DPF - another example of increasing costs of diesel ICE pollution emission controls - Another advantage for Tesla Semi & other EV trucks

[firsttruck]

Increasing initial costs, maintenance costs, downtime costs of diesel ICE pollution emission controls - Another advantage for Tesla Semi & other EV trucks.



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Diesel Particulate Filters: Blessing and Curse
January 23, 2015
By Tom Berg
https://www.truckinginfo.com/155909/diesel-particulate-filters-blessing-and-curse


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Diesel particulate filters are one of the major additions to exhaust systems in recent years, and they are a blessing and a curse. Used since 2007 to meet EPA regulations, DPFs strip soot and ash from the exhaust stream. Added to exhaust-gas re-circulation already used to reduce nitrogen oxides, DPFs greatly cleansed exhaust and eliminated the characteristic diesel smell. Addition of urea injection in 2010 and advancements in combustion efficiency along the way result in exhaust so clean that it can barely be measured. That’s the blessing.

The curse comes from the extra maintenance and repairs required to keep the systems operating, along with unscheduled downtime, stranded drivers and missed deliveries, fleet managers say.

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Heat for an active regen is created by adding fuel to exhaust gasses, and the fuel — sometimes called “hydrocarbons” — is ignited just ahead of the DPF. Temperatures of up to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit result, burning out the soot. When a dash light warns a driver that a regen is needed, he must pull over soon and let it happen. If he doesn’t, electronic controls, which know via sensors that the DPF is plugged up, will cut engine power and eventually shut it down. The engine fast-idles during an active regen, so the truck must remain parked. Heat from the tail pipe can ignite grass below or ** overhead tree branches ***, so drivers need to park the truck away from such flammable objects.

A new DPF costs about $5,000, and a reconditioned one about half that. A recon unit works almost as well as a new one, and suppliers have exchange programs where a dirty DPF plus a service charge is traded for a cleaned one. Or the truck’s owner can wait for his own DPF to be serviced so it stays with the truck. A damaged DPF has almost no value and the owner must buy another. The ceramic honeycomb structure can suffer cracks from road shock or accidental dropping, or melted by excessive heat.

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commenter 1. Anthony Bulygo May 05, 2015
Missing is a critical issue. As stated, the ash removed from the DPF is considered a Hazardous Material. Hazardous because the particles of ash are so small that they can be absorbed through the skin and if inhaled can be attached to the linings of the lung and not expelled. If you have coolant entering the DPF during a major engine failure, the water in the coolant will chemically change the ash to a concentrated acid that can severely injure the mechanic. Be careful out there and use your protective gear. when servicing the units. ALL ASH MUST be captured and held for HazMat pickup. So, if you think you can just remove it and blow it out with the air hose at the shop, reconsider the consequences. Be safe. And, yes, the EPA mandates that the DPF registered to the vehicle MUST remain with the vehicle for life. No exchanges, except for totally failed units. Application must be made to the EPA here in CA for DPF Serial Number changes.


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EPA Publishes Stringent New-Truck Emissions Regulations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Dec. 20 2022 finalized what it called “the strongest-ever national clean air standards to cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks beginning with model year 2027.”
December 20, 2022
By Deborah Lockridge
https://www.truckinginfo.com/10189246/epa-publishes-stringent-truck-emissions-regulations

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The new rule establishes revised emission standards for oxides of nitrogen, or NOx, from medium- and heavy-duty on-highway engines. EPA said the new regulations are more than 80% stronger than current standards. This final rule will reduce emissions from heavy-duty engines that contribute to ambient levels of ozone, particulate matter, NOx, and carbon dioxide. “Control of Air Pollution from New Motor Vehicles: Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Standards” is the first update to clean air standards for heavy-duty trucks in more than 20 years, according to the EPA.

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The new rules cover a wider range of heavy-duty engine operating conditions than the current standards.

They also require these more stringent emissions standards to be met for a longer period of time of when these engines operate on the road. The new rules increase useful life of governed vehicles by 1.5 to 2.5 times and will yield emissions warranties that are 2.8 to 4.5 times longer. These longer useful life and warranty periods guarantee that as target vehicles age, they will continue to meet EPA’s more stringent emissions standards for a longer period of time, according to the agency.

The rule also requires manufacturers to better ensure that vehicle engines and emission control systems work properly on the road. For example, manufacturers must demonstrate that engines are designed to prevent vehicle drivers from tampering with emission controls by limiting tamper-prone access to electronic pollution controls.

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EU: Heavy vehicles will be required to cut emissions by 45% by 2030, 65% by 2035, and 90% by 2040.
February 17, 2023
By Heavy Duty Trucking Staff
https://www.truckinginfo.com/10192875/eu-trucks-must-cut-co2-emissions-90-by-2040

 

[CyberGus]

Diesel ICE pollution emission controls can really add up in terms of costs, not just initially but also in maintenance and downtime expenses.

It's cheaper to just cheat the test

 

[Ogre]

Around here, they just pull all of that stuff off the trucks.

 

[SolarWizard]

Around here, they just pull all of that stuff off the trucks.

there’s a decent amount of debate in the community about which is actually worse for the environment
1) a truck that’s forced to breath it’s own farts (via Exhaust Gas Recirculation / EGR) , uses hundreds of gallons of UREA which is packaged mostly overseas in non recyclable bottles/cardboard and use a precious metals laden DPF which can add 40% to cost of ownership and cut about the same amount of drivetrain life
2) a well tuned, deleted truck that doesn’t belch soot, use DEF, gets 20% + better mileage and lasts much longer.

 

[Ogre]

there’s a decent amount of debate in the community about which is actually worse for the environment
1) a truck that’s forced to breath it’s own farts (via Exhaust Gas Recirculation / EGR) , uses hundreds of gallons of UREA which is packaged mostly overseas in non recyclable bottles/cardboard and use a precious metals laden DPF which can add 40% to cost of ownership and cut about the same amount of drivetrain life
2) a well tuned, deleted truck that doesn’t belch soot, use DEF, gets 20% + better mileage and lasts much longer.

In my experience, the folks who delete emissions and particulate filters don’t care enough about the environment to worry overmuch about the better mileage/ soot free/ well tuned side of things.

I’m sure there is a case to be made there, but I tend to see either fairly stock trucks, or mods that make trucks spew fumes.

While I hated SMOG when I was in California, I kind of miss it now that I’m in Oregon and there are no tailpipe regulations.

 

[SolarWizard]

you’d be surprised.
The black smoke is wasted fuel and performance
good tunes do not smoke. Would I prefer an all EV Jeep? Absolutely but until that time a diesel is the best choice for someone that actually uses one, plus it’s out of the ordinary and I think you have to like that in order to be a cybertruck fan

from a red light you’d never know my Jeep is about 180lbs lighter than another Gladiator, except for the dramatic acceleration (by gas truck standards) and it has an exhaust note whereas it would otherwise be silent out the tailpipe Courtesy of the dpf.
it’ll do 25-26mpg on the highway on 39” BFGs at 70mph which I find to be outstanding vs nearly all trucks and certainly the best in its class.

 

[Ogre]

you’d be surprised.
The black smoke is wasted fuel and performance
good tunes do not smoke. Would I prefer an all EV Jeep? Absolutely but until that time a diesel is the best choice for someone that actually uses one, plus it’s out of the ordinary and I think you have to like that in order to be a cybertruck fan

from a red light you’d never know my Jeep is about 180lbs lighter than another Gladiator, except for the dramatic acceleration (by gas truck standards) and it has an exhaust note whereas it would otherwise be silent out the tailpipe Courtesy of the dpf.
it’ll do 25-26mpg on the highway on 39” BFGs at 70mph which I find to be outstanding vs nearly all trucks and certainly the best in its class.

I guarantee you’ll find more tips on coal rolling than smoke free tuning on YouTube.

 

[SolarWizard]

I guarantee you’ll find more tips on coal rolling than smoke free tuning on YouTube.

think of the targeted audience though
you’ll also find way more people destroying cars than teaching you to design them. the people doing things right have to be found these days due to regulations.
doesn’t matter much but my primary motivator was reliability and not having the Jeep brick’d by faulty emissions controls or my personal favorite, inability to find fresh def so the vehicle just refuses to run without a dealership trip

 

[Ogre]

think of the targeted audience though
you’ll also find way more people destroying cars than teaching you to design them. the people doing things right have to be found these days due to regulations.
doesn’t matter much but my primary motivator was reliability and not having the Jeep brick’d by faulty emissions controls or my personal favorite, inability to find fresh def so the vehicle just refuses to run without a dealership trip

I’m sure it happens. I’m equally sure that a huge number of people—often with the best intentions—make things worse. And 10% cause more damage than the rest combined.

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