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Phil Maziasz with CF8C-Plus cast austenitic stainless steel |
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Burner housing made of CF8C-Plus steel and designed for the pyrolytic breakdown of carbon
particulates trapped in ceramic particulate filters downstream of the burner in a Caterpillar
Regeneration System. |
CF8C-Plus cast austenitic steels are low-cost, high-performance alternatives to conventional cast steels. They may also become a more universal grade that replaces the wide range of similar more expensive custom or specialty steels. For diesel exhaust systems, the current 400 tons of CF8C-Plus steel used by Caterpillar to make the regeneration system burner housing for diesel particular filters has a direct materials value of over $5 million, but prevents the use of nickel-based superalloys that would cost $28 million for the same application, so the benefit is a savings of about $23 million. The CF8C+ steel exhaust components require no heat-treatments after casting, so there is another $5 million cost savings relative to cast-irons, steels or alloys that require heat-treating.
This alloy was jointly developed by ORNL and Caterpillar. New Cu- and W-modified versions of CF8C-Plus have high-temperature strength properties rivaling more costly Ni-base alloys.
New Steel Advances Engine Exhaust System Design [pdf] |