Cummins, a global power leader, has announced that it has begun development of a 15-liter heavy duty, spark-ignited natural gas engine to meet demand for on-highway applications that are powered by the cheaper, cleaner and more plentiful fuel.
As natural gas production grows in North America and the fuel becomes more readily available, Cummins believes that there is a strong market for engines powered by an alternative to diesel fuel.
“Cummins is committed to making the right investments in the technologies that strengthen our leadership position in natural gas,” said Ed Pence, Cummins vice president and general manager, Heavy Duty Engine Business.
Cummins has been investing significantly in the development of natural gas engines.
In addition to its off-highway natural gas engines, Cummins is already producing on-highway spark-ignited natural gas engines for Cummins Westport, its joint venture with Westport Innovations in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The ISX15 G will be based on Cummins’ industry-leading ISX15 diesel engine and will build on the company’s technology leadership with spark-ignited, Stoichiometric cooled exhaust gas recirculation (SEGR) technology.
A simple, maintenance-free, three-way catalyst (TWC) aftertreatment, which is packaged as a muffler, will be the only required exhaust aftertreatment.
The engine will run on compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas or biomethane.
Cummins ISX15 G is expected to be in limited production by 2014.
Engines offered by Cummins Westport range in size from 5.9 liters, to the recently announced 12-liter ISX12 G, which will begin production in 2013.
ISX12 G engine
The Cummins Westport ISX12 G is a heavy duty, factory-built, dedicated natural gas engine intended for regional-haul, truck/tractor, vocational and refuse applications.
The engine is based on the Cummins ISX12 diesel engine platform, the newest member of Cummins Heavy Duty engine family.
The ISX12 G will operate exclusively on natural gas, and fuel can be carried on the vehicle as either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG), utilizing Cummins Westport’s proprietary spark-ignited, SEGR technology, first introduced with the 8.9-liter ISL G.
The ISX12 G also features TWC aftertreatment, so no diesel particulate filter or selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment will be required.
A range of five ratings, from 330 hp to 400 hp and 1150 to 1450 lb-ft torque will be offered at launch.
Field-testing is under way, with production expected to begin in early 2013.
The ISX12 G will also be the first engine from Cummins Westport to offer optional engine brake capability and will also offer customers the choice between manual and automatic transmissions.
The new enine is expected to be certified at launch to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emissions standards of 0.20-g/bhp-hr oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and 0.01-g/bhp-hr particulate matter (PM).
The engine is additionally expected to be capable of meeting Euro VI and pending U.S. greenhouse gas and fuel economy regulations.
