Diesel Freight Carbon Reduction Technology

This 8-month project, commencing March 1st 2019, led by Vortex Developments 2014 Ltd, involves technology transfer from automotive to rail. The technology is a patented 'game changing' exhaust design that produces volumetric efficiency of combustion in the engine cylinders, and reduces fuel consumption as a result, as well as reducing diesel particulates because of improved exhaust gas scavenging. This technology reduces the carbon footprint of rail diesel engines as well as reducing diesel particulates by more than 50%. The exhaust design will allow for further development of a Vortex emissions reduction technology when this is required or requested.

The development of the technology for Class 66 freight engines follows the development of a vortex exhaust for passenger Class 156 trains. In a live longitudinal test of a Class 156 train in service a 13.2% mean reduction in diesel was obtained in the back to back trial of the Vortex exhaust against the standard exhaust on the same train engine.
The latter trial has given the technology a high Technology Readiness Level, and its next application will be on the 2-stroke Class 66 engines. The latter differ substantially from the Class 156 engines; they are more powerful, lower revving electric generator diesel and are 2-stroke rather than 4-stroke, which presents some challenges. The Class 66 exhaust system is also substantially larger than the Class 156, so construction materials will be stronger and the physical size substantially larger in diameter with the exhaust shorter in length. The Vortex exhaust will be constructed from stainless steel and the warranty will be life time, meaning 20-years.

Design and flow calculations will be done with the support of Surrey University whose engineering department has considerable experience in this field, testing will be done with the support of SBL-Rail, a division of Westerton Agencies Ltd, who have substantial experience in testing engines in the automotive and rail sector. The vortex exhaust demonstrator after successful completion of load bank tests and then a six-month live test on a Deutsches Bahn UK Class 66 freight train of the standard versus Vortex exhaust, will go to the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, and they will assist with manufacturing consultancy. Deutsches Bahn will be the first customer of this exhaust technology should it prove economically acceptible. In that case manufacturing will be carried out by Benson Components Ltd, an SME tier-1 producer for HGV and plant and machinery OEMs. The commercialisation will be undertaken by Unipart Rail, the commercial partner of Vortex Developments 2014 Ltd, and Vortex will work with the PR department of the RSSB to gauge public and rail sector interest in this technology, and disseminate data and information gained from this project. The manufactured product is planned for roll-out into the market within one-year of the project completion.