In recent years all major forklift truck manufacturers, in line with and encouraged by EU Directives, have made strenuous efforts to reduce harmful emissions from the IC-engines installed in their Diesel models.

Major advances in Diesel particulate filter technology mean that today, in many cases, these trucks can be used even in enclosed areas.

State-of-the-art cleanliness from LINDE
German manufacturer Linde Material Handling recently unveiled its new, cleaner range of 2 to 5-tonne Diesel and LPG counterbalanced EVO series forklifts.

Thanks to this series’ four-cylinder common-rail engine with particulate filter fitted as standard, the Linde H25 to H50 EVO models with 2.5 to 5-tonne lifting capacity are billed as the cleanest Linde Diesel trucks ever built. These engines are in fact 69% below the current legal emission limits

The Linde H20 to H50 EVO IC-engine powered trucks are fitted with a variable displacement axial pump in the lifting hydraulics system. The pump is intentionally oversized to ensure it achieves maximum lifting speeds even at low drive motor speeds. This means that the new trucks reduce emissions and save up to 28% fuel even at a high power output. With less hydraulic oil wasted and lower circulation losses, the trucks are not only more cost-effective, they are also better for the environment.

100% soot elimination by TOYOTA
Toyota’s commitment to the environment is evident in the eco-friendly management systems that are used in its production facilities – such as ISO 14001 obtained by the company’s Takahama manufacturing plant in Japan. All Toyota forklifts are now also manufactured to be 99% recyclable.

The DPF-II (Diesel Particulate Filter) installed by Toyota is used to reduce harmful emissions from its industrial Diesel engines, along with a 3-way Catalytic Converter System. The DPF-II filter, which is designed for easy maintenance, has been designed to eliminate nearly 100% of the black carbon particles found in Diesel exhaust.

HYSTER and CUMMINS team up
Hyster has teamed up with leading engine manufacturer Cummins for its Tier 4i/Stage IIIB Big Trucks (over 16 tonnes). New Cummins Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB engines, which have been installed into larger Hyster machines, have demonstrated cleaner and quieter operation than ever before, as well as reduced CO2 emissions.

The Cummins Particulate Filter replaces the Tier 3 muffler and provides equivalent or better sound reduction. The Particulate Filter consists of four sections: an inlet, a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and an outlet.
Exhaust flows out of the engine and into the Cummins Particulate Filter. It passes through the DOC and then into the DPF where PM is collected on the walls of the DPF. The carbon collected is then oxidized to remove it from the DPF, which is continually self-regenerating, resulting in clean exhaust out of the tailpipe.

JUNGHEINRICH clean technology
The German manufacturer Jungheinrich has also incorporated new ‘clean’ engine technology in its range of engine powered equipment.

This is in line with regulations which require, for 2013, the volume of soot particulates emitted by new Diesel forklift trucks to be reduced by 95%, legislation which will be documented in the replacement of EU Directive IIIA with EU Directive IIIB. “Our hydrostatically-powered Diesel forklift trucks already fulfil these future limit values thanks to their state-of-the-art common-rail technology,” explained a spokesperson for the company.