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Alfdex AB
Company typePublic company - AB
IndustryAutomotive industry
Founded2002 Edit this on Wikidata
HeadquartersLandskrona & Tumba, Sweden
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Mats Ekeroth - Managing Director
ProductsCrankcase gas cleaning separators
Number of employees
Increase 100 (2011)

Alfdex AB is a Swedish company that develops and produces high efficiency separators for cleaning of crankcase gases in diesel truck engines.[1] Alfdex is owned by the two public companies Alfa Laval and Concentric who are quoted on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The Alfdex separator reduces the emissions of oil and soot particles from diesel truck engines and therefore helps truck engines to meet the strict emission demands on trucks such as EPA 10 (USA)and the upcoming Euro 6 (2013).[2] Large vehicle manufacturers such as Volvo,[3] Scania, Daimler,[4] DAF/Paccar, Navistar and John Deere use the Alfdex separator worldwide for their diesel truck engines.[5][6]

Alfdex claims that their product the Alfdex oil mist separator is maintenance-free and built to last as long as a lifetime of a truck.[7] Therefore the Alfdex oil mist separator is marketed as an environmental and economical investment for truck companies.

Company History

Alfdex was founded in 2002 as a joint venture by the two Swedish companies Alfa Laval and Haldex,[6] therefore the name Alfdex.

The demand for cleaner truck engines grew during the late 20th century and early 21st century due to an increased awareness and concern of the negative effect trucks had on the environment.[8][failed verification] In these new legislations the crankcase emissions were identified and limited. Tough exhaust emission legislations including limitations for crankcase emissions were put in to practice firstly in South Korea and Japan followed by USA. Europe will follow year 2014 and eventually other countries will follow during this decade. Alfa Laval had a proven separating technology which was first tested on marine diesel engines.[citation needed] An opportunity to create a similar product for truck engines was spotted and Alfa Laval started to investigate the possibilities.

This seemed to be a possible and profitable project and Alfa Laval decided to find a partner within the automotive industry to help them develop and produce the product. Alfa Laval and Haldex became partners and the result was the founding of the co-joint trademark Alfdex in 2002.

In 2004 the first Alfdex separators were sold to Volvo Diesel Truck Engines in South Korea and four years later Mats Ekeroth, managing director of Alfdex AB, states "In total, we now have acknowledged orders worth SEK 1 billion ($157 million) over the coming three to five years. That means we have established Alfdex as one of the world's leading suppliers of proprietary crankcase gas cleaning solutions.".[9]

Haldex Concentric won the 2009 Supplier Innovation Award from Deere & Company for its Alfdex separator technology. Upon accepting the award on behalf of Haldex Concentric, Mats Ekeroth commented "Alfdex is firmly established as the world's leading supplier of highly efficient solutions for cleaning of crankcase gas on trucks and buses.[...]".[10]

Alfdex has up to this point (2011) been a successful company that has grown exceedingly and their products has been sold and put into use for various Volvo, Scania, Daimler, DAF/Paccar and Navistar truck engines.[citation needed] In 2010 Alfdex initiated its deliveries to John Deere which shows that the need for highly efficient cleaning systems for agricultural vehicles/equipment is as necessary as for trucks.[citation needed]

In 2011 Concentric took over Haldex share of the Alfdex shares.[11]

Alfdex has about 100 employees in Sweden and they are located in Tumba and Landskrona.

Product

The Alfdex separator is developed in modules and adapted for each engine model. The main idea is to use the centrifugal separation technology to separate oil and soot particles from engine’s blow-by gases and lead them back into the engine sump. The oil-free blow-by gas is then led back into the engine air intake; this is called closed crankcase ventilation system. The Separator is driven by a turbine with oil taken from the engine’s oil lubrication system.

Unclean blow-by is led into the Alfdex separator. Once inside, the oil and soot particles separate from the blow-by gas using the Alfa Laval centrifugal separation technology. Once separated, the oil is return to the engine sump. The blow-by gases are now cleaned from oil and soot particles.[12] There are two different ventilation solutions for taking care of the cleaned blow-by gases.

Closed Crankcase Ventilation - CCV

Cleaned blow-by gas is led back to the truck engine's air intake via the turbo and the intercooler. The gases will have the same effect as a small amount of EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation). A CCV system is therefore the most environmentally friendly version.

Open Crankcase Ventilation - OCV

Open crankcase ventilation vents out the oil and particle free gas out into the surrounding air instead of leading it back to the engine. Hence, OCV is only possible to use if the blow-by gas is treated with a highly efficient system, such as Alfdex centrifugal separator.

References

  1. ^ "Alfdex – the ultimate solution in crankcase ventilation" (PDF). Alfa Laval. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  2. ^ "unveils next generation Alfdex separator at the IAA show". Haldex. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  3. ^ "Volvo chooses Alfdex – the new environmental solution for cleaning of crankcase gases". Cision Wire. 2005-02-17. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  4. ^ "DaimlerChrysler chooses Alfdex, the new environmental solution for cleaning of crankcase gases, for their new engine platform". Cision Wire. 2006-01-18. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  5. ^ "Haldex unveils next generation Alfdex separator at the IAA show (press release)" (PDF). Alfdex. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  6. ^ a b "New milestones for crankcase gas cleaning technology" (PDF). Alfa Laval. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  7. ^ "ALFDEX, Separators, Alfa Laval". Alfalaval.com. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  8. ^ "Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards: reduction of pollutant emissions from light vehicles". Europa.eu. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  9. ^ "Success of Alfdex leads Haldex to new emissions technology: development of Varivent system next, promising EGR control, variability and pressure recovery | Diesel Progress North American Edition". Find Articles. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  10. ^ "Concentric: Diesel engine application, diesel engine oil pumps, diesel engine water pumps, diesel engine fuel transfer pumps, diesel engine components, diesel engine systems, transmission pumps, compressor pumps". Concentricab.com. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  11. ^ "Concentric: Diesel engine application, diesel engine oil pumps, diesel engine water pumps, diesel engine fuel transfer pumps, diesel engine components, diesel engine systems, transmission pumps, compressor pumps". Concentricab.com. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  12. ^ "The ultimate solution for closed crankcase ventilation" (PDF). Haldex. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
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