How to scrub diesel exhaust

A DPF would trap soot, however they also need to be regenerated regularly so you can't just add one to an exhaust system not designed for them.

Its been a long time since all the warehouses that used to use propane indoors (much cleaner than diesel) went all electric. Even if you modernize it, you are still putting out way to much in emissions to be running it indoors. I think it was in the late 70s or early 80s that lots of propane forklifts hit the market because all those outfits got told they couldn't use them indoors anymore.

Using a diesel forklift indoors all day in a warehouse is a bit different than a one-off use to move some big stuff out to the semi.

Realistically the only things I can think of are to bring along a big vent fan to bring fresh air in, and potentially use an exhaust rated hose to carry the exhaust out (like garages use in the winter). Having a hose umbilical from the forklift might seem a bit hinky, but you aren't going to be moving a ~30,000# load fast at all so one person managing the hose would be reasonable.

One last thought would be to do an experiment piping the forklift exhaust to the bottom of a 55gal drum half full of water. That should trap a lot of the soot at least, and the water can be changed regularly. I don't know if it's enough to help, but certainly a forklift that large has room for such a drum on the back if it did work. Easy enough to test.

And what about trapping noxious gases?

not going to happen.

even the propane stuff is vile if you're near it all day.

exactly.

Piping exhaust through water, maybe while breaking up the floor of air to make smaller bubbles, seems like a good idea to try.

However, the stinkiest part of the exhaust is probably nox and CO.

i i

I don't know about NOX but CO is odorless. Which is one of the reasons it kills people. You cannot smell it and since it binds to hemoglobin better than oxygen it slowly builds up in your blood and prevents hemoglobin from attaching to oxygen. Since it is also a poison it suffocates you as well as poisons you. And even if you get pure oxygen after exposure to much CO it may not save your life because the CO will be bound to the hemoglobin and the extra oxygen in your lungs can't attach to anything that will do you any good. I think the stinkiest part of the exhaust may well be in the sooty emissions. I have noticed that when exposed to sooty diesel exhaust it stinks the most. Eric

I have a '70s diesel tractor and an '09 diesel truck (with DPF), and the '09 truck lacks the soot and most of the traditional diesel smell, though it's exhaust is not odor free. Given that there should be big doors open not too far away when operating the forklift indoors to say remove big printing presses there will probably be enough ventilation to not be a big safety issue. The drum of water might well be enough to make everyone happier. 100' of exhaust umbilical may not be unreasonable either.

All the new fuels and contraptions actually create a whole lot more toxic gases than the old sooty engines did. But it's "green"! Feh!

I am a practical person. I do not care about politics of pollution, when I think about this forklift. All I want is

1) THat my people can work with this forklift when it is inside 2) That I am not kicked out of businesses for stinking up their building. i

The politics of pollution ensured that the output from the new engines and diesel fuel GUARANTEED that the fumes are harmful to humans now. Large particulates and soot didn't used to be, but the superfines they put out now are causing statistically significant health problems already.

Your best bet is an array of fans to vent the fumes out.

"Ignoramus10918" wrote in message

Biodiesel from an ethnic restaurant?