Aug 21 2008
A vigorous SAE J1321 Type II fuel consumption test, performed by an independent testing company, has verified the ability of a ceramic nano-technology product from CerMet Lab to increase fuel economy in a heavy-duty truck.
"The installation of CerMet Lab Company's ceramic-metal conditioner, in the engine oil sump of the test vehicle, demonstrated a significant and repeatable improvement in fuel economy," said Claude Travis, Claude Travis & Associates, in his test summary. "It is notable that the test vehicle's gross vehicle weight of over 77,000 lbs. and engine load factor-to-idle time of 97.7% are both higher than the national truck fleet averages," he added in his report.
The test consisted of multiple short 60-mile runs, under conditions that are described as an extreme worst case scenario for in-service use. The test was conducted on an International 9001 tandem drive, equipped with a Cummins ISX 450 HP diesel engine. In actual field tests by freight carriers, fuel consumption decreases of 5% to 15% have been documented by the fleet drivers. These test periods have included a more typical mix of travel for heavy-duty trucks, including longer runs, partial and/or lighter loads, and a higher average amount of engine-idling time -- all conditions where friction reduction has a direct relation to reducing fuel consumption.
CerMet is a nano-particle ceramic conditioner product that restores metal and reduces friction in metal-to-metal environments. It is the first product that allows a cost-effective ceramic treatment of engines, without engine disassembly or related downtime. CerMet is added to the engine oil, which carries CerMet's microscopic ceramic nano-particles to the friction zones to bond to the metal surfaces. Fuel economy benefits of the treatment last for approximately 60,000 miles of operation.
Among numerous field tests, a world-known freight carrier from Pennsylvania experienced an 8% decrease in fuel consumption when the company tested CerMet in 22 tractors with Cummins engines. An 8.6% savings was calculated by another commercial fleet company on their Mercedes and Volvo engines. In Mexico, Grupo Estrella Blanca performed a test on twenty large charter motorcoach busses and documented a 7.7% decrease in fuel consumption during the 61,000 mile test period.
The Department of Energy states that ceramics have been proven to dramatically improve performance, energy efficiency, power density, and in the case of diesel engines, lower exhaust emissions.