From today's edition of Autotech daily:


UPSTREAM DIESEL CATALYST SHOWS PROMISE

Adding a catalyst upstream from a diesel engine’s turbocharger or within the exhaust manifold can increase efficiency and reduce costs, according to recent studies conducted by Emitec Group. The German supplier, which specializes in metallic catalyst substrates, has been working with several diesel manufacturers on this approach and expects it to be in production within about two years. The upstream catalyst shortens light-off time and reduces the amount of hydrocarbons that need to be treated by downstream catalysts. As a result, the downstream catalysts can be made significantly smaller, and total systems costs can be cut by as much as 40%, Emitec calculates. Another advantage to the setup is the ability to develop final treatment catalysts with selective reduction. For example, one application may target soot particles while another concentrates upon nitrogen oxide emissions. The technique is viable only for diesels with a relatively cool exhaust stream, according to Emitec engineers. Prototype designs have been produced for installation in cylinder head ports, the exhaust manifold and just upstream of the turbocharger.

Cool exhaust stream, eh? Hmmm, that takes a lot of you guys out of the picture.

 

Not too sure I'm going to be happy with the idea of having a large chunk of metal under the hood cooking along at 1000*+

 

If I'm not mistaken this system needs urea to recharge/flush the upstream catalyst to the tune of 100 gallons per 5000 miles.
The EPA isn't really happy about the additional tanks and pumps that will be required at truck stops and on the trucks themselves if this system catches on and has been discouraging it..