All about CNG

Prepared By : - Priyadarshi Singh TML, ERC

Natural gas can be used to fuel almost any kind of vehicle - motorcycles and three wheelers, cars, vans & pickups, lift trucks, buses, trucks, trains, boats, even aircraft. The availability of vehicles or conversion equipment varies greatly from country to country depending on local conditions.

Motorcycles and three wheelers

CNG has helped clear the air in many Asian cities Though not used often for motorcycles, compressed natural gas (CNG) is often used for three wheelers, or tuk-tuks as they are called in Thailand. Motorcycles are not the ideal application, due to the limited amount of fuel that can be carried on board. Three wheelers, being more stable and having more space, are well suited for CNG and are used extensively in Thailand, India, Bangladesh and other mostly Asian countries. Most three wheelers fitted out for CNG are used as taxis or light delivery vehicles.

Volvo CNG Bi-Fuel V70 Cars - Sedans and station wagons Though CNG can technically be used in any car engine, ideal applications are taxi cabs or any other vehicle that does higher than average mileage. Vehicles that only travel low mileage can be used, but it may take longer to recover the cost of conversion through fuel cost savings. In the case of a converted vehicle, a CNG storage cylinder is usually installed in the trunk of the car. Apart from the loss of trunk space, the driver will notice little difference in the performance of the vehicle (though they will usually notice lower fuel costs). An OEM (production line) vehicle often has the CNG storage cylinder installed under a seat or elsewhere wihin the chassis to minimize or eliminate the loss of luggage space.

CNG Opel Combo. Popular for commercial applications in Europe

Vans Vans and pickups are well suited for CNG, mainly because they usually have plenty of space for fuel storage and often cover high mileage. Courier vans or delivery vans that are on the road all day are especially suited.

CNG Toyota Lift Truck. Available ex manufacturer in some countries Lift trucks CNG is ideal for lift trucks, due in part to the low emissions of CNG engines and ability to refuel on site. Because lift trucks often work indoors, vehicle emissions are a critical factor. As CNG produces lower emissions than gasoine, diesel or even LPG (propane), a CNG lift truck helps improve staff health. Another advantage over LPG is that the lift truck can be refuelled without having to swap over heavy cylinders.

60 ft CNG Powered articulated bus

Buses Urban buses are one of the most popular uses for natural gas, usually utilizing CNG but occasionally using liquefied natural gas (LNG). A number of trials are currently under way testing HCNG, a blend of hydrogen and CNG. Because the amount of mileage an urban bus travels doesn't vary much from day-to-day the fuel requirements can be catered for quite easily. Storage cylinders for CNG, LNG or HCNG

are often installed on the roof of a bus, allowing the weight to be distributed evenly over the chassis.

Trucks

LNG fueled waste haulage vehicles in San Francisco The best fuel choice for a truck depends on the duty cycle of the vehicle. Trucks that do lower mileages or that return to a base frequently will often be suited for CNG, while trucks that do higher mileages might be more suited for LNG. In the past, the weight of CNG cylinders has often limited its application on heavy vehicles. This is becoming less relevant as natural gas engines are becoming lighter compared with their diesel counterparts and CNG cylinders are available manufactured with lightweight composite materials. In some applications a fleet operator may choose a dual-fuel natural gas engine over a dedicated natural gas engine, giving them the option of switching to diesel if natural gas supplies become restricted.

Biogas powered trains are now operating commercially in Sweden

Trains Trains are a relatively recent application for natural gas. While experimental or small scale trials have happened in the past, larger scale commercial applications have only begun in recent years. Peru, Sweden and India have the most developed programs, with the Swedish operation making use of bio-methane, natural gas made from waste or renewable sources.

Boats Boats can make use of CNG or LNG and, while still small in number, are becoming a popular choice for ferries or vessels which operate fixed routes.

Aircraft

The use of natural gas to fuel aircraft has only been conducted to date on an experimental basis, but the range of experiments conducted shows the flexibility of the fuel. Fixed wing aircraft from a small single engined prop plane to the massive Antonov AN-225 and even helicopters have been fuelled with natural gas.

Light aircraft in Brazil have been using CNG on an experimental basis

Engine Type

Natural Gas engines suit a wide range of applications - forklifts, sedans, light commercial vehicles, trucks, buses, marine, even rail locomotives and electricity generators. The clean properties of natural gas, and the absence of particulates often reduce engine wear and tear. Some operators report extended service and oil change intervals, thus reducing operating costs even further. Engines are available in a variety of formats but generally fall within the following categories: Dedicated, Mono-Fuel or Monovalent - Sometimes referred to as spark ignited. A dedicated engine uses natural gas as its only fuel source. A dedicated engine has the advantage of being 'optimised' to operate on natural gas, thus ensuring maximum efficiency and optimum emissions results. Some dedicated vehicles are also fitted with a gasoline reserve tank to be used if the vehicles runs out of natural gas. As the vehicle has been optimized for natural gas, these should only be used for short trips and not be used on a regular basis. Bi-fuel or Bivalent Bi-fuel engines operate on either natural gas or gasoline (or another spark ignited fuel such as ethanol). Bi-fuel engines are available either as an aftermarket conversion or as an ex showroom 'OEM' vehicle. (Note - Bi-fuels generally rely on gasoline for ignition when the engine is initially turned on, thus a small amount of gasoline is always required for successful operation) Dual-fuel A dual-fuel engine utilizes a mixture of natural gas and diesel, with the natural gas/air mixture ignited by a diesel pilot. The diesel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, while gas is introduced into the air intake by carburetion or by gas injection. The mixture of natural gas and diesel varies according to the load and the duty cycle of the

engine, ranging anywhere from 80% gas down to 0% gas. At lower engine loads, diesel use tends to be higher whereas at higher engine loads it is possible to use a higher proportion of gas. Dual-fuel engines are usually the result of a conversion of a diesel engine and have the advantage of not being totally dependent on natural gas for fuel supply. Thus, if a vehicle runs out of natural gas or is away from an available NGV fuel source, it is able to operate solely on diesel. - Tri-fuel A relatively recent technology development, a tri-fuel vehicle combines a 'flex-fuel' vehicle and a natural gas vehicle. A flex-fuel vehicle uses gasoline and ethanol, either exclusively or blended together. Thus a tri-fuel vehicle can operate on gasoline, ethanol (or both) or natural gas. Tri-fuel vehicles first entered the market in 2005 in Brazil, where ethanol and natural gas are both widely used for transport. - High Pressure Direct Injection, HPDI A proprietary technology being developed by Westport Innovations (Canada). HPDI technology involves the injection of both diesel and gas directly at high pressure into the combustion chamber. Like a dual-fuel engine, HPDI relies on diesel for combustion to occur. The system differs from the dual-fuel system in the manner in which the fuels are mixed and is reported to deliver performance equal to a diesel engine. The system has undergone extensive trials in a range of applications in North America. Information on various combustion and injection methods can be found on the Engine Technology page. Naturally Safe It comes as a surprise to many to hear that natural gas is one of the safest transport fuels available. Natural gas is a naturally occurring product, consisting mainly of methane (approx. 90%). In its natural state, natural gas is odourless. As a safety measure, the gas is odorised prior to distribution to provide a ready means of leak detection. An average person can easily detect the smell of gas at a concentration as low as 0.3% by volume in air. That concentration is about 16 times lower than the level which will support combustion. Natural gas requires a concentration of between 5% and 15% in air for combustion to occur, meaning in most cases the smell of gas would be detected well before combustion conditions are met. These are the upper and lower flammability limits of the fuel. Natural gas also has a high ignition temperature, about 600 degrees Celsius, compared with about 315o C for gasoline (1110o F). Natural gas has no known toxic or chronic physiological effects (i.e. it is not poisonous). Exposure to a moderate concentration may result in a headache or similar symptoms due to oxygen deprivation but it is likely that the smell would be detected well in advance of

concentrations being high enough for this to occur. The fact that natural gas is lighter than air further enhances its safety. Unlike other fuels such as diesel, petrol or LPG, which are heavier than air, should a natural gas leak occur, the gas will readily dissipate into the atmosphere. This eliminates the risk of the fuel accumulating or pooling at ground level and causing a greater risk or hazard. Pressure As CNG is stored at high pressure, it is often perceived that the high pressure of the product makes it more hazardous than other fuels. While a high pressure gas leak tends to make a lot of noise while the gas is escaping, the high pressure forces the gas to escape very rapidly causing high concentrations of gas to build up in the immediate vicinity of the leak. The resulting high concentrations of gas and its tendency to dissipate upwards make it less likely for the gas in the immediate vicinity of the leak to ignite. Naturally, the high pressure does cause the gas to escape with some force so obvious precautions are necessary. Safe Distribution The means of distribution for natural gas ranks it very highly. In most circumstances, natural gas is delivered via underground pipeline networks, the same networks that deliver natural gas to our homes and businesses. This method not only eliminates the need for road tankers to deliver fuel from the refinery, but also the need for ocean going oil tankers to deliver crude oil to the refinery. The hazards associated with each of these methods is well known to all and even in the event of a harmless spill (ie, without any resulting fire) the issues associated with cleaning up present additional safety and environmental problems.

While natural gas can be demonstrated to be safer than traditional fuels, readers are reminded that proper safety procedures should be followed. and only qualified and registered personnel should work on natural gas systems.

Engine Technology Because Natural Gas is a 'simple' yet high octane fuel it produces far fewer emissions than other fuels and combusts efficiently. The efficiency and emissions of the engine vary depending on the combustion and injection methods used. Stoichiometric Stoichiometric combustion is when the chemically exact amount of fuel is added to the air so that when the combustion is completed the chemical formula for the fuel is completed: CH4 + 2O2 = CO2 + 2 H20 i.e. methane + 2 oxygen = carbon dioxide + 2 water This offers exceptionally clean combustion and exhaust gases. The downside is that the power output of the engine may be lower and its fuel consumption slightly higher when compared with a diesel engine. Due to the reduced efficiency of low sulfur diesels, this is

becoming less of an issue. Lean Burn The lean burn system employs an air/gas mixture that has more air than the stoichiometric ratio in the combustion cylinder. Looked at the other way, it requires less fuel in the cylinder. This can result in lower fuel consumption compared to stoichiometric combustion with the power output usually maintained by turbocharging. Carburettor The carburettor is generally used in stoichiometric engines as it can deliver the right balance of fuel for the air entering the engine. Provided the carburettor is located in reasonably close proximity to the intake of the engine and there are not highly variable load demands, the system works very well. Single Point Injection Single point injection is, in essence, an electronically controlled carburettor. The advantage is that the gas is delivered more accurately in accordance with engine demand. Again the injector is still some distance from the inlet (like the carburettor) and so its response to quickly changing conditions is not ideal. Multi Point Injection Multi point injection has an injector for each cylinder, so the injectors can be placed in close proximity to the cylinder's intake port. It also enables fuel to be delivered precisely as required to each individual cylinder (called sequential) and enables more sophisticated technologies such as skip-firing to be used. Skip-firing is when only some of the cylinders are operating (the other cylinders are being skipped). This enables even more efficient use of the fuel at low loads, further lowering fuel consumption and unburnt hydrocarbon emissions. Carburettors v Injectors As a point of comparison we can look at the fuel delivery systems used by cars to get an idea of the relative sophistication of the various delivery systems. It should be noted that no system is inappropriate, they each have the benefits and costs. Carburettors are no longer used on new cars today Single point injection is currently only used by low cost cars. Multi point injection is the system used by most cars today and is the most sophisticated system generally available. Emissions

2006 CNG Honda Civic GX. Believed to be the cleanest internal combustion powered production vehicle in the world Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) have a deserving reputation for being one of the cleanest transport fuels available, not just with respect vehicle emissions, but also for fuel production. Studies around the world consistently show that natural gas engines produce fewer harmful emissions than petrol, diesel or LPG, in spite of the considerable improvements made to these fuels in recent years. Even when measured against other 'clean' fuels or methods, such as gasoline-electric hybrids, NGVs emissions are frequently lower. The world's cleanest internal combustion production line car is an NGV - the Honda Civic GX, available in the US. It has a dedicated engine which is reported in high polluting areas to produce exhaust emissions that are cleaner than the air going into the engine! The Civic can drive from the West Coast of the US to the East Coast and emit less non-methane hydrocarbons than if you were to spill one teaspoon of petrol! (click on the picture to visit the Honda website for more info) As diesel and petrol engine technology improves, so too does NGV technology, which means that NGVs are consistently 'ahead of the game' in terms of emissions. Apart from producing fewer emissions, natural gas also poses fewer environmental hazards than other fuels. In the event of an accident, natural gas dissipates into the atmosphere rather than spilling on to the ground - a major benefit for our waterways and wildlife. Emissions, what are they? The main emissions currently regulated throughout the world are: Carbon monoxide (CO) - Carbon monoxide is a gas that in high concentrations can lead to asphyxiation. Particulate matter (PM) - Particulates are any materials that are trapped by a gauze filter during emission testing. This means not only is it a measure of soot particles but also liquid aerosols that have been trapped. Particles from any source that enter the lung can often cause lasting damage. In addition, particles that are highly reactive are believed to cause further damage. Obviously the best thing is have the fewest particles possible to reduce any risk as much as possible.

PM emissions have been the key focus of recent international emission standards. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) - These are one of the constituents of photochemical smog/haze. In many areas it is the amount of NOx that is released that governs air quality. This is because there is already a large amount of HC in the air ready to react with the NOx. NOx has also been the key focus of recent international emission standards. Hydrocarbons (HC), sometimes excluding Methane (NMHC) - As mentioned above HCs react with NOx to form smog/haze. As methane is a 'non-reactive' hydrocarbon, it is not involved in this smog forming process. When NGVs are discussed, the methane emission is usually excluded from the air quality measuring process. 'Greenhouse' gas emissions - As CO2 is usually the more predominant greenhouse gas, greenhouse emissions factors are usually quantified in CO2 equivalents. As methane is also a greenhouse gas, any unburnt methane emissions are usually included in NGV greenhouse emissions calculations. Due to the increasing efficiency of natural gas engines, this problem is progressively being minimised.

Natural Gas The natural gas used for NGVs is the same natural gas that is piped to millions of homes for cooking and heating. Information on the superior safety characteristics of natural gas can be found here . Natural gas is a very simple fuel. Around 90% of natural gas is methane (CH4),which is just one carbon atom with four hydrogen atoms attached, with the remainder comprising of propane, butane and other components. Composition varies according to the source of the natural gas. The only simpler fuel available is hydrogen, which is technically an energy 'carrier' rather than an energy source itself. As yet there is no economic method of creating and distributing large quantities of hydrogen, so, until this occurs, natural gas will remain the clean fuel of choice for some time. Being rich in Hydrogen, natural gas is often used as a feedstock, which is one of the reasons why natural gas vehicles are often referred to as the 'pathway to the hydrogen economy'. Ultimately, an investment in natural gas infrastructure is an investment in hydrogen infrastructure. Natural gas occupies more volume than traditional liquid fuels thus it must be compressed or liquefied to make it practical for transport applications. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is the most common application for NGVs though Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) use is becoming increasingly common. More details on the different processes can be found on the refuelling page . When comparing fuel prices it is important to consider energy content of fuels. CNG is sold either by the kilogram or the cubic meter (m3) and LNG is measured in litres. A cubic metre of natural gas contains approximately 38.3* megajoules per cubic metre (MJ/m3), which is approximately the same amount of energy as a litre of diesel (38.8* Mj/l). In some countries, CNG or LNG is sold by the Gasoline per Gallon Equivalent (GGE) or Diesel per Gallon

Equivalent (DGE). In these cases the energy content has already been taken into account so the fuel price comparison can be made directly. Fuel Energy Content*(Gross heating value) CNG 37-40 MJ/m3 46-49 MJ/kg LNG 25 MJ/L Diesel 38.3 MJ/L Gasoline LPG 34.5 MJ/L 25.4 MJ/L

* Energy content varies significantly depending on the source of fuel. Readers are advised to check with local suppliers for energy content.

CNG Cylinders Compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders are available in a number of different types, weights and sizes to suit different applications. As a general rule, as cylinder weight decreases, cylinder costs increase. In some cases, cylinders are available for lease from vehicle converters or gas suppliers. Details of cylinder suppliers can be found in our Business Directory (see left). Additional information can also be found in our Guidelines for the Handling of CNG Cylinders document. Cylinder types include: Type 1: This is an all metal - cylinder made of steel. There is no covering, other than paint, on the outside of the cylinder. This is the most common type of cylinder. Type 2: This is a metal cylinder (steel or aluminum) with a partial wrapping that goes around the cylinder. The wrapping is usually made of glass, aramid or carbon, contained in an epoxy or polyester resin. Type 3: This type of cylinder is fully wrapped with the same kind of material used for the partial wrapping of a Type 2 cylinder. This type of cylinder has a metal liner usually aluminum. Type 4: This type of cylinder is fully wrapped with the same kind of material used for the partial wrapping of a Type 2 cylinder. This type of cylinder has a plastic liner. CNG Cylinder Weight The importance of the weight of CNG cylinders can vary widely. It can be extremely important in many circumstances, or it may be of little importance. Ultimately, the duty cycle of the vehicle will determine the most appropriate choice of cylinders.

One perception that often arises is that you can't carry enough CNG because the cylinders weigh too much or take up too much space. However, if lightweight cylinders are used and the actual fuel needs of the vehicle are taken into account , weight is often not an issue at all (vehicles often carry more fuel than is actually required). As a rule though, you will generally need to fill up a CNG cylinder more frequently than a gasoline or diesel tank. With the advent of CNG home refuelling though, this inconvenience will become minor for most private motorists. Driving into your garage and connecting your car to your home refueller means no more unnecessary trips to the gas station! In other cases, the cost savings on CNG versus gasoline or diesel make the inconvenience seem minor.

CNG cylinders are often roof mounted For heavier vehicles, innovative solutions for cylinder locations include placement beneath the bunk in a sleeper cabin, or on the roof (see picture). In some cases, especially buses, carrying the cylinders on the roof actually helps to distribute weight over axles more evenly. In situations where weight is an issue, cylinders may also be carried on a trailer (assuming the engine is on a Prime Mover), thus distributing the load over more axles. As always, such fitouts should only be done by qualified and certified professionals. Durability CNG cylinders have to be strong structurally in order to contain the high pressure gas. Prior to gaining standards and regulatory approval, the cylinders are subjected to a large range of tests specified by the relevant standard, which may include bullet impact tests and a bonfire test. In spite of these standards, care of cylinders must still be taken, particularly with the fibreglass wrapped and composite cylinders. They must not be subjected to rubbing or chaffing thus, once installed, appropriate measures to ensure adequate protection of NGV cylinder must always be undertaken. Inspection CNG cylinders are required to be inspected on a regular basis. The procedures required to ensure that CNG cylinders are safe vary, depending on the type of cylinder and the standard to which the cylinders are made. All installed cylinders must have visible registration tags, showing the date of the last inspection and when the next inspection is due. LNG Cylinders The differences between compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are the methods of production and storage. Both fuels are primarily methane (CH4). whereas

liquefied natural gas is 'frozen' to less than -162o Celcius (-212o Fahrenheit) to liquefy it. The advantage of liquefaction over compression is that the fuel is at a higher density, meaning more energy is contained in the same space - LNG is roughly 600 times the density of natural gas at standard pressure. In general, LNG is more commonly used for heavier vehicles whereas CNG is used for lighter vehicles. This is not a hard and fast rule though and both fuels may be used in either class of vehicle. Once the gas is liquefied, it must be kept cold or it would revert to its gaseous state, thus LNG cylinders are designed in a similar fashion to a thermos flask, (i.e. with substantial insulation). This design allows for the fuel to be kept cold for two weeks or more. Adsorbed Natural Gas (ANG) ANG involves the storage of natural gas in a nanoporous material (usually carbon derived) at lower pressure than compressed natural gas, usually around 35 bar. The advantage of ANG is, like LNG, that the fuel is stored at a higher density. At this stage ANG is not commercially available or viable but a number of institutions are working on this issue.