Diesel-natural gas dual-fuel retro-fit systems from Clean Air Power coming out clean
Using a bit of diesel fuel to ignite natural gas in an engine is one way to provide high-power output with lowered emissions. Clean Air Power, which has a unique retro-fit system that gives an engine dual-fuel capability, recently completed trials meant to figure out the benefits of integrating versus retro-fitting its products, and discovered that the cost and CO2 emissions savings are better with the contemporary integrated system. Clean Air Power says that the UK trials, which used the Genesis Dual-Fuel™ retro-fit system, demonstrated a 50 percent gas substitution and a CO2 saving of 8.4 tons a year, based on 200,000km annual mileage. The lowered gas usage could save operators about £10,000 per vehicle per year in fuel costs).
Compare this to a contemporary integrated system, which can deliver about 70 percent overall gas substitution (saving £17,000 per vehicle per year) and cut out 26 tons of CO2 a year (based on the same annual mileage).
Clean Air Power says that over 1,600 vehicles around the world have been set up with the retro-fit system, and they are actively looking for an OEM to come to them with an offer to build an integrated system, said CEO John Pettitt.
Caterpillar has designed a similar diesel and natural gas system for use in its large vehicles.
[Source: Clean Air Power]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bill Popadich 11:21AM (6/09/2008)
Dear Sir,
I am interested in converting some if not all of our diesel fleet to a combination fuel of Natural Gas and Diesel fuel.
Can you contact me regarding product information?
Bill Popadich
VP Transportation
Thatcher Company
801-924-1423
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Keith 6:49PM (4/22/2009)
Currently driving gmc s15 w/isuzu 2.2 diesel;getting 30+mpg and have access to cng from my well.this vehicle has no computer and smokes on hard pull and take-off.I applied low pressure natural gas(1/2psi)through a air hose blow gun,idle increased and throttle response became better.Does anyone know a safe way to do this without melting the pistons?
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John Bassily 7:59AM (6/03/2009)
Dear Sir,
I would like to know more details about that dual system, does the fuel system works by injecting both diesel fuel with a % and LNG with a %? and does that system fits also generators?
John Bassily
Orion Egypt S.A.E.
Tel. +20 2 2639 7541
Mob. +20 12 349 2233
4 Abdel-Ghaffar Street, apt. 5
Heliopolis, Cairo
Egypt
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Tim 6:11PM (11/20/2006)
Can I make my own Natural Gas, or do I have to buy it from the same monopolies who feed my petroleum addiction? I can make my own electricity from solar or wind and my local farmer can grow veggie oil. Oh, I know... competition kills profits. This is kind of like filtered cigarettes, right? It's better not to smoke. Break the addiction!!
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Lincoln Kraeuter 10:25AM (11/21/2006)
Yes,the Diesel-natural gas dual fuel system is good for the environment. Natural gas which has 4 atoms of hydrogen held by one carbon atom is a hydrogen rich fuel. Further,natural gas has an octane rating of 1000 and will not predetonate in the high compression diesel engine. Ignition occurs when the injector sprays in diesel fuel. I did my experiments with extremely lean gasoline carborated into a Volkswagon diesel.It produced the same fuel mileage with a higher power output.
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david 11:38PM (11/20/2006)
Same idea as SwRI using diesel to ignite gasoline in a diesel engine.
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Tim 2:24PM (11/21/2006)
Lincoln- The point is that I still have to buy it from an oil company and I'll be riding around on a compressed bomb! My local farmer's coop can't make and distribute it. Spilled veggie oil is biodegradable and won't explode. Heck, it's hard enough just to get the stuff to burn. Yes, after an accident the rescue worker may have to oil wrestle me out of my car. I hope she's cute! ;)
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miike 2:49PM (2/14/2009)
Veggie oil is the way to go but we can only produce so much per land mass. The cost of 70% of what you produce to harvest. It is a great suplement but has many limitations. How about veggie oil and nat gas. With a fuel cell system from a race car. Heavily padded and a auto shut off system. similar to the roll over switch.At least it is american and keeps us from dealing with foriegn countries to harvest.If it is made here we can control what our companies are doing to price fix. If our elected government does their job and we all let our congressman know what we think.
Foood for thought
David Darby 9:57AM (8/14/2007)
I own three diesel trucks (old ones) How much does it cost to retrofit them? Is it worth it when diesel fuel cost are below three dollars per galon?
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