Imagine paying a $10 premium on a ton of cement whose strength development characteristics require a six-bag mix to meet specs that could otherwise be achieved with a five-bag mix of regularly priced powder. A parallel condition might emerge from an 1998 Environmental Protection Agency ruling (note below); effective October 1, 2002, it sets new guidelines to reduce lower oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions from diesel engines powering over the road vehicles, plus mixer, dump, tanker, boom and other heavy duty truck chassis used in concrete production and delivery.

On-highway and on-off highway truck operators are preparing for the next phase of EPA's on-going thrust to reduce diesel engine emissions. With input from manufacturers and Fleet Owner, a Primedia Business sister magazine, Concrete Products finds a host of economic, vehicle design and operating considerations arising from compliant engines:

• Potential $3,000 to $5,000 price increase on Class 8 truck chassis

• Loss of 1 to 5 percent fuel economy

• A need to switch to new American Petroleum Institute CI-4 lubricants, formulated for higher temperatures and greater soot-carrying capacity

• Increased engine maintenance requirements stemming from a greater volume of collected soot

• Depending upon chassis and horsepower specs, a potential need for larger radiators and/or a change in engine cooling capacities (i.e. switching from a nine- to an 11-blade fan)

Concrete Products visited the October 2002 rule in last year's Trucks & Components report (May, pages 14-28). Since then, manufacturers have been testing engines with different exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) devices. Cummins characterizes EGR as a routing of hot exhaust gas through a cooler and mixing it with fresh air entering the engine; a lowering of NOx formation results from a reduced combustion temperature. Outside the EGR circle is Caterpillar Engine Division, which has an alternative technology that will not be ready for roll out by October (note box). Cat adds that it is supporting what it calls “industry efforts” to call on the EPA to postpone implementation of the October standard by one year.

The concurrent 2002 ConExpo-Con/Agg (Las Vegas) and Mid America Trucking Show (Louisville) in late March saw the unveiling of October 2002-compliant solutions approaching commercialization:

Cummins Inc.

One week removed from Las Vegas and Louisville, the company reported that its ISX engine was the first to be certified by EPA for the October 2002 guidelines. That model, along with one more common in mixer and dump chassis specs, the ISM, will use cooled EGR with Cummins' Holset Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT, left). The ISX and ISM are subject to the October 2002 deadline. The lighter weight ISL engine, also used to power concrete and aggregate trucks, will remain in its current configuration.

The manufacturer notes that the EGR and VGT combination will provide the horsepower and torque operators need, plus improved throttle response and better engine braking capability. Cummins projects increased reliability and versatility from a VGT design using a single sliding nozzle instead of individual rotating vanes — eliminating dozens of moving parts.

International Truck and Engine

The October 2002 emissions standards do not apply to this company because it has a separate agreement with the EPA, say International representatives. That said, the company is completely redesigning its products for 2004 emission levels. The VT 365 6-liter V-8 engine, currently available in International high performance trucks, has all the technology that will be used to achieve 2004 emissions. International is using this technology — specifically EVRT, the G-2 fuel-injection system and cooled EGR — as a building block.

Mack Trucks, Inc.

In conjunction with ConExpo-Con/Agg, the company unveiled a new platform of EGR diesel engines, known as the ASET (Application Specific Engine Technology) family — replacing the E-Tech series. The main component of ASET models for concrete and dump-geared Granite Series and RD chassis is internal exhaust gas recirculation (I-EGR), allowing a percentage of exhaust gases to remain in the engine cylinders from one combustion cycle to another.

Mack reports that the I-EGR resulted from studying the typical operation of heavy duty vehicles such as mixers or dumps that often perform in a stop-and-go manner over shorter distances, and has exhibited minimal variation in fuel economy in test conditions at the hands of construction materials truck operators. The I-EGR approach to emissions reduction centers on optimizing the flow of exhaust gases through the system, in order to make it possible to retain a precise amount of gases in the cylinders for further combustion. Engineers credit this to a new camshaft, valve system advances, and precise machining of exhaust ports to maximize aerodynamic flow.

In addition to the I-EGR models, the ASET family embodies engines with cooled exhaust gas recirculation. Earmarked for on-highway applications, the C-EGR models are configured such that exhaust gases are diverted from the exhaust system, sent through a cooling apparatus and then carefully remixed with air entering the engine for combustion. C-EGR provides optimum performance and emissions benefits in a highway application “steady-state” environment, Mack notes, in which the truck is traveling at relatively consistent speed and load over a significant period of time.

Volvo Trucks North America

In Louisville, the company debuted its V-Pulse EGR technology-equipped VED12 engine. In lieu of a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) device, officials note, the V-Pulse technology achieves EGR by harnessing naturally occurring engine pressure as a means to reintroduce up to 30 percent of the combustion by-product back into the intake mixing chamber. Volvo officials contend that the V-Pulse requires minimal changes in maintenance procedures and no new technical education. The only moving parts are simple exhaust and reed valves that regulate EGR. To date, many V-Pulse equipped Volvo 12-liter engines have logged 100,000-plus miles. In addition to the VED12, the new technology will be applied to the Volvo D12 power package available on the heavy duty VHD chassis.

Engine Survey
Class 8 heavy duty chassis

Manufacturer	Model	Engines
Freightliner LLC	Freightliner FLD FLS	Detroit Diesel, Cat, Cummins
	Sterling Trucks LT 8500	Cummins ISL, ISC; Cat 3126B
	Western Star Trucks Constellation 4900	Three unspecified manufacturers
International Truck and Engine Corp.	4000 Series	4200 — International VT 365 4300, 7300 — International DT466 4400, 7400 — DT466 High Torque DT 530
	5000i Series	5500, 5600 — HT 530 Cat C10/12/15, Cummins ISM and ISX 5900 — Cat C10/12/15, Cummins ISM & ISX
	7000 Series	7500 — HT 530 7600 Cat C10 & C12, Cummins ISM (late 2002 availability)
Paccar Inc.	Kenworth W900S	Cat C10, C12 Cummins ISL, ISM
	Peterbilt 357	Cat C10, C12, C15, C16 Cummins ISC, ISL, ISM, N14, ISX
	378	Cat C10, C12, C15, C16 Cummins ISL, ISM, N14, ISX
	379	Cat C10, C12, C15, C16 Cummins ISL, ISM, N14, ISX
	385	Cat C10, C12, C15, C16 Cummins ISL, ISM, N14, ISC
Volvo	Mack Trucks Inc. Granite Series RD,	ASET Series
	Volvo Trucks North America VHD	D12 Cummins ISC, ISL

Diesel engine settlement

On Oct. 22, 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an $83.4 million total penalty against diesel engine manufacturers, the largest civil penalty ever for violation of environmental law. Under this settlement, major manufacturers (Caterpillar, Cummins Engine Co., Detroit Diesel Corp., Mack Trucks, Navistar International Transportation Corp., and Volvo Truck Corp.) will spend more than $1 billion to resolve claims that they installed computer devices in heavy-duty diesel engines that resulted in illegal amounts of air pollution emissions. This settlement is expected to prevent 75 million tons of NOx emission nationwide by 2025.

All totaled, the engine makers were said to have sold 1.3 million heavy-duty diesel engines containing illegal “defeat devices,” which allow an engine to pass the EPA emissions test, but then turn off emission controls during highway driving.

In addition to the $83.4 million penalty, at least $850 million will be spent to produce significantly cleaner engines, including engines that had their emissions cut in half by January 1999 and by 80 percent by Oct. 1, 2002. This date is 14 months earlier than the original EPA emissions deadline, which was changed as part of the settlement. Also, $109.5 million will be spent for additional environmental projects like development of new emission-control technologies. A 90 percent reduction in emissions is mandated for 2007 engines.

EPA Emissions Mandates

	October 2002	October 2007
PM (Particulate Matter)	0.10 g/bhp-hr. *	0.01 g/bhp-hr.
NOx (Oxides of Nitrogen)	2.0 g/bhp-hr.	0.2 g/bhp-hr.**
NMHC (Non-Methane Hydrocarbons)	0.4-0.5 g/bhp-hr.	0.14 g/bhp-hr.**
* g/bhp-hr. = grams per brake horsepower-hour
**NOx and NMHC requirements will phase in between 2007 and 2010.

Engine manufacturers who continue to make engines that do not meet the key EPA requirements will have to pay non-conformance penalties (NCPs) under a penalty structure established by regulation. EPA is proposing NCPs for the October 2002 non-methane hydrocarbon plus nitrogen oxides (NMHC+NOx) standard of 2.5 grams per brake-horsepower-hour of NMHC+NOx. Manufacturers may choose to pay the penalty on a per-engine basis rather than comply with the applicable standard. The penalties increase with the degree of non-compliance with the standard and they increase over time. Also, emissions under an NCP program may not go above an upper limit established by regulation.

Cat clears the air

Caterpillar Engine Division appeared to be putting the industry in limbo regarding emissions compliance when ConExpo-Con/Agg 2002 began. But a March 21 announcement clarified that the company would in October 2002 begin production of a line of heavy duty engines (including C-10 and C-12) featuring some of the technological advances of its ACERT (Advanced Combustion Emission Reduction Technology) engine technology, which the company says “will be fully certified by the EPA, will carry an EPA certification sticker and will incur no emissions liability for owners.”

The heavy duty C-10 and C12 engines, among others, will be available will full ACERT technology after October 2002. Selected models will be released with full ACERT technology beginning in January 2003, with full production of all ACERT engines planned by October 2003.

Caterpillar has kept details fairly close to the vest about how ACERT works, but it has said that the system uses an improved HEUI fuel injector system, new electronic controls and what the company calls “breakthrough” combustion technology. Caterpillar also believes its ACERT engines will need only minimal aftertreatment to meet 2007 emissions levels.

Caterpillar says that engines produced after October 2002 will not require additional preventive maintenance requirements. Oil drain intervals will be maintained and the engines will continue to be compatible with CH-4 and CI-4 oils, hence no special oil requirements.