There are 2 primary exhaust components to the new Tier 4 diesel engine. One is DPF, a Diesel Particulate filter, and the other is the addition of DEF, Diesel Exhaust Fluid.
DEF is the clear fluid (Urea) added to a tank attached to your diesel engine. The Urea is sprayed into the exhaust port and chemically bonds with the exhaust converting it to nitrogen and water vapor.
The Diesel Particulate Filter is a filter used to catch soot (unspent diesel burn) before it is released into the exhaust system. I know you have all seen the big cloud of black smoke that would come out of a diesel exhaust pipe when the driver steps on the accelerator. The DPF is designed to capture the soot and not release it into the atmosphere. This is a self-cleaning filter that automatically goes into cleaning or “regen” mode when it is full. Similar to a self cleaning oven that uses intense heat to incinerate any solids spilled in the oven, the regen mode uses a higher RPM to create heat to incinerate any solids caught in the DPF.
The Regen mode automatically starts when the DPF is full. If you are operating any piece of equipment that has a direct drive to the engine driveshaft, your piece of machinery will automatically without warning increase its performance.
In the pump industry, this is a problem. If you are transferring fluids at a metered rate or utilizing a hose at a certain operating pressure, the regen will start and can create major problems. As the RPM’s of the engine increase, your flow and pressures increase creating a potential safety hazard on the job. The safety hazards could include a hose blowout or overflowing a tank and causing a spill.
IndustrialQUIP has your regen solution. We meet the tier 4 efficiency regulations without the use of a DPF filter. Our engines only utilize the DEF to neutralize the exhaust gasses to Nitrogen and water. When operating at lower RPM’s, our engines will use more DEF and not risk “wet stacking” the engine. Please reach out to me to further discuss your pump solutions david@industrialquip.com

Are diesel regulations helping? The added components on a Tier 4 diesel exhaust system have actually reduced the fuel efficiency of the new diesel engine. Today we are burning more fuel with a cleaner exhaust. Hmmmmm.

I am going to avoid the political debate and address the issue at hand. The inevitable transfer to tier 4 engines. How can you avoid it?

The primary addition to the exhaust system is the addition of DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid). This is a mixture of pure water and Urea. When it is sprayed into the exhaust a chemical reaction occurs converting the exhaust to nitrogen and water vapor. The engine system needs to run hot to completely burn the fuel for the DEF system to work. If it is not running hot enough, diesel particulates collect in an exhaust filter, causing back pressure on the engine. (Tune in next week for DPF talk).

The only way to avoid this inevitable transfer to tier 4 engines is to save and rebuild your Teir 3 trucks and equipment. With vehicle technology, I don’t believe a 2006 Tier 3 Ford truck is worth replacing the tier 3 engine. There are too many electrical components that have reached the end of their useful life and you will have more problems that will decrease the dependability of your transportation. Plus its hot in Texas and I know my AC is going to retire at or around 100,000 miles.

It’s time to evaluate your diesel equipment fleet. What components are attached to the diesel engine have a long enough dependable life to replace the Tier 3 block? Personally, I think man lifts, compressors, generators, pumps, forklifts, and your heavy construction equipment like maintainers and articulating dump trucks will all pay off in the long run by replacing old engines. There is no limit to how many times you are allowed to replace a tier 3 engine.

IndustrialQUIP can source your new Tier 3 replacement engines. We would love the opportunity to perform a cost evaluation of rebuilding your Tier 3 pumps or generators VS buying brand new Tier 4 equipment.

Next Week’s blog. Diesel Particulate Filters. What is regen? What are the risks of operating equipment through the regen process? What happens if you bypass?

This is the South Texas Pump and Power Master, David Nobles. Stay tuned, email me with questions for my next blog. david@industrialquip.com

David M. Nobles_IndustrialQuip_361.444.9484