SmartBurn™ Technology
SmartBurn™ Technology was developed for the Evolution Series® locomotive and provides locomotive users with the flexibility to change emissions performance based on the locomotive’s operating condition and location.
Environmental Benefit
An Evolution locomotive operating in SmartBurn™ Technology Mode 1 produces 22 percent less nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions when compared to an Evolution locomotive without SmartBurn™ Technology.
Operating Benefit
The SmartBurn™ technology option utilizes several GE technologies present on the Evolution Series locomotive: adaptive control, the GEVO-12 engine and geo-fencing capabilities to enhance the railroads emissions compliance options. Geo-fencing is an industry term used to describe a digital geographic boundary created by a series of latitude and longitude points.
The environmental challenge
Railroads face a variety of environmental regulations and pressure points both domestically and internationally. GE sought to provide locomotive users with the flexibility to change locomotive performance characteristics based on the locomotives' operating condition and location.
GE’s innovative solution
SmartBurn™ Technology enables the application of a GeoZone borders around a pre-defined region. This means that different operating points can be established to meet different emissions levels, performance levels or any variety of performance/operational metrics required for these pre-defined regions.
Once inside the GeoZone borders, the transition from one mode of performance to another is accomplished automatically, without any required action from the crew or dispatcher operating and controlling the train. Additionally, there is no disruption to the performance of the locomotive.
Environmental impact
SmartBurn™ Technology Mode 1 reduces NOx emissions below U.S. EPA Tier 2 NOx Levels. Therefore, an Evolution Series locomotive operating in SmartBurn™ Technology Mode 1 results in the significant reduction of NOx emissions.
For example, if all locomotives purchased by Union Pacific and BNSF Railway in 2007 were equipped with SmartBurn technology and operated in Mode 1 for 20 percent of the time, 100,000 tons of NOx emissions could be avoided over their 20-year lifetimes, or the equivalent of removing 1.15 million motor vehicles off California roadways per year.
Cutting costs
SmartBurn™ Technology Mode 2 offers the innovative flexibility and adaptability of balancing engine performance and emissions control, resulting in potential fuel savings of over three percent. Operating in Mode 2 will also significantly reduce GHG emissions in countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
