Innovation for the SMM 2008: MAHLE AKO Heavy Fuel Filter COM PLUS

Download Press release

PM MAHLE AKO Heavy Fuel Filter COM PLUS [PDF; 39 KB]

PM MAHLE AKO Heavy Fuel Filter COM PLUS [RTF; 1024 KB]

For the conditioning of heavy fuels, there is a special demand of purity, particularly for the use in large engines. MAHLE AKO COM PLUS – filters combine highest retention rates with a innovative self-cleaning filter technique. Through back-flushing with pressure preloaded, tempered and purified heavy fuel the self-cleaning process takes place without interference of the filters capacity.

Features:

• Grade of filtration up to 10 µm absolute
• Defined and minimized back-flush flow rate
• Low required space due to compact design
• No pressure drop during cleaning cycle
• Back-flushing with tempered and purified heavy fuel
• No clogging of the filter mesh through lacquer
• Powerful cleaning by proven flushing nozzle principle
• Back-flushing independent of operating pressure
• No consumption of filter media
• Adjustable cleaning intensity
• Integrated trace heating
• Comfortable maintenance and handling

Operating principle:
The MAHLE AKO COM PLUS is a special designed filter for heavy fuel and large engine applications. It is part of the MAHLE Industrial Filtration large engine filter series. The COM PLUS combines the reliable and proven AKO cleaning system with back-flush nozzles and the new opportunity of a process capable of cleaning without a pressure drop. This innovative heavy fuel filter requires no consumption of filter aid. The cleaning process and the discharge of the dirt have no influence on the filtration process itself.

At operating temperature the heavy fuel is pumped into the filter. The filter is fluidically optimized and trace heated standard. The filter cartridge itself is designed either as single or duplex design. The duplex filter insert consists of two concentric stainless steel wire mesh cylindersaccording to the required filter fineness. Utilizing lateral flow the dirt load is evenly spread over and retained at the surface of the wire mesh cylinder. The filtered heavy fuel is discharged through the outlet flange, whose position is alterable.

The cleaning cycles are controlled by a preset time or a differential pressure threshold. The cleaning cycle is automatically triggered by a control box, if either time or the differential pressure limit is reached. For monitoring the filter from a distant control room, the differential pressure control unit PiS 3170 is able to give an analog data signal and two relay limit. For the back-flushing a defined amount of clean heavy fuel is stored inside the filter.By using external pressure it is used to clean the filter. Simultaneously the exact same amount of sludge is sucked up from the dirt side of the filter. The refilling of the back-flush storage tank, with filtered and tempered heavy fuel, proceeds simultaneously with the drainage of the dirt to the dirt tank. This refilling does not affect the filtration process.

All filters of the MAHLE large engine product series are patented.

Filter materials
The permissible volumetric flow, the filtration and cleaning behaviour of the fuels are evaluated depending on the viscosity and all properties, as well as the size, condition and concentration of the particles like catfines, or substances like asphalteens that occur. Filter media from 50µm down to 10µm absolute filtration, which corresponds with 5-6µm nominal, are used in the MAHLE AKO COM PLUS.

The MAHLE Group is one of the 30 largest automotive suppliers worldwide. As the leading manufacturer of combustion engine components, systems and peripherals, MAHLE is among the top 3 suppliers for piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems, air management systems and liquid management systems. MAHLE employs approximately 48,000 employees in 110 production plants and eight research and development centers. In 2007, MAHLE generated sales in excess of EUR 5 billion (USD 7.5 billion).

Öhringen, 09/2008