Cummins Inc has showcased its new fuel-agnostic 15-litre engine platform with hydrogen, natural gas and advanced diesel engines offering low-to-zero carbon fuel capability.
The company has designed the next generation engine to accelerate the decarbonisation of heavy-duty off-highway applications and its has a clean sheet design that points to the future of diesel: more capability with less environmental impact, Cummins wrote in a statement.
Its high power density sets the standards for heavy-duty performance in key off-road applications including excavators, wheel loaders, drilling rigs, road planning, milling machines, haul trucks and air compressors, the statement noted.
“Innovatively designed hardware provides lower weight with maximum engine durability, even when working on the most challenging jobs,” the company said.
Commenting on the development, Antonio Leitao, VP global off-highway engine business, said, “Cummins’ all-new platform takes internal combustion to a new level, capable of meeting future ultra-low emission standards, such as EPA tier 5 and EU stage 6, together with a low-to-zero carbon fuel capability to help put construction and quarrying sites on a lower cost path to decarbonisation.”
According to the company,the fuel-agnostic architecture of the 15-litre platform utilises a common base engine with cylinder heads and fuel systems specifically tailored for it to use carbon-free hydrogen or biogas with up to a 90 percent carbon reduction.
Cummins’ 15-litre hydrogen has ratings up to 530 hp (395 kW) and natural gas up to 510 hp (380 kW). The advanced diesel version can use either sustainable HVO fuel or biodiesel with ratings up to 650 hp (485 kW) for the most demanding off-highway duty-cycles.
“The 15-liter has a significant increase in power density with a more compact installation envelope providing equipment manufacturers with the capability to do more with their machines,” added Leitao.
For applications powered by renewable biogas, the 15-litre natural gas will offer ratings extending from 400-to-510 hp (298-380 kW) with a peak torque of 2500 nm available.