Reliable fluid management and modern filtration technology play a major role in protecting the engine and ensuring reliable operation. At this week’s Agritechnica, Hengst is showcasing a broad portfolio of filtration solutions for fluid management in conventional drives, mobile hydraulics, applications for alternative drives, and an overview of the extensive aftermarket portfolio in brand quality.
Blue.maxxÂ
The company is showcasing the modular fuel filter system Blue.maxx for conventional combustion engines at Agritechnica. It ensures highly efficient water separation and can be optimally adapted to the respective application. In this way, the efficiency of the engine can be sustainably improved.
In the future, alternative fuels and their blends will also be increasingly used in the off-highway sector for environmental reasons. The consequences of the aging of biofuels and their higher water absorption capacity can lead to operating problems in this process.
Hengst has developed special test methods for optimum adaptation of the fuel filter system to alternative fuels. These are embedded in the entire process of developing advanced fuel filtration systems, creating the basic prerequisite for the reliability and longevity of modern engine filtration. One example of the products developed in this way is the innovative Blue.maxx fuel filter system. It consists of basic variants that are already available and standardized and that can be supplemented by special additional modules. An online configurator makes it easy to put together the right filter solution for the application in question. With innovations such as Blue.maxx, Hengst is creating the conditions for the global use of efficient and climate-friendly diesel engines with high availability, reliability and durability.
Sustainable filter solutions for hydrogen
To support the use of hydrogen as a climate-friendly energy carrier, Hengst has developed a modular system of various filtration solutions for commercial vehicles and off-highway applications. This consists of ion exchangers and cathode air filters for fuel cells, as well as disc separators and active crankcase ventilation for hydrogen combustion engines, which ensure the service life, efficiency, performance and safety of the drive even under harsh operating conditions.
The coolant of a fuel cell is enriched with ions during operation. These are caused by aging products of the coolant itself or by components in the cooling circuit. Effective filtration is therefore required for the safe operation of the fuel cell. The Blue.iox ion exchanger from Hengst offers particularly high protection with minimal maintenance. The unique design of the filter cartridge with axial filter flow and the special mixed bed resin system for cation and anion exchange ensure high filtration performance over the entire service interval.
Special requirements are also placed on filtration in the air circuit of a fuel cell. The intake air must be very effectively cleaned of particles from the outside air to ensure long service life and high performance. In addition, pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and sulfur oxides (SO2) can lead to unwanted deposits in the fuel cell and damage it. A specially developed cathode air filter system Blue.netic from Hengst with a multilayer structure reliably protects the fuel cell components from particles and harmful gases.
The requirements for filter systems for hydrogen engines are comparable to those for conventional gasoline or diesel engines. However, the increased introduction of water into the engine oil and the easy flammability of hydrogen must be considered as additional challenges. Blowby gases that enter the crankcase via the cylinders form an explosive mixture at concentrations above 3.5% by volume, which ignites on hot engine components. The active ventilation system developed by Hengst minimizes the hydrogen concentration in the crankcase and counteracts the risk of ignition.
