Volvo Penta unveils engines with catalytic converters

CHESAPEAKE, Va. – Volvo Penta is launching four catalyzed sterndrive engines and one catalyzed Volvo Penta IPS gasoline model, the company said in a statement yesterday. The engines have very low emissions and satisfy California Air Resources Board 4-Star requirements, which is currently the toughest gasoline emission regulation standard in the world.

The catalytic converter components are fully integrated into the engine in the aluminum exhaust system.

“We’ve been looking at catalytic converters for quit a long time,” said Paul Dierksen, Volvo Penta’s senior vice president of marketing and strategic business development, in an interview with Boating Industry yesterday. “We wanted something that would not increase envelope size for builders and weight at least comparable to old product. We actually reduced weight.”

Currently the catalyzed engines are only available in California, Dierksen said. The company is considering making the engines available to the rest of the 49 states, but is holding off for now, given the costly nature of the engines and the current economic environment.

The catalyzed sterndrive engine program includes one 150 hp 4-cylinder engine, two small-block V8 engines that output 270 hp and 300 hp, and one 400 hp big-block V8 engine. The Volvo Penta IPS 550G is a 400 hp model.

Electronic Control
Electronic multiport fuel injection with two oxygen sensors, one before and one after the catalytic converter, enable combustion to be controlled precisely for effectiveness. The reaction inside the catalytic converter sharply reduces emissions of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.

The fuel system also includes emission monitoring and diagnostics to alert the driver if the exhaust emission control is not functioning optimally.

Temperature Control
Volvo Penta utilizes double walls in the exhaust system. The cooling water flows between the walls, cooling the outside of the exhaust system while the catalytic converter is able to operate at the required high temperature. Sensors also measure the temperature and adjust engine cooling as needed.

• For more of the latest news, click here.