Stronger, Cleaner, Safer: New 4000 Mining Engines in Series Production by 2006
Posted on March 29, 2004
At BAUMA 2004, DaimlerChrysler Off-Highway announced its new 4000 mining engines.
- Eleven percent more capacity - greater benefits for users
- Engines conform to Tier 2 guidelines
- Thermal protection improved
- Injection, turbocharging, electronics with state-of-the-art technologies
- Technical data of the new 4000 mining engine
At BAUMA 2004, DaimlerChrysler Off-Highway announced its new 4000 mining engines. These engines, updated in the context of model refinement, will be in series production from 2006 onwards. Preproduction engines will be available to the installation industry by the end of 2005. 12, 16 and 20-cylinder versions are planned for use in mining vehicles. The new models will have higher capacity, lower exhaust gas emissions and will - with cooled exhaust pipes and cooled turbochargers - be even safer thermally than the series 4000 mining engines currently available. The present differences in specifications for the 4000 series for use in dumpers and excavators will cease to exist, in future the engines will be identical both technically and in the range of their equipment.
Eleven percent more capacity - greater benefits for users
The new 4000 series mining engines will have eleven percent more capacity than the present engines of the 4000 series. Thus, the 12V 4000 will have an output of 2,250 bhp, (1,680 kW) the 16V 4000 will have an output of 3,000 bhp (2,240 kW) and the 20V 4000 will provide a maximum of 3,750 bhp (2,800 kW). The outputs are based on a maximum speed of 1,800 rpm. The increase in power is made possible by a number of technical measures. The most important of these is the increase in the displacement from the present 4.0 to 4.8 liters per cylinder. Also of significance are the optimized injection, powerful urbocharging and improved engine electronics.
Application of these new technologies serves not only to increase output but also means a reduction in the maintenance outlay for the engine, since the new models provide the operators with new possibilities to monitor the engine. All important operating values of the engine and the adjacent parts, which are subject to the electronic engine management - such as engine speed, injection quantities temperatures and pressure, but also data on faults which occur - can be passed on by radio modem to the nearest service station. There, maintenance work can planned earlier than is now possible and, even before the vehicle has arrived, work plans and tools can be prepared. Thus, the downtimes for the vehicles can be significantly reduced.
Engines conform to Tier 2 guidelines
In 2006, the EPA-Nonroad 40 CFR 89 tier 2 emissions guideline becomes valid for the engine performance category above 750 bhp (560 kW). All modern C&I and mining engines produced by DaimlerChrysler Off-Highway will conform these standards, as will the 4000 series engines. This target is achieved with the 4000 series engines solely due to engine-internal measures. An experimental engine has already shown that the new 4000 series mining engines will conform to the required emission guidelines. Tests on engines of the new model are already in progress. Many components of the new model such as crank case, crankshaft, connecting rod, main and big-end bearings, fuel high-pressure pump, oil pan and fenders are already used in the 20V 4000.
Thermal protection improved
The engines of the new 4000 series model are equipped with triple-wall, water-cooler exhaust gas lines and cooled turbochargers. For this reason, the surface temperatures of the components ducting the exhaust gases are on the same level as the coolant temperature. The vehicle is thus better protected thermally, which cuts the costs of vehicle insurance and provides quicker accessibility for maintenance and repair services. It is therefore not necessary to monitor the exhaust gas temperature. mtu has been pursuing the concept of water-cooled exhaust gas lines and turbochargers for many years. Thousands of engines with this technology are put to various uses, including approximately 200 mining engines of the 396 series. Here too, the concept has proven itself very well.
Injection, turbocharging, electronics with state-of-the-art technologies
MTU/DDC have been using the powerful common rail injection system in its engines with great success since 1996. This technology has now become the standard in the automobile sector, and was recently also brought into use by competitors in the off-highway sector.
A common-rail system has once again been used in the new 4000 series engine. However, it is an advanced version, in which an accumulator is mounted on top of the injectors. The actual storage function is therefore no longer performed, as previously, by the common rail, but by accumulators. The pressure (max. 1800 bar) remains virtually constant in the entire system. The high-pressure pump was further developed for these higher injection pressures. Depending on engine output, a 4-cylinder or 2-cylinder in-line fuel injection pump is used. The injectors, with newly developed solenoid valve and nozzle unit, optimize dosing and ideal preparation of the fuel for low-emission combustion.
The engines of the new 4000 series model are equipped with only two turbochargers developed and produced inhouse and tailored to the individual engine. The installation of the engine in the vehicle is considerably simplified with the lower number of turbochargers. In addition, the failure risk and maintenance costs are considerably lower than in a multi-turbocharger concept. This results in higher availability of the vehicle and lower maintenance costs. In the new 4000 model, turbochargers from the ZR 195 series are used. These produce a charge air pressure of over 3 bar,
a pressure which is otherwise usually only achieved with complex two-stage charging systems.
Another major innovation in the new 2,000 CR engines is the new generation of mtu's own "ADEC" (Advanced Diesel Engine Control) electronic engine management system. The controller was given a far more robust structure than previous units, with the result that it is even more suited to the tough conditions in the engine. This means that not only shock and vibration resistance but also an increase in the operating temperature compared with the current system can be achieved. During development of the engine management system, an easily programmable system interface and a flexibly usable functionality were integrated into the system interface. An innovative data maintenance and troubleshooting concept simplifies handling during service and logistics. All engine data and settings as well as life data of the engine such as operating hours, error memories, load profile etc. are permanently stored as a back-up.
An Ethernet interface enables remote diagnosis of the engine management system via the internet, and makes optimized fleet management possible, as different engine and system data can also be read out via remote access. If the engine controller has to be replaced at any time, the data of the engine management system, for example engine settings, engine operating hours and other "service life" data of the engine, is automatically copied to a new engine controller, without the need for an additional service tool.
Technical data of the new 4000 mining engines
Engine output | 2250 bhp / 1680 kW (12V), 3000 bhp / 2240 kW (16V), 3750 bhp / 2800 kW (20V) |
Cylinder output | 187,5 bhp / 140 kW |
V angle | 90 degrees |
Bore / stroke | 170 mm / 210 mm |
Cubic capacity per cylinder | 4,8 liters |
Maximum engine speed | 1800 min-1 |
Turbocharging | Single-stage compound turbocharging with two turbochargers, charge air cooling, compressor wheels, water-cooled |
Injection | Common rail with individual storage facilities integrated into the injectors |
Cooling system | Two circuit |
Valve control | Four valve design |
Cylinder cut-out system | Electronically controlled |