International – Diesel Particulate Emissions Compliance: Korea Data Center
Situation
The metropolitan Seoul region of South Korea is a densely built city with a large population of almost 10 million people. Locally there is a push for environmental compliance to reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions for improved health quality of life for all citizens.
MIRATECH and its partner distributor, Daesung Systech (DSS) in Seoul, Korea, were engaged by the local CAT engine dealer and data center end user in the Seoul region to comply with meeting black smoke and particulate matter reduction of 85% or greater for a quantity of eight CAT C175 generator packages. A diesel particulate filter (DPF) housing was selected as the best technology solution.
Challenges
There were various design, installation, and aftermarket service items that were addressed for the project to assure long-term installation with no issues for the end user. Some of those challenges were:
- Space Constraints: Tight space constraints inside a building were a prime driver to optimize the design and layout.
- Installation: The only space for installation of the DPF housing would be directly above the engine.
- Engine Exhaust Configuration: The C175 has a multi-pipe outlet design, so a customized connection into the DPF housing was required.
- Customized Controls: the client required a specific controller system for the DPF monitoring kit customized to the local market.
- Commissioning & Start Up: the client required the selected supplier to provide full installation, start up, and successful commissioning of the DPF system.
- Serviceability: An ability to open the DPF housing and check or clean the DPF blocks over the life of the data center was required. The life of the data center was estimated at over 20 years.
Solution
Operating a mission-critical facility, the customer required that all products perform with no operational risks for downtime to the site. MIRATECH’s DPF technology is a proven technology with the lowest soot burn off temperature in the industry at 500 F (270 C). This allows for easier engine operation at lower loads and less fuel consumption to achieve DPF regeneration.
In addition, the MIRATECH DPF has been granted California Air Resources Board (CARB) Verification as a Level 3 Device of 85% or greater PM removal, thereby being third party validated to successfully meet the emissions targets required.
MIRATECH & DSS, together with the customer, designed and customized a DPF to meet the space constraints with a bottom inlet configuration for a tight fit directly above the engine. This also provided the maximum exhaust temperature coming from the engine for improved soot burn off to occur more rapidly at the 500 F temperature point. A custom temperature and back pressure monitoring kit was also designed and constructed by DSS per the customer’s request.
Conclusion
A successful collaboration between MIRATECH, DSS, the engine dealer, and end user client led successfully to the commissioning of these eight engines in 2020. After three years of operation, there have been no problems and the end user data center operator is quite satisfied with the product performance.
Most importantly, there is no black smoke or soot coming from the site thanks to the MIRATECH DPF housing’s 85% PM removal. This helps the end user maintain clean air in the surrounding community and serves as a good neighbor in Seoul.