Nov. 4--The University of Tennessee is trying to help the state get pollution control efforts out of idle gear when it comes to long-haul trucks.

The UT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is administering two grant sources for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, both aimed at reducing diesel emissions.

Tennessee has about $1.73 million available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and about $200,000 in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grants available through the Environmental Protection Agency. The university is helping companies access those funds, said UT professor James Calcagno, who administers the Idle Smart APU (auxiliary power unit) Rebate Program for Truckers.

"There is a dual purpose here," Calcagno said. "One is to reduce emissions, especially when these guys are sleeping in these trucks, and then there is fuel savings. I believe the common number quoted is a diesel engine burns one gallon of fuel an hour (while idling), and we have measured it, and it is pretty close."

On Oct. 29, UT hosted a demonstration of an engine-off heating and cooling system made by Webasto, a Germany based company with a U.S. division based in Fenton, Mich.

For cooling, the unit has a cold-energy storage system that circulates coolant and purified water through a graphite matrix and transfers the cold to an air-handler in the truck's cab. The system runs on an electrical charge that it stores as the truck is driven. It is fully charged in four hours and can provide 10 hours of cooling. The heating component runs off the truck fuel supply using a pump but without running the engine.

"The heating system will run 10 hours on a gallon of fuel, so it saves them money and pollutants that would be going into the environment," said John Thomas Jr., director of the commercial vehicle business unit with Webasto Product North America Inc.

Cost of fitting a truck with the equipment is about $7,200, he said. The systems are available locally at Covington Power Services, 1429 Ault Rd.

The Webasto system is among a number of similar ones available for trucks. Besides equipment that is installed on the truck, the Knoxville-based company IdleAire Inc. provides heating, cooling and electrical service for trucks through units it has installed at 131 truckstops in 34 states. Tennessee has received about $2 million in ARAR stimulus funds available for truck stops to install equipment that will allow truckers to rest there without having to idle their rigs.

With the Idle Smart program, truck owners are able to select equipment from a list of approved manufacturers and be reimbursed for half the cost of purchase and installation up to a maximum of $4,000 per truck. To take part, applicants must complete and return a preapproval application to Dr. James Calcagno, Idle Smart APU Rebate Program for Truckers, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 64-B Perkins Hall, 1506 Middle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996-2010. He may be reached at 865-974-7723. Applications are available online at www.tn.gov/environment/recovery or by calling 615-532-0567.

Business writer Ed Marcum may be reached at 865-342-6267.

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