QC
Supreme Mariner
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2005
- Messages
- 22,783
Maybe this belongs in non-boating tech, but since it also involves economics, and because I want to, I am posting here.
I have mentioned these applications before and even posted a picture or two, but this may put what the company I work for does into a little more focus. We manufacture fuel systems that convert heavy-duty diesel engines into Dual-Fuel. Basically, Dual-Fuel allows the engine to run primarily on natural gas and we use the diesel injectors as a kind of "liquid spark plug" for ignition. It is still a diesel cycle engine, but uses natural gas for most of the total energy required. And of course cuts diesel use down to the remainder . . . In the case of this application that normally burns over 80,000 gallons of diesel a year, our customers are saving over $100K USD per truck per year. This conversion costs about $60K USD, tanks, our fuel system, labor and all the stuff to take a diesel truck and give them back a Dual-Fuel truck.
Here's a couple of pictures of one of our latest projects. Kenworth T604 (built in Australia) Caterpillar 15 liter engine, 90% liquid natural gas (LNG) and 10% diesel. Pulls 140 gross metric tons in Western Australia. US trucks gross around 36 tons and use basically the same engine . . .
I will offer that the Aussies definitely need high peak torque although we actually cut torque by about 200 lb/ft. compared to diesel (we leave the top end horsepower alone). 500 bhp and 1650 lb/ft on Dual-Fuel and 500 bhp 1850 lb/ft on diesel. An 18 speed tranny obviously helps and it is one of the experiences that leads me to fight the "all you need is torque" BS
BTW, many of these truck transmissions are fully automatic, electronic shifting, manuals. Basically, electronics handle everything from engaging the clutch to shifting through non-synchromesh gears. The transmission and engine communicate and match RPM and load etc.
That is 18 axles as opposed to eighteen wheels for a typical US truck. They haul iron ore and also crude oil with these same tractors. Some have "tri-drives" which is a third differential that splits all the power to six sets of double wheels instead of four like US trucks and the one above.
This pic shows the Cryogenic LNG tanks on the back of the cab. The LNG is stored at -250F and is the only real safety concern . . . freeze burns. Fire is probably less of a concern than diesel. Oh, and we use some of this "excess cold" to add a supplemental aftercooler that is cooled by a coolant circuit that is VERY similar to closed cooling on a boat . . . literally waaaaay cool
__________________
I have mentioned these applications before and even posted a picture or two, but this may put what the company I work for does into a little more focus. We manufacture fuel systems that convert heavy-duty diesel engines into Dual-Fuel. Basically, Dual-Fuel allows the engine to run primarily on natural gas and we use the diesel injectors as a kind of "liquid spark plug" for ignition. It is still a diesel cycle engine, but uses natural gas for most of the total energy required. And of course cuts diesel use down to the remainder . . . In the case of this application that normally burns over 80,000 gallons of diesel a year, our customers are saving over $100K USD per truck per year. This conversion costs about $60K USD, tanks, our fuel system, labor and all the stuff to take a diesel truck and give them back a Dual-Fuel truck.
Here's a couple of pictures of one of our latest projects. Kenworth T604 (built in Australia) Caterpillar 15 liter engine, 90% liquid natural gas (LNG) and 10% diesel. Pulls 140 gross metric tons in Western Australia. US trucks gross around 36 tons and use basically the same engine . . .
I will offer that the Aussies definitely need high peak torque although we actually cut torque by about 200 lb/ft. compared to diesel (we leave the top end horsepower alone). 500 bhp and 1650 lb/ft on Dual-Fuel and 500 bhp 1850 lb/ft on diesel. An 18 speed tranny obviously helps and it is one of the experiences that leads me to fight the "all you need is torque" BS
BTW, many of these truck transmissions are fully automatic, electronic shifting, manuals. Basically, electronics handle everything from engaging the clutch to shifting through non-synchromesh gears. The transmission and engine communicate and match RPM and load etc.
That is 18 axles as opposed to eighteen wheels for a typical US truck. They haul iron ore and also crude oil with these same tractors. Some have "tri-drives" which is a third differential that splits all the power to six sets of double wheels instead of four like US trucks and the one above.
This pic shows the Cryogenic LNG tanks on the back of the cab. The LNG is stored at -250F
and is the only real safety concern . . . freeze burns. Fire is probably less of a concern than diesel. Oh, and we use some of this "excess cold" to add a supplemental aftercooler that is cooled by a coolant circuit that is VERY similar to closed cooling on a boat . . . literally waaaaay cool __________________
