Perkins extends power and range of its Tier 4 Interim units

Perkins Engines is set to embrace Tier 4 Interim and Final legislative requirements with the launch of a new range of compact diesel engines. The legislation has already come into effect for smaller stationary engines (up to 56 kW) in the USA, and will do so for larger engines in January 2011 and January 2012. The equivalent Stage IIIA will come into force for some smaller units in Europe in January 2012.

The range will radically change Perkins’ product line-up, and will allow Perkins to offer customers greater power density and compactness, whatever the application.

The changed line-up will be headed by the new 1200 Series engine, which will extend Perkins Interim Tier 4 product offering up to 243 kW. The first engines, to be introduced in 2010, will be a 7 litre offering, followed in 2011 by 6.6 litre and 4.4 litre products.

The company has been using the same ‘Voice of the Customer’ collaborative design approach that worked well with its Tier 3 changes.

‘As the industry takes a huge step forward towards a “low or no” emissions era the engine manufacturer must become the solutions provider’ says Perkins president Hans Haefeli. ‘Reducing particulate matter by 90% and oxides of nitrogen by up to 50% beyond current Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3 and European Union IIIA standards is a challenge. To achieve this we will have to make significant changes, among them, and perhaps the most significant, the additional use of after-treatment systems. It is widely expected that these will be a combination of diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particulate filters.’

Tier 4 will demand significant changes to the architecture of the engine system and Perkins intends to provide OEM’s with a tailored emissions solution through a combination of technologies which will change depending on power band. It is looking to improve power density, flexibility, fuel efficiency and after sales service, and, through collaborative work, introduce class-leading package installation solutions.