to detect for contaminants at incredibly low levels with repeatability and accuracy. Husqvarna’s recently built engine emissions test laboratory has been developed to attain the highest levels of detection capability, detecting contaminants at less than 50 parts per billion and will allow Husqvarna to measure for hydrocarbons in order to meet EPA Standards 1065, as well as nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that has normally not formed part of automotive emissions testing.

“We are very pleased with Linde’s ability to deliver not only these ultra low hydrocarbon specialty gases but also a high integrity gas supply system which we are confident can transport these gases reliably and safely to where they are needed and help us meet our emissions standards obligations,” said Stefan Johansson, Engine Lab Manager, Husqvarna, Sweden.

For more information, please visit www.hiq.linde-gas.com