Particulate filters and exhaust gas recirculation are the way to go for heavy-duty diesel truck engines, according to Cummins Inc. The engine builder announced during the Mid-America Trucking Show that it would meet the stringent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2007 emissions standards for on-highway heavy-duty trucks by integrating the Cummins Particulate Filter with its current cooled-Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) engine technology.
“We said that cooled-EGR emissions technology would be the foundation for our 2007 product line back in 2002,” said Tom Kieffer, Cummins executive director of marketing. “Providing stable engine architecture assures customers that the engine they are operating today will be the same basic engine in 2007 and gives them confidence in the performance, reliability, and durability of the Cummins solution.”
Cummins officials are not only confident of the technology they have chosen, they are also certain that the 2007 engines will be fully proven and ready on schedule. Seventy-five trucks with the 2007 engines will be on the road by August 2005.
More than 100,000 trucks with various system components for the 2007 engines are already on the road. More importantly, the basic system in the Cummins engine package has been operating in the field since 2002.
The Cummins particulate filter, developed and manufactured by Fleetguard Emissions Solutions, a Cummins subsidiary, is designed to reduce particulate matter emissions by 90% from current levels. The Cummins particulate filter is designed to replace the existing vehicle muffler, adding minimal weight to the vehicle. Service requirements for the particulate filter can be extended as far out as 400,000 miles (643,783 km) for line-haul operations, minimizing the operating cost impact to trucking companies.
The 2007 engine will also feature a crankcase ventilation system from Fleetguard that virtually eliminates any oil carryover from the engine.
“Having the right technology and building upon our successful proven products gives Cummins a unique advantage to integrate the engine and Cummins Particulate Filter while providing the best value for our customers,” said Kieffer. “We have great confidence that these engines will have the same industry-leading fuel economy in 2007 and will provide the best performance, reliability, and durability of any engine in the marketplace.
“With over 9 billion miles of road experience accumulated by Cummins heavy-duty engines since 2002, customers are telling us that our engines are viewed as the best in the industry, providing the best fuel economy, performance, and reliability today,” he added.