Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/71813
Ready for prime time? cylindrical tanks at pressures up to 3,600 psi. CNG requires compression to get the fuel into the tanks, and stations are designed for refueling vehicles to meet fleet requirements ranging from a few minutes (fast fill) to several hours (slow fill). Fast fill can increase the temperature of the gas, which can result in a lower fill volume. LNG is pumped into vehicle tanks in a similar fashion as diesel or gasoline, but since LNG is extremely cold, protective clothing and eyewear should be worn. A look at refuse and many medium- duty applications showcases the differences between CNG and LNG, says Steve Gilligan, vice president of product and marketing for New trucking fuels Natural gas holds the most promise for heavy-duty applications, but other alternative fuels are finding their niches. BY JOHN G. SMITH Natural gas President Obama recently described the United States as the "Saudi Arabia" of natural gas. Available supplies also are expanding because of hydraulic fracturing techniques that are tapping into once- ignored pockets of the fuel. Shell is predicting that LNG and diesel We've Got Your Back. ® " Guaranteed Accurate Weights At CAT Scale, we stand behind our weights. Period. The next time you need to weigh, look for the black and gold sign and get weights you can trust. I weighed on a CAT Scale in Pennsylvania; got down to Texas and they wrote me a $455 ticket. I proved them wrong, but they wouldn't listen to me. We got ahold of CAT Scale and they took care of it – paid the whole $455. CAT Scale backed me up. I'll go back to CAT Scale; no doubt about it! – Rocky Kentucky " © 2012 CAT Scale Company 48 OVERDRIVE JULY 2012 Like us on Facebook. The CAT Scale Guarantee at www.catscaleguarantee.com. 1-877-CAT-SCALE (228-7225) Read more about are going to be the fuels of choice for commercial vehicles as far into the future as 2050. "It's abundant, affordable and [environmentally] acceptable," says James Burns, general manager of Shell's LNG transportation network in the Americas. Shell recently announced plans to sell LNG through TravelCenters of America. The proposed plans include constructing more than 200 LNG fuel lanes at about 100 TA sites and Petro Stopping Centers. If a final agreement is reached, the first fuel lanes would become operational in 2013. Propane Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is fueling everything from street sweepers to school buses. Fleets range from police cruisers to Las Vegas taxis, and test vehicles being run by the likes of UPS, Pepsi and Frito-Lay, says Philip Squair, of the National Propane Gas Association. "Propane is the world's third-largest motor fuel already," Squair says. The United States simply has been slower to adopt it. There are about 200,000 propane vehicles on American roads, but even Poland has more than that. Unlike early conversion kits, today's engine conversions by Roush CleanTech are much more complex. Changes to a standard Ford F-250 include a 62-gallon fuel tank in the bed, stainless-steel fuel lines, aluminum fuel rails and related hardware. Propane is stored on the truck at between 175 and 250 psi and can match the torque of an engine running on 104-octane gasoline, says Todd Mouw, a vice president at Roush CleanTech. There are sacrifices in terms of low-end torque when compared to diesel, but larger equipment is emerging. Jamboree, July 12-13 at Iowa 80 Truckstop, Walcott, IA Walcott Truckers See us at the Circle 004 on Reader Service Card or visit overdrive.hotims.com