Specialist Focus: Plant Hire: Diesel Filters Are The Future
Like it or not, diesel particulate filters (DPFs) are becoming a reality some four years ahead of the legislation that will - more or less - require manufacturers to fit them as standard items. Currently DPFs are required only on certain sites as specified by the London Best Practice Guide (BPG), but other cities will follow and soon machinery in most large conurbations across the UK will require a DPF.
Within the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) for trucks, buses and vans, those wanting to avoid the surcharge can simply buy a new or fairly modern vehicle. But those having to comply with the BPG have to do everything themselves.
Caterpillar on trial
Hewden is tackling the problem head-on and tasked one of its managers, Roy Bage, to sort things out. Bage selected a Cat 303C CR excavator with a 22kW engine as the trial machine. While this is below the proposed 37kW cut-off, below which filters will not be needed by the BPG, Bage chose the 3.5t model because it is highly utilised in many situations.
"The first problem is that most manufacturers make particulate filters for machines above 100kW, very few make them for machines this small," says Bage. Caterpillar recommended he speak to Mann + Hummel, a company best known for making oil and air filters. However, Mann + Hummel also makes exhaust after treatment, retrofit centrifugal oil spinners and closed crankcase ventilation systems, as well as a sintered metal particulate filter, suitable for engines up to 130kW, designated the SMF-AR. Read the full article.
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