GE Transportation completes first production test of Tier 4 engine
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior EditorGE Transportation has completed the first production test, which evaluates the performance, emissions and mechanical properties, of its GE Evolution Series Tier 4 engine. This is the first engine to go through GE’s newly built test cell in Grove City, Penn., which produces approximately 3,000-plus engines a year. It will be sent to one of GE’s locomotive assembly facilities to be installed into a GE Evolution Series Tier 4 locomotive, the company said.
“We’ve already manufactured 27 engines and the completion of this test is a major step forward in our Tier 4 journey,” said Tina Donikowski, Vice President of GE Locomotives, Marine, and Stationary & Drill. “Through the efforts of the GE team in Grove City, we’ll be able to validate the test cell and the production process and make improvements to our overall plan,” Donikowski added.
GE began building Evolution Series engines, which were designed to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Tier 2 locomotive emission standards, in 2003. This newest engine, however, meets the EPA’s Tier 4 locomotive emission standards, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2015.
“GE Transportation was able to exceed Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Particular Matter (PM) emissions reductions by at least 70% from Tier 3 emission standards,” GE said. “The new test cell, built specifically for the Tier 4 engine, is equipped with improved technology and tooling that test for performance and Tier 4 emissions levels.”
The development of the Evolution Series Tier 4 engine was part of the larger $600 million investment made in the Evolution Series platform. GE Transportation leveraged other GE business units to develop elements of the Tier 4 engine, including power assembly, exhaust gas recirculation, common rail fuel system and turbocharger, and was able to create an engine that required no after-treatment to meet the emission targets, GE said.
Over the past four years, GE has invested $130 million in the facilities in Grove City to support remanufacturing and the Tier 4 engine. As part of that total, $20 million was spent to improve the machines, testing and equipment for this specific line.
