ABSTRACT
Research into alternative fuels has become urgent due to progressive depletion of reserves of liquid fossil fuels and the effect of local,
regional and global emissions on the environment. Combustion of fossil fuels in vehicles for transportation has led to widespread
release of pollutants such as CO, HC, NOx, SPM, and many other harmful compounds in the environment. The demand for two
wheelers has come from rural areas. The growth of two wheeler industry is increase day by day in India. Recently most of two
wheelers are running on petrol .With increasing the use of petrol emission effects on human and environment increases. CNG is
globally accepted as a green fuel. Natural gas is promising alternative fuel to meet strict engine emission regulation by lowering the
engine emission characteristics of CO, CO2 and HC as compared to petrol engine.CNG is attractive for five reasons. It is the fuel
cheaper than gasoline. It has lower air pollution emissions. It has lower green house gas emissions. Its use extends petroleum
supplies. There are large quantities of the natural gas available in the world.
About CNG :
Present Alternative Fuels:
Alternative fuels are derived from resources other than Natural gas (NG) is made up primarily of methane
petroleum. Some are produced domestically, reducing (CH4) but frequently contains trace amounts of
our dependence on imported oil, and some are derived
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NCEVT’16 Jay R. Patel
ethane, propane, nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide,
hydrogen sulfide, and water vapor. CNG Fuel Kit:
The CNG kit is an assembly, which is fitted on a SI
CNG may be found above oil deposits, or may be engine, in order to allow the engine to run on the
collected from landfills or wastewater treatment plants gaseous fuel. A typical CNG kit consists of the
where it is known as biogas. following parts:
Electronic controller unit (ECU)
CNG is made by compressing natural gas (which is Cylinder
mainly composed of methane, CH4), to less than 1 Pressure Regulators
percent of the volume it occupies at standard High Pressure (HP) hose
atmospheric pressure. It is stored and distributed in CNG solenoid valve
hard containers at a pressure of 20–25 MPa (2,900– Selector switch
3,600 psi), usually in cylindrical or spherical shapes.
Refueling valve
Gas-Air mixer
CNG is used in traditional gasoline/internal
Refueling interlocking device
combustion engine automobiles that have been
modified or in vehicles which were manufactured for Throttle Body
CNG use, either alone ('dedicated'), with a segregated Sensors
gasoline system to extend range (dual fuel). Injectors
CNG filters
Properties of CNG:
Electronic Control Unit (ECU) :
Table 1 – Properties of CNG The ECU is usually microprocessor based. It
communicates with various sensors through a
CANBUS interface. A typical ECU has the following
Properties Value functions:
Flash Point (°C) -104 1. Efficient fuel management.
2. Engine speed limiting.
Auto Ignition Temp (°C) 723 3. Vehicle speed limiting.
Octane Rating 120 4. Fault diagnosis using any standard protocol.
5. Data recording and storage.
Boiling Temp (°C) -162
Freezing Temp (°C) -182 Cylinder:
Air-Fuel Ratio 17.24 The cylinder is used to store CNG at a working
pressure of 200 bar. It is fitted with a shut-off valve
Storage Pressure Mpa 20.6 and a safety burst disc. The cylinders are type approved
Pollution CO-HC-Nox Very Low by the Chief Controller of Explosives, Government of
India. Composite Cylinders are also available for CNG
Flame Speed (m/sec) 0.63 storage. CNG cylinders are made of stainless steel or
alloy steel.
CNG Engine Development:
For petrol engines or spark ignition engines there are Pressure Regulators:
two options, a bi-fuel conversion and use a dedicated to The function of the pressure regulator is to reduce the
CNG engine. The bi-fuel conversion of vehicles fitted pressure of CNG from 200 bar to just below
with fuel-injected engines may utilize the original atmospheric pressure. The pressure regulators are
engine management system, if it can be modified to divided into two or three stages to divide the pressure
control the gas flow and revised ignition timing or drop. This avoids problems of freezing caused due to
alternatively, be fitted with a standard CNG control throttling of gas when it expands from 200 bar to
system. The fuel injectors must be disabled when the atmospheric pressure.
engine is running on gas, although fuel must still flow
to the injectors and then pass directly to the return fuel The CNG pressure regulator needs to be certified for
line to provide cooling. all ECE and ISO standards. It is mounted with a
pressure relief valve, high pressure solenoid valve, high
Diesel engines that have been converted to operate on pressure CNG sensor and a coolant plate. It
natural gas require additional components as well as electronically reduces the pressure from 200 bars to a
some mechanical modifications to the engine and the pressure between 5 bars and 7 bars. The coolant is
installation of an ignition system. circulated to prevent freezing of the regulator by the
throttling effect.
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milliseconds. Generally the injection pressure is 4-5
bars.
High Pressure (HP) hose:
The HP hose connects the refueling valve to the CNG CNG Filters:
cylinder and the primary pressure regulator. It is Particulates are filtered to 40 microns at the inlet of the
generally a metal matrix or braided construction with a high pressure regulator. CNG filter prevents the
poly vinyl chloride (PVC) sleeve. particulate matter (PM) from entering the engine.
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either modifying the engine, the fuel, or both if engines comparable to their gasoline or diesel
necessary. counterparts.
2. Establishment of a set of standards for alternative
fuels is a matter of high priority.
3. Academia can develop new alternative fuels and
prove them technically, but economic, social, political
and environmental barriers need to be surmounted
before they can enter the market.
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The engine thermal efficiency and exhaust gas A. M. Fudhaila, M.Z. Hassanc, Abdul Muhaimin M.
temperature produced by the CNG burning is S.
always higher as compared with that of the
petrol/diesel In this study, the single cylinder spark ignition (SI)
CNG produces less 8-16% of brake torque, engine was selected in order to study the effect CNG
brake power and BMEP compared to gasoline into the spark ignition engine.
fuel due to reduced volumetric efficiency and
lower flame speed of CNG Based from the experiment in this study, compressed
natural gas (CNG) produced low performance
On average the reduction of CO, CO2 and HC
compared to liquid fuel. The power of CNG when
emission are 20-98%, 8-20% and 40-87%
compared to liquid fuel is reduced to about 18.5 %.
respectively by CNG.
Higher NOx emission is the main emission CNG’s volumetric efficiency is lower than liquid fuel,
concern for CNG as automotive fuel that can due to its physical properties which is gas.
be reduced by increasing fuel density and
blending small quantities of H2. In the experiment, heat transfer rate for CNG at4500
rpm is 20 kW at. However, the heat transfer rate by
Review on Performance and Emission of SI engine liquid fuel is higher (26 kW) at the same engine speed.
using CNG as a fuel for Four Wheeler by M.K Therefore, the performance of CNG is lower than
Hassan, I.Aris, S.Mahmod, R.Sidek. liquid fuel, but in term of heat generated CNG give a
better life span of the engine because of the low heat
Performance and emission of SI engine fuelled with transfer rate to the wall.
CNG at low and high load condition were evaluated,
and the conclusions can be drawn as follows: Conclusion Derived From Literature Survey:
The IMEP of SI engine using standard
gasoline fuel system, commercially CNG From the literature review following points are
conversion kit and proposed CNG conversion concluded:
kit at 25% throttle opening position shows CNG is environment friendly, economic,
decreased trend with the increasing of engine availability is in abundance and high in
speed, while at 80% throttle opening Position calorific value.
the IMEP trend of SI engine using standard CNG in particular shows low CO2 emissions.
gasoline fuel system, commercially CNG Due to higher ignition temperature, CNG is
conversion kit and proposed CNG conversion less hazardous then petrol.
kit is increased as the increasing of engine The higher octane rating of CNG compared
speed. with gasoline allows a higher compression
Generally, the brake power trend of SI engine ratio.
using standard gasoline fuel system, Maintenance costs for gas are lower than that
commercially CNG conversion kit and of gasoline engines because gaseous fuel burn
proposed CNG conversion kit at 25% and clean without carbon deposits.
80% throttle opening position is increased as The properties of CNG are well matched with
the increasing of engine speed, except the SI gasoline so the replacement of gasoline with
engine with proposed conversion kit at 25% CNG is Possible.
throttle opening position which is the trend is In India, two-wheelers are popular because of
decreased as the increasing of engine speed. its low cost operation including supply of fuel.
The highest maximum brake specific gas/fuel Many manufacturers are in the process of
consumption at 25% throttle opening position converting existing two wheelers to CNG
is for SI engine using proposed CNG operated.
conversion kit, about 445.91 kWh at 4,500 It appears through the literature survey that
rpm and at 80% throttle opening position, the the development of CNG kits has a wide
maximum brake specific gas/fuel consumption scope related to the proper design and
is for SI engine using commercially CNG fabrication. As per the different SI engines
conversion kit for about 317.96 g/kWh at having different horse power the careful
2,500 rpm. design and fabrication of CNG kits require
proper thought.
Review on Performance analysis of a SI engine
break even analysis for additional cost is
using CNG as a fuel for Two Wheeler by Musthafah
compensated with in first two years of buying
Mohd. , M. S. Alia, M.A. Salima, Rosli A. Bakarb,
which is comparable with most automobile
having a useful life of nearly 10 years.
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There are several major problems needed to
be solved when using natural gas engines, E.Ramjee and K.Vijaya Kumar Reddy, “Performanve
there is the set of point for the best analysis of a 4-stroke SI engine using CNG as an
compromise between emissions and fuel alternative fuel’’ Indian Journal of science and
economy is not clear, the optimum air-fuel technology.2011 page no 56-62.
ratio changes with both operating conditions
and fuel properties. Yanuandri Putrasari a, Achmad Praptijantoa, Arifin
CNG surely seem to be the fuel of the future. Nura, Bambang Wahonoa, Widodo Budi Santosoa,
“Evalution of Performance and Emission of SI engine
fuelled with CNG at low and high load condition.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT International Conference on Sustainable Energy
Engineering and Application, 2014.
I am grateful to prof. Nityam Oza for his valuable
suggestions and guidance given by them. I would like Musthafah Mohd. , M. S. Alia, M.A. Salima, Rosli A.
to thank the teaching &non-teaching staff of Bakarb, A. M. Fudhaila, M.Z. Hassanc, Abdul
Department of Mechanical Engineering for sharing Muhaimin M. S., “Performance analysis of a spark
their knowledge with me. ignition engine using compressed natural gas (CNG) as
fuel.” 2nd International Conference on Sustainable
Energy Engineering and Application, ICSEEA (2014)
REFERENCES 288-296.
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