Cummins said Sunday, Feb. 12 its heavy-duty and mid-range diesel engines are ready to meet new stricter emissions standards set for 2007 and that its ISX and ISM Class 8 engines with ’07 emissions configuration will be in limited production by the fourth quarter of 2006.
The engines will continue to rely on the company’s core exhaust gas recirculation technology introduced in its 2002 engine models, including its Variable Geometry Turbocharger. But to meet the 2007 emissions standard, which requires greater reductions of carbon and NOx, the company unveiled a diesel particulate filter and a new system that will help catch and filter crankcase emissions.
“With more than 300,000 cooled-EGR engines on the road, and over 30 billion miles of experience, we are confident in the customer advantages provided by our 2007 engines and emissions solution,” said Ed Pence, Cummins vice president and general manager of heavy-duty engine business. Pence made the announcement at the Technology and Maintenance Council’s annual meeting in Tampa, Fla.
Manufactured by the company’s Nashville, Tenn.-based Fleetguard division, the Cummins Particulate Filter works with the engine to reduce emissions. As exhaust enters the particulate filter, it passes through a ceramic wall-flow filter coated in palladium and platinum, which traps exiting particulates. Those particulates are oxidized during a regeneration process and exit the tailpipe as less-harmful carbon dioxide and oxygen.
The filter uses exhaust heat to create the regeneration step; typically this occurs as a truck is running down the highway in a passive mode and will not affect a vehicle’s operation, Cummins engineers said. In some cases, the system will require active oxidation, and the engine will automatically pump small amounts of diesel fuel to assist oxidation. Steve Charlton, executive director of heavy-duty engineering, says drivers won’t notice when the trap is oxidizing particulates.
The particulate filter will last the life of the engine, although some maintenance will be required to remove ash every 200,000 to 400,000 miles. Cummins will deploy a filter cleaning machine to its dealers and approved maintenance providers starting in 2007.
The company also is using the Fleetguard Enviroguard coalescing filter to capture and filter crankcase emissions. The filter will need to be replaced every third or fourth oil change, but oil and filter change intervals will not be affected by the new engine. The company also said fuel consumption would be comparable to current levels.
The company has added an electric actuator to its variable geometry turbocharger, the only other significant change to the ISX and ISM designs. Cummins said the actuator will provide faster response and improved precision in adjusting the airflow to the engine.
