Propane Vehicles
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Transcript Propane Vehicles
Introduction
Propane is one of the world’s most
common engine fuels
Stations available worldwide
High energy density
Exceptionally safe
U.S. imports about half of its petroleum
Two thirds of petroleum is used for
transportation
Propane use offsets petroleum imports
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Lesson 1:
Introduction to Propane
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Objectives
Describe what propane (LPG) is and how to
identify it
Explain the basic history of propane
Describe how propane may help public health
and the environment
Explain how propane may help stimulate the
economy
Describe what energy security is and how to
use propane to attain it
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Definition of Propane
Propane is:
Identified as an alternative fuel
Colorless
Odorless
Product of natural
gas production and
crude oil refining
Figure 1: Propane molecule. Source: NAFTC.
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Propane usually contains:
More than 90% propane
Some butane
Trace gases
Easily converted and stored as a liquid
under pressure
Can produce fewer emissions than
conventional gasoline
Presents no immediate environmental
threats
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Chemical Properties of Propane
Gas at ambient temperatures; liquid below
-40°F or when under pressure
One cubic foot of liquid = 270 cubic feet of
vapor
Figure 2: Propane tanks. Source: NAFTC.
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Specific Gravity
Specific gravity of liquid propane = 0.504 (half
that of water)
Specific gravity of propane vapor = 1.50 (one
and a half times as much as water)
Leaked propane vapors will sink to the floor
Figure 3: The specific gravity of liquid propane is less than water, and the specific gravity of propane vapor
is greater than air. Source: NAFTC.
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Propane Color
Colorless liquid or vapor
Produces pale blue flame when ignited
Propane Smell
Naturally odorless
Odorants are added to aid in leak detection
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Propane Identification
Colorless, odorless; best identified by added
odorants
Highly volatile; burns twice as hot as
conventional gasoline
Forms of Propane
Naturally occurs as a gas
Liquid quickly evaporates
Liquid is less flammable,
less dangerous
Figure 4: Propane flame. Source: NAFTC.
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Propane Gas
Heavier than air
Tanks are usually pressurized up to around
300 psi or less
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
One gallon of liquid petroleum has about 75%
as much energy as one gallon of conventional
gasoline
Liquid propane injection systems can return
higher fuel efficiency than conventional
gasoline ICEs
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Basic History of Propane
Used as an alternative fuel for more than 60
years
Dr. Walter Snelling first discovered propane in
1910
Propane was used for cooking as early as
1912
First propane powered car
introduced in 1913
Original applications were
mostly farm equipment
Figure 5: Propane gas tank. Source: NAFTC.
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Used as a fuel for indoor vehicles
beginning in the 1950s
RV industry relies on propane heavily
Propane = $10 billion
industry in the U.S.
alone
Figure 6: Propane warehouse equipment. Source: NAFTC.
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Did You Know?
Less than 2% of U.S. propane
consumption is used as a
transportation fuel.
Source: AFDC, 2011.
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Propane Today
U.S. consumes more than 15 billion gallons
of propane annually
8.1 million households in the U.S. depend
on propane
More than 270,000
vehicles in U.S.
Figure 7: Ford E250 Roush CleanTech propane conversion.
Source: AFDC.
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Direct from the OEM, purpose-built
vehicles utilize propane
Conversion vehicles have been converted
from gasoline to utilize propane as a fuel
source
Conversion kits are widely available for
light-duty vehicles
Propane may be used in conjunction with
gasoline for bi-fuel applications
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Comparison of LPG to Gasoline
Propane is naturally gaseous
Fuel economy is calculated in gasoline gallon
equivalent (GGE)
Propane = high octane fuel
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Figure 8: Propane facts and figures. Source: NAFTC.
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Energy Content
Energy content is measured in British thermal
units (Btu)
Propane = 47% more energy by mass when
compared to gasoline
Octane Rating
Indicates how well the fuel combusts,
resistance to auto ignition
Conventional gasoline octane rating = 87, 89,
93
Propane octane rating = around 105
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Auto-Ignition Temperature
Propane’s auto-ignition temperature = 855°F
(457°C)
Auto ignition requires between 2.15% and
9.6% propane in the air
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Why Consider Propane?
Can produce fewer emissions than
conventional vehicles
High energy output
High octane = more complete combustion
Propane generally costs about the same as
gasoline and diesel
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Figure 9: LPG compared to conventional gasoline. Source: fueleconomy.gov.
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Propane Benefits
Propane = domestic resource
90% of propane used in the
U.S. is produced domestically
Promotes energy security
Established infrastructure
Longer vehicle service life
Figure 10: Propane production. Source: EERE.
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Health Benefits
Combustion can produce fewer harmful
emissions like:
Particulate matter
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Fewer emissions = less smog formation =
less respiration problems
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Environmental Benefits
Propane vehicles can produce fewer
harmful emissions
Spills rarely occur
If spilled, propane rapidly
biodegrades in soil, water,
air
Not considered a
greenhouse gas (GHG)
Figure 11: Propane vehicle emissions. Source: EERE.
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Economic Benefits
Most accessible alternative fuel
Generally costs less than conventional
fuels
Prices fluctuate seasonally – generally
higher in the winter months (October
through March)
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Energy Security Benefits
U.S. imports more than 50% of its oil; two
thirds is used for transportation
97% of propane consumed in the U.S. is
produced in North America, 90% in the
U.S. alone
Propane use will help offset reliance on
foreign oil supplies
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Upon completing this lesson, can you:
Describe what propane (LPG) is and how to
identify it?
Explain the basic history of propane?
Describe how propane may help public health
and the environment?
Explain how propane may help stimulate the
economy?
Describe what energy security is and how to
use propane to attain it?
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Test Your Knowledge
1. Propane burns with what color flame?
2. At normal temperatures, propane is a
__________, but it can be liquefied under
moderate pressure.
3. True or False: Propane gas is lighter than
air.
4. True or False: Propane has been used as a
fuel for home heating and cooking for
decades.
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Lesson 2:
Propane Manufacturing,
Infrastructure, and
Sustainability
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Objectives
Describe what propane is made from
Explain how propane is manufactured and
produced
Describe how propane is transported
Explain how propane is distributed
Describe the sustainability of propane – its
future and cost efficiency
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Fuel Sources
Propane = byproduct of refining oil or
natural gas
About half of the propane produced in the
U.S. is from natural gas production, half is
from crude oil refining
Propane is captured during these
processes
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Manufacturing and Production
Natural Gas Refining
Propane, butane, ethane are removed from
raw natural gas
Natural gas = mostly methane; propane is
heavier than methane
Raw natural gas is chilled
Propane condenses out of raw natural gas and
is collected
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Crude Oil Refining
Propane is removed through cracking
Oil is heated, lighter propane molecules
evaporate and are collected
Propane boils at -44°F (-42.2°C)
One 42 gallon barrel of crude oil produces
about 1.5 gallons of LPG
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Figure 12: Propane as a percentage of refined crude oil. Source: DOE.
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Transportation and Distribution
Stored and transported in large
pressurized tanks
56,000 miles of pipeline
More than 6,000 retail locations
Portable tanks enable
delivery beyond pipelines
Can be transported via
rail, pipeline, barge, truck
Figure 13: Multiple propane storage tanks. Source: EERE.
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Figure 14: Schematic of a typical propane distribution route. Source: EIA.
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Transporters
Placards and/or other markings are required
for all bulk shipments
Identified by number UN 1075
Figure 15: LPG transport placard UN1075. Source: USDOT, PHMSA.
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Infrastructure
Nearly every city and town in the U.S. has
a propane fueling station/propane source
Nationwide infrastructure is already in
place
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Figure 16: Propane fueling station. Source: AFDC.
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Did You Know?
As of February 2012, the total number
of U.S. LPG fueling stations was at
2,670. This is more than the 2,512
E85 stations.
Source: AFDC.
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LPG Fueling Stations
Many items are the same/similar to
conventional fueling stations
Most tanks are steel
Certain materials must be used to prevent
premature wear
Figure 17: Propane Fueling Station. Source: NREL.
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LPG Fueling Station Safety Systems
Fueling station systems closely resemble
conventional fueling stations
Similar safety precautions/devices are in place
National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA)
Figure 18: NFPA 704 hazard placard for propane. Source: NAFTC.
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Propane Sustainability
Propane is derived from fossil fuels
Propane can be utilized with minimal
modification to vehicles
Propane is better for the environment
than conventional fuels
Additional fueling stations must be built
Bi-fuel vehicles will assist in this
development
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Did You Know?
Propane is the only alternative fuel
with fueling stations located in every
state.
Source: AFDC.
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The Future of Propane
Propane is the most widely used alternative
fuel
Propane prices are historically below prices
for conventional gasoline
Limited worldwide supply
Investigations are underway into producing
synthetic propane
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Figure 19: Rising consumption of propane. Source: PERC.
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Upon completing this lesson, can you:
Describe what propane is made from?
Explain how propane is manufactured and
produced?
Describe how propane is transported?
Explain how propane is distributed?
Describe the sustainability of propane – its
future and cost efficiency?
48
Test Your Knowledge
1. Name two processes that are sources of
propane.
2. True or False: Propane is the only
alternative fuel that has a fueling station in
every state.
3. Propane accounts for what percentage of
products refined from crude oil?
4. True or False: LPG consumption is
predicted to rise over the next few years.
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Lesson 3:
Propane Vehicles
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Objectives
Explain the differences between propane
vehicles and conventional vehicles
Describe the basic evolution of LPG for
vehicles and subsequent component
technologies
Describe the performance of propane vehicles
Explain how to maintain propane vehicles
Describe the propane vehicles used today
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Differences Between Propane and
Conventional Vehicles
Attaining optimal compression ratio
Compression ratio for most gasoline
vehicles = 10:1
Compression ratio best for propane
vehicles = 11:1
Propane sulfur content
Propane vehicles contain many of the same
components as conventional vehicles
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Types of Propane Vehicles
Dedicated
Propane is the sole source of fuel
Depending upon storage capacity, driving range
may be limited when compared to conventional
gasoline vehicles
Bi-fuel
Utilize propane or another fuel (typically
gasoline) independently
Are equipped with separate fuel tanks
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Figure 20: Bi-fuel propane vehicle. Source: AFDC.
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Propane Conversions
Gasoline vehicles converted to utilize propane
Majority of propane vehicles today are
conversions
Conversions are relatively simple
Conversion kits may cost from $4,000 to
$12,000
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Propane Vehicle Components
Fuel Management System
Vapor injection vs. liquid injection
Fuel is stored in liquid form at low pressure
Older Vapor Systems
Utilization of throttle bodies/carburetor
systems
Commonly seen in older forklift/stationary
applications
Liquid fuel is vaporized before injection
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Regulator
Determines how much fuel to sent to the
engine
May be combined with vaporizer in one device
Vapor Injectors
Multipoint vapor injectors
Gaseous fuel flow properties
vs. liquid fuel
Available around the turn of
the 21st century
Figure 21 Propane regulator. Source: NAFTC.
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Newer Fuel Injection Systems: Liquid
Propane Injection
Produced since the early 2000s – mainly for
fleet applications
Density of liquid fuel
Nearly identical to gasoline multipoint
injection systems
Fuel is introduced into the intake in liquid
form
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Figure 22: Liquid propane fuel injection system on Chrysler beta vehicle. Source: NAFTC.
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Fuel Storage System
One or more steel fuel storage tanks
Tanks are 20 times more puncture resistant
than conventional gasoline tanks
Tanks include manual shutoff for
removal/servicing
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Tanks may be located in the vehicle’s trunk,
under a side panel, on the frame
Will increase the weight of retrofitted vehicles
Figure 23: Propane fuel tanks. Source: EERE.
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Pressure Relief Valve
All propane tanks are fitted with a pressure
relief valve (NOT a pressure relief device)
Only releases a certain amount of fuel, not the
entire amount in the tank
Must be vented to the
outside of the vehicle
Figure 24: Pressure relief valve. Source: NAFTC.
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Solenoid Shutoff Valve
Ensures that fuel does not flow when the
vehicle is not in use
Fuel Lock
Stops the flow of fuel if contaminants are
present in the fuel system
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Propane Vehicle Modifications and
Conversions
Gasoline conversions may require state
emissions certification
Calibrations will need to be made by a
trained professional
Several companies offer aftermarket
conversion kits
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Propane Vehicle Performance
Comparable performance with increased
fuel economy
1.3 gallons of propane = 1 gallon of
gasoline
Larger fuel storage tanks may be required
Vehicles designed to utilize propane do so
most efficiently
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Propane Vehicle Safety
Tanks are built to withstand extreme
pressures
Tanks are designed to be filled to 80%
capacity
Tank explosion is highly unlikely
Propane tank = 20 times more puncture
resistant than a conventional gasoline tank
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Propane Vehicle Maintenance
Regular maintenance is required as with
conventional vehicles
Bi-fuel vehicles have two fuel systems to
service
Properties of LPG may help extend oil life
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Propane Vehicles in Use Today
Most propane vehicles are conversions
Propane vehicles typically have lower
maintenance costs
Cold start problems may be an issue
Heavy-duty vehicles available
Currently used worldwide
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Figure 25: Countries ranking highest in LPG-fueled vehicles. Source: EERE.
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Upon completing this lesson, can you:
Explain the differences between propane
vehicles and conventional vehicles?
Describe the basic evolution of LPG for
vehicles and subsequent component
technologies?
Describe the performance of propane
vehicles?
Explain how to maintain propane vehicles?
Describe the propane vehicles used today?
70
Test Your Knowledge
1.
List three types of propane fuel delivery
systems that have been used over LPG’s history
2. Propane tanks are normally filled to what
percentage of total tank volume?
3. True or False: Propane fuel delivery systems
have evolved much like gasoline fuel delivery
systems for conventional ICEs.
4. True or False: The U.S. currently leads
countries in the use of the most LPG fueled
vehicles.
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