John Deere Power Systems Showcasing Tier 4 Lineup at ConExpo

John Deere Power Systems (JDPS) will exhibit its entire Interim Tier 4/Stage III B diesel engine lineup at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011, March 22 to 26 in Las Vegas.

John Deere demonstrated its off-highway leadership by becoming one of the first engine manufacturers to achieve EPA and EU Interim Tier 4/Stage III B certifications. In early 2010 — months before the regulation date for 130 kW (174 hp) and above engines —
John Deere’s PowerTech PVX 9.0L and PowerTech PSX 9.0L models were certified as compliant with Interim Tier 4 and Stage III B emissions regulations. Since then, the PowerTech PVX 6.8L above 130 kW (174 hp), PowerTech PSX 6.8L and PowerTech PSX 13.5L have joined the 9.0L engine models as certified.

“The EPA and EU certifications of all our 130 kW (174 hp) and above engines only strengthen our belief that we are offering the right technology at the right time,” says Brian Brown, manager of worldwide marketing support for JDPS. “While the timely certifications clearly show our commitment to the environment, we also remain dedicated to delivering the performance, reliability, durability and low operating costs that OEMs and customers associate with John Deere.”

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Interim Tier 4 and European Union (EU) Stage III B emissions regulations began January 1, 2011, for 130 kW (174 hp) and above engines and require a 90% reduction in diesel particulate matter (PM) and a 50% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) from previous Tier 3/Stage III A requirements. The Interim Tier 4/Stage III B regulation effective date for 56 kW (75 hp) to 130 kW (174 hp) engines is January 1, 2012.

John Deere is meeting the challenge of Interim Tier 4/Stage III B regulations by starting with its proven PowerTech Plus Tier 3/Stage III A in-line, 4- and 6-cylinder engine platform — which includes cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for NOx control — and adding an exhaust filter for reducing particulate matter (PM). These engines feature full-authority electronic controls, a 4-valve cylinder head, a high-pressure fuel system, turbocharging and an air-to-air aftercooling system.

John Deere was the first engine manufacturer to widely commercialize cooled EGR and variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) technologies in off-highway applications, introducing them in 2005 with the start of Tier 3/Stage III A regulations. Since then, John Deere has accumulated significant operating hours with these technologies in off-highway applications and has established a proven field record of reliability.

“We remain committed to ensuring that our engines withstand the extreme vibration, temperatures and duty cycles found in off-highway applications,” says Doug Laudick, product planning manager for JDPS. “Our Interim Tier 4/Stage III B approach continues to use cooled EGR coupled with an exhaust filter, providing a simple, field-proven solution that offers our customers the best total fluid economy.”

John Deere Interim Tier 4/Stage III B engine models and ratings include:

• PowerTech PWX 4.5L: 63 kW – 91 kW (85 hp – 122 hp)
• PowerTech PVX 4.5L: 93 kW – 129 kW (125 hp – 173 hp)
• PowerTech PSX 4.5L: 93 kW – 129 kW (125 hp – 173 hp)
• PowerTech PVX 6.8L: 104 kW – 129 kW (140 hp – 173 hp)
• PowerTech PVX 6.8L: 138 kW – 187 kW (185 hp – 250 hp)
• PowerTech PSX 6.8L: 168 kW – 224 kW (225 hp – 300 hp)
• PowerTech PVX 9.0L: 187 kW – 224 kW (250 hp – 300 hp)
• PowerTech PSX 9.0L: 242 kW – 317 kW (325 hp – 425 hp)
• PowerTech PSX 13.5L: 298 kW – 448 kW (400 hp – 600 hp)

All of John Deere’s Interim Tier 4/Stage III B engines above 130 kW (174 hp) are certified and available. Many 6.8L and 9.0L engines have been shipped and will be on display in OEM booths at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011.

John Deere has been an industry leader in the integration of Interim Tier 4-certified engines into off-highway applications. In 2010, John Deere introduced the construction industry’s first Interim Tier 4-powered machine in the 175 to 750 hp range. Powered by a JDPS PowerTech 9.0L Interim Tier 4 engine, the 744K 4WD loader was the first off-highway machine to meet Interim Tier 4 emissions requirements. The Interim Tier 4-compliant 744K loader produces the same 304 hp and torque as a 744K equipped with a Tier 3 engine.

John Deere is one of the few manufacturers that design both engines and their own construction, forestry and agricultural machines, providing them with unique expertise in integrating and servicing the engine, drivetrain, exhaust filter, cooling package and electronic control unit (ECU) for optimized efficiency. This integrated process maximizes performance, operator convenience, fuel economy and overall value for John Deere machine owners as well as John Deere OEMs and their customers.

“Interim Tier 4 emissions regulations present a unique integration challenge,” Laudick says. “Our experience integrating Interim Tier 4 engines into our own equipment provides us with the experience, expertise and resources to help our OEMs overcome that challenge and efficiently integrate IT4 engines with their machines.”

As with earlier tiers and other Interim Tier 4 models, John Deere is targeting the start of limited production for engines 56 – 130 kW (75 – 174 hp) to be available seven to nine months ahead of the January 2012 regulation date. Interim Tier 4-compliant engines below 56 kW (74 hp) are available and in production today.

With their 56 kW (75 hp) and above Interim Tier 4/Stage III B engines, John Deere expects to maintain fuel-economy levels similar to those achieved with their Tier 3/Stage III A engines, which feature the same cooled EGR and VGT technologies. John Deere’s cooled EGR engines operate efficiently with ultra low-sulfur diesel as well as biodiesel blends, providing owners and operators with optimal performance and fuel-choice flexibility.

John Deere elected not to use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for its Interim Tier 4/Stage III B solution. John Deere’s cooled EGR and exhaust filter approach provides OEMs and end users a proven solution with the best total fluid economy. The single-fluid approach of cooled EGR means owners and operators won’t have to incur the cost of diesel fuel plus the additional cost for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) required by SCR systems.

“For Interim Tier 4/Stage III B, we’re not only looking at fuel economy, we’re taking into consideration total fluid consumption,” Brown says.

Also, operation of John Deere’s cooled EGR solution does not require operator intervention. SCR may be an appropriate technology for the future, when the technology is more developed for off-highway applications; however, it is not necessary for Interim Tier 4/Stage III B.

John Deere has optimized the package size for its Interim Tier 4/Stage III B engines. All of John Deere’s engines with cooled EGR and an exhaust filter will require space similar to the Tier 3/Stage III A engine and muffler they replace.

Engines below 56 kW (75 hp), which include the John Deere PowerTech M 2.4L and PowerTech E 2.4L and PowerTech M 4.5L engines, meet Interim Tier 4 and Stage III A emissions regulations without the use of cooled EGR or an exhaust filter. PowerTech M 2.4L and 4.5L engines feature a 2-valve cylinder head, a fixed-geometry turbocharger, mechanical unit pump fuel system (2.4L) and mechanical rotary fuel system (4.5L). PowerTech E 2.4L engines feature a similar 2-valve cylinder head and a fixed geometry turbocharger, but add full-authority electronic engine controls, an electronic unit pump fuel system, and are air-to-air-aftercooled.

Engine models and ratings in this power range include:

• PowerTech M 2.4L: 36 kW (49 hp)
• PowerTech E 2.4L: 45 kW – 49 kW (60 hp – 66 hp)
• PowerTech M 4.5L: 55 kW (74 hp)

John Deere’s full lineup of Interim Tier 4/Stage III B diesel engines is built upon simple, fuel-efficient and field-proven technologies, enabling John Deere to meet increasingly stringent emissions regulations without sacrificing performance, reliability, durability or operator convenience. And John Deere’s worldwide dealer network of more than 4,000 service locations is trained and prepared to fully support customers and their Interim Tier 4/Stage III B engines.