Diesel particulate filters on trains?

[dieselbashdave]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone knows if there are any regulations that require the fitting of DPFs to trains. Most, if not all, new diesel vehicles (buses, lorries, cars) need diesel particulate filters (DPFs) to meet Euro 6 regulations on particulate matter. From the WP article it's just a metal sponge in the exhaust which traps the soot and then burns it off later on (or that's the general idea anyway :roll.

Is it likely that new DMUs and locos in Britain will come with DPFs fitted? Are there any in service now with DPFs fitted?

I have searched on Google and it's come up with proof of concept filters for diesel engines in a variety of formats (even ships can be fitted with DPFs) but no details emerge about rolling stock in Britain.

 

[edwin_m]

Take a look at this RSSB document on the future of the diesel engine:

http://www.rssb.co.uk/RESEARCH/Lists/DispForm_Custom.aspx?ID=361

 

[D7666]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone knows if there are any regulations that require the fitting of DPFs to trains. Most, if not all, new diesel vehicles (buses, lorries, cars) need diesel particulate filters (DPFs) to meet Euro 6 regulations on particulate matter. From the WP article it's just a metal sponge in the exhaust which traps the soot and then burns it off later on (or that's the general idea anyway :roll.

Is it likely that new DMUs and locos in Britain will come with DPFs fitted? Are there any in service now with DPFs fitted?

Answering your question literally, then NO. Emissions regs state emissions limits, how that is achieved is not mandated, there is no reason to force particulate filtering if the same result can be achieved a different way.

However, to meet certain regs filtering may be the only practical method, so would suspect in some DMU or loco somewhere somehow at some point in time may appear with filters.

Germans do have filtering on some locos, I can't remember which way around it is with regard to numbering i.e. 260s or 261s or even both but some or all of DB's Voith Gravita BBs have filtering , as do a couple of the (non DB) Vossloh G2000s (the ones desingated 'Boreas' IIRC).

It is not so much of DB taking the lead here - although the Green Party out there is influential - more that Garman based MTU is a world leading engine maker and the 4000 series is at the front of the market. I suspect we won't see UK HST re-re-engined with higher 4000 models than we already have though.

--
Nick

 

[starrymarkb]

New build Engines used "off road" (ie trains, industrial, marine) don't have to meet the same standards as road vehicles at the moment - I believe "off road" engines currently have to be Euro 3 (soon to be Euro 4) whereas Euro 6 is about to come into force for engines used on the road

 

[junglejames]

I believe 172s have DPFs fitted. Could be wrong though.

 

[baldyman26]

I have nothing to add other than whoever invented / designed and approved DPF'S should be strung up and be left there and forgotten about...They are a nuisance, and create more issues than they solve. If they are fitted to more than your family car / light commercial vehicle I can assure you technical failures will be a regular thing..

And I do speak from experience. I spend most of my day organising rescue of vehicles with DPF issues.

 

[dieselbashdave]

I have nothing to add other than whoever invented / designed and approved DPF'S should be strung up and be left there and forgotten about...They are a nuisance, and create more issues than they solve. If they are fitted to more than your family car / light commercial vehicle I can assure you technical failures will be a regular thing..

And I do speak from experience. I spend most of my day organising rescue of vehicles with DPF issues.

Definitely they are a major PITA. My old Saab had one (some masochist added it as it was optional) and it required constant babysitting - watching the immediate fuel consumption and then dropping down a couple of cogs). Even a brief search on Google will show the major chaos, expense and sometimes danger that these contraptions can cause.

A mate of mine down south had his DPF on his Ford block up. It went into limp-home mode just as he was overtaking and nearly killed him. A few hundred quid sorted that - DPF removal in the ECU. No problems after 20,000 miles.

Well anyway rant over. Incidentally, DPF's aren't being pushed by environmental lobbies because it's "green" it is to remove carcinogenic particles whenever you stamp on the accelerator. Which is pretty ironic seeing that a wood burner (that they are touting) is the most polluting type of heating you can possibly get - they stink to high heavens, cause localised fog and cause lung cancer. Even getting a storage heater and hooking it up to a diesel generator with faulty injectors would cause less pollution. At least it'd smell better

And another thing - how does chopping down trees and decimating forests help the earth? When I studied biology (standard grade, higher and AH) trees sook up carbon dioxide and fart out oxygen. How does removing these carbon hoovers help? :roll:

Right that really is my rant over I promise