Gas Analysis implications of the new Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) Regulation

On September 2014 the European Commission proposed a new regulation to harmonise across the EU the emissions limit values (ELV’s) from engines installed in Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM). This new regulation replaces a number of national laws and, with effect from 1 Jan 2017, repeals a complex directive including 15 annexes and amended 8 times since 1997. Implementation timeframe for placing engines on the market is 2019 - 2020.

The extended scope of the regulation includes a wide variety of machinery typically used off the road, such as construction machinery, agriculture and farming machinery, small gardening and handheld equipment, railcars, locomotives and inland waterway vessels. The regulation addresses the following major air pollutants: nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matters (PM). The new ELV’s for internal combustion engines installed in NRMM are more stringent than the ones provided by the old directive. As a consequence the measurement of engines emissions, performed by both engine manufacturers and market surveillance authorities, will require additional gas analysis technology to be used and will call for new techniques and calibration gas standards. Since the aim of the NRMM regulation is to create harmonisation across the EU and alignment with US standards, the role of reliable accredited metrological standards will be the key.

This paper focuses on changes in emission limits and gas analysis requirements of the NRMM regulation. New instrumentation gases and new calibration gas mixtures which will be required in the industry will be discussed drawing Linde’s experience of working with industries who are preparing for this new environmental legislation.