Volvo Trucks is now presenting an engine tailored for the tough Euro-6 environmental standards. Oxides of nitrogen emissions have dropped by 77 per cent and particulate emissions have been halved. First off the mark is Volvo’s D13 460 hp engine, which today powers more than one-third of all Volvo trucks.
“The Volvo FH gets a new 460hp Euro-6 engine optimised for fast, fuel-efficient transportation on good roads and the first trucks with the new engine will be delivered in spring 2013,” says Mats Franzén, Manager of Engine Strategy and Planning at Volvo Trucks.
Customer demand for Euro-6 trucks is still at a modest level. Since February 2012, it has been possible to certify vehicles according to the new regulations, but it will be another 17 months before the requirements become compulsory for all new trucks. The tough emission standards involve advanced engine solutions, including many new components, which in turn mean higher cost for customers. However, this increased cost can be partially offset by various financial inducements and incentive packages, above all in regional traffic and long-haul operations in Europe.
“It is currently difficult to determine how much demand there will be, but by offering our most popular engine in a Euro-6 configuration, we meet the needs of a large proportion of our customers. The rest of the Euro-6 engine range will be launched well before the requirements become obligatory on January 1st 2014,” explains Mats Franzén.
Tried and tested technology
The Volvo D13 for Euro-6 is based on Volvo’s tried and tested Euro-5 engine. Just like this unit, the new engine is an in-line six cylinder engine with unit injectors and catalytic exhaust treatment (SCR). In order to meet the new emission requirements, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is also used, as well as a diesel particulate filter (DPF) – systems that Volvo Trucks has already been using for several years in the US and Japan. Compared with Euro-5, oxides of nitrogen emissions have been cut by 77 per cent and particulate emissions have been halved to 0.01 g/kWh.
Focus on fuel economy and reliability
The SCR system, which converts the oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust gases into harmless nitrogen and water vapour, is integrated with the particulate filter in a compact unit that takes up the minimum possible space. The particulate filter, which captures and incinerates the microscopic particles found in the exhaust gases, is automatically regenerated during operation. EGR is used primarily to raise the exhaust gas temperature when the engine is not sufficiently hot to heat up the exhaust gases, which must reach at least 250° C for the SCR system to operate optimally. Unlike conventional EGR systems that cool down the recirculated exhaust gases in order to lower engine temperature and thus reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, Volvo’s Euro-6 engine’s EGR system is virtually inactive during highway cruising, so it does not impact fuel consumption during such operations.
“We have developed a reliable solution that not only meets the emission requirements, but also gives customers added benefits in the form of good fuel economy and trouble-free ownership,” says Mats Franzén.
