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Retrofitting diesel particulate filters to reduce warranty claims

Warranty claims can be reduced through the retrofitting of new diesel particulate filters designed for low-heat applications.

Developed by Danish firm LiqTech, the 150 cpsi silicon carbide diesel particulate filters (DPF) for high soot loading applications, are designed for passive emission control systems. LiqTech filters specializes in applications with low heat exhaust, and says its 150 cpsi range can cut warranty claims when passively regenerated filters are subject to long periods of low power. In addition to its durability in difficult operating conditions, the new 150 cpsi DPF has been designed to catch the smaller diesel particles produce by Euro 3, 4 and 5 diesel engines and has been verified to filter in excess of 99% of nanoparticles. 

LiqTech was founded nearly a decade ago and manufactures silicon carbide diesel particulate filters that use vapor phase sintering to allow a high soot load capacity and temperature resistance for higher than 1,100°C. This capacity is between 10 to 18 grams of soot per liter. LiqTech filters are used in catalyzed passive, electric, and burner emission systems targeted at Tier III applications, filtering more than 99% of particulate matter. 

LiqTech’s initial mission statement was to design liquid and gas honey comb wall flow filters. In 2002 the company started selling silicon carbide DPFs in Europe and in 2004 in North America. In 2005 LiqTech NA opened a plant in Minnesota, USA, to serve the North American market. The company has thousands of its DPFs on the road, with a significant percentage operating for over 250,000 miles, it says. LiqTech products are sold in 15 countries around the world, exporting 50% of its products from its Denmark and North America plants. 

LiqTech facilities are ISO 9000-2008 certified with complete quality management systems in place. The company has employed a flexible design and manufacturing system that can customize systems for customer requirements. Continuous product improvements have lowered product costs by over 20% over the last three years by localized manufacturing facilities in Europe and North America and minimizing freight costs. The company says that its markets have grown rapidly over the last four years as it sells its products to the retrofit markets in North America, Europe and Asia.

Automotive Industries asked  Lasse Andreassen, LiqTech CEO, what range of DPFs the company produces.

Andreassen: LiqTech filters are available for all sizes of diesel engines, from one inch to 15 inches in diameter and of lengths from three inches to 20 inches; in addition to those for square, race track and ellipse shapes. Filters are available in 90 cpsi, 150 cpsi, 180 cpsi and 250 cpsi configurations. The 90 cpsi DPFs have the highest soot loading capability and are typically used in retrofit application and in systems that use electric and burner regeneration methods. 150 cpsi filters, with a soot load capacity of 11-12 grams of soot load per liter, are typically used in applications with passive regeneration, or in applications where the DPF is catalyzed for passive regeneration; with an active back-up system.

AI: What are LiqTech’s automotive capabilities and what are your company’s objectives in this sector?

Andreassen: Our main business today is serving the retrofit system manufacturers and exhaust manufactures. This market is still expected to continue to grow for another decade, especially in the non-road market. The marine environment is also looking for solutions that benefits filters of silicon carbide. We are also constantly working with customers to develop state-of-the-art systems that will be the preferred choice for the OEM market.

AI: What is LiqTech’s expertise in automotive diesel particulate filters?

Andreassen: LiqTech filters have been approved in over 25 certified emission systems in Europe and North America. LiqTech’s main competences today are manufacturing honeycomb structures in porous SiC with emphasis on durability, flexibility, cost price and high customer satisfaction. 

AI: What is LiqTech’s vision of the future of optimized emission control?

Andreassen: LiqTech is focused on working in partnership with customers, coating suppliers and industry experts to help develop smaller, cost effective systems for the industry that keep back pressures low while cutting down on the size and complexity of the systems currently in the market. Some of the steps LiqTech is currently taking include developing filters with higher porosity, adding high filtration membrane technology to filters with high porosity, and improving the production process that minimizes customer warranty losses when regeneration fails to occur. 

AI: Tell us about your company’s tagline – ‘Keeps the Sky Blue’ – how does LiqTech keep this motto alive?

Andreassen: It’s fulfilling to know that you contribute to reducing carbon emissions which provides cleaner air, and a bluer sky.

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