Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

CNG Fuel has Many Advantages over Gasoline

By Laura Carrabine | September 11, 2009

Advances in the use of natural gas are designed to help motorists reduce their dependence on gasoline.

Natural gas is an ideal fuel source for vehicles for many reasons including safety, compared to many other gasses. For example, because it is lighter than air, it cannot puddle like gasoline or cover the ground like propane, which, in the gaseous state, is heavier than air. By comparison, natural gas rises and dissipates into the atmosphere. Natural gas also has a higher ignition temperature so it is not as dangerous as most other gasses that could be used for powering vehicles. Furthermore, storage systems used for compressed natural gas (CNG) withstand much higher pressures than today’s car and truck gasoline tanks.

mack-truck.jpg

Natural gas is an organic compound that consists mostly of methane, but often combined with other gases and elements including hydrogen and carbon, which must be removed before it can be used. The gas forms naturally with petroleum deposits, and is found in coal mines, peat bogs, marshes, and landfills.

Here is how natural gas is currently used to power a variety of vehicles.  First, the gas is liquefied under high pressure, stored in a tank, and then dispensed through a special connector into high-pressure cylinders inside the vehicle. When a driver steps on the accelerator pedal, the natural gas leaves the on-board storage cylinder, passes through the high-pressure fuel line, and then enters a regulator, which reduces pressure from about 3,600 psi to near approximately atmospheric pressure. Next, a solenoid valve controls the gas as it passes from the regulator into one of two possible systems. The first is a traditional carbureted system where air from the intake manifold mixes with the gas and enters the cylinders through intake valves. The second system uses fuel injectors, where the air enters the intake manifold and a throttle body, passes through intake valves, and then mixes with gas (supplied by the fuel injectors) in the cylinders.

Fuel-management components for CNG systems are becoming increasingly more available as more manufacturers of transit buses, medium duty trucks, and refuse trucks turn to the new alternative. For instance, ITT Corporation’s Conoflow division provides CNG regulators for heavy-duty engine applications — that are 5.0 liters or larger. The company also supplies these regulators and suppliers such as Advanced Fuels Technology Pty., Ltd. (AFT) based in Melbourne, Australia, and FAB Industries in Anniston, Ala. AFT supports the alternative fuels industry throughout Australia and Southeast Asia. FAB Industries is North America’s largest supplier of alternative fuel systems and infrastructure for a wide variety of buses and trucks.

Recently, AFT used ITT Conoflow’s HPNGV Series CNG regulator when installing dedicated CNG systems in a fleet of Iveco refuse trucks and Mack trucks. As a result, fuel costs and gas emissions have been reduced. In addition, FAB Industries routinely incorporates heavy-duty regulators for mass transit buses.

ITT Corporation
www.itt.com

::Design World::

You Might Also Like


Filed Under: Automotive, Green engineering • renewable energy • sustainability, Energy management + harvesting

 

LEARNING CENTER

Design World Learning Center
“dw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Design Engineering Professionals.
Motor University

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Sustainability, Innovation and Safety, Central to Our Approach
  • Why off-highway is the sweet spot for AC electrification technology
  • Looking to 2025: Past Success Guides Future Achievements
  • North American Companies Seek Stronger Ties with Italian OEMs
  • Adapt and Evolve
  • Sustainable Practices for a Sustainable World
View More >>
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Control Engineering
  • Consulting-Specifying Engineer
  • Plant Engineering
  • Engineering White Papers
  • Leap Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. We share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.OkNoRead more