Volvo Trucks North America Inc is providing the 465-horsepower Volvo VE D12 diesel engine for the new Volvo VN. The VE D12 engines, engineered to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2002 emission regulations, have the same top horsepower and torque ratings as Volvo's pre-EPA '02 engines. Oil change intervals on the VE 465 remain at 25,000 miles, also the same as 2002's engines.
The VE 465 does not require exhaust aftertreatment to meet the EPA '02 emissions regulations. This means customers avoid the expense, complexity, additional size, and higher weight of particulate traps and catalytic converters, without a penalty in horsepower or torque. Like other VE D12 engines, the VE 465 also avoids a variable-geometry turbocharger.
In fact, the VE 465 has an improved horsepower curve, compared with Volvo's previous 465-hp rating. Although it has the same peak torque of 1650 ft-lb as previously, the new VE 465 has a flatter power output curve. Horsepower is maintained at 465 hp from 1500 rpm through 1825 rpm.
Volvo's EPA '02 engines with Volvo's V-Pulse technology use the normal pressure pulsation in the exhaust manifold to achieve the level of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) needed for emissions reductions.
A mass of exhaust escapes the combustion chamber just as the exhaust valve opens, similar to the pressure release when a can of soda is opened. Pulses from each cylinder are captured and fed through a twin-path EGR cooler to provide gas needed for recirculation. The recirculation lowers the oxygen content of the intake charge and holds down the formation of nitrogen oxides. This method of EGR allows the turbocharger boost pressure to remain higher than the exhaust manifold back pressure, achieving a “positive pumping loop.”
The VE 465 uses a tuned muffler to help achieve the exhaust recirculation. For tractors, the muffler is a 10"-diameter vertical design, similar in appearance to normal mufflers. It takes no additional space and does not require longer wheelbases.
Like other Volvo Power ratings, the VE 465 offers exclusive features including exhaust pressure governor, oil level indicator, and live PTO (power takeoff) port on the side of the engine. The exhaust pressure governor allows idling in cold climates, if necessary, at 650 rpm, which saves 0.5 gallons of fuel per hour. The electronic oil level indicator provides a way to check the oil level without leaving the cab. The live PTO does away with the need for a pump extension in front of the radiator for applications like snowplows.
Contact Volvo Trucks North America, 7900 National Service Rd, PO Box 26115, Greensboro NC 27402-6115 for further information.
