Re: LPG / LNG Injection > the Future Fuel

[John McEwen <moparrr@xxxxxxx>]

As has been pointed out by Brien and Jim, CNG and LPG are old hat for 
vehicle power here in Canada.  However their use has been curtailed 
by the costs of installations and the cost of fuel.  There is 
presently little saving in running propane as the cost of 
installation plus its lower energy values means that it isn't 
economic given the high cost of propane vs. gasoline.  Secondly, 
propane is a problem substance when compressed and being heavier than 
air and needful of release during changing temperature conditions, 
means that restrictions are placed on vehicles using it.

CNG  has other problems.  It is not terribly efficient and requires 
frequent frequent re-filling causing limited range.  It also requires 
special filling stations which are currently not available except in 
fleet work - buses, taxis and municipal vehicles.

LNG requires special tanks and handling and is dangerous.  Unless the 
temperature of the tank is maintained and the tank is made strong 
enough to resist accident damage it is like a bomb looking for a 
place to explode.

Finally, what many of you are overlooking is that the supply of 
natural gas is finite and dwindling.  Its use in home heating is 
important and millions of people depend on this application for that 
reason.  It is clean-burning and does not pollute - although its 
combustion does produce CO2 which is a greenhouse gas.

Basically, what we all must recognize is that world wide reserves are 
falling dramatically.  At present rates of consumption (which are 
growing rapidly) we are going to run out sooner than later.  The 
premier of Alberta has already stated that it will take the entire 
gas reserves of the MacKenzie delta to manufacture the synthetic 
crude which is now planned for production in the Athabasca tar sands 
at Fort McMurray.  Can we afford this whole scale loss of a major 
resource to fire furnaces in the development of a product largely 
intended to allow a very few people to continue to drive cars?

China is now knocking on doors in the Alberta oil patch, looking for 
product and flush with cash from North American  consumers who have 
let price be their only guideline.  What happens when they buy the 
potential outcome of the entire industry in order to keep Walmart in 
business?

Better oil up the old push bike and watch out for Canadians moving 
south or mining coal - ooops that's already going to China and Japan. 
Oh well there's always the US's good buddies in Arabia.  Oops, their 
reserves are now less than Alberta's.  Hmm.  Back to the drawing 
board and the plan doesn't include alcohol which we just couldn't 
make enough of.

John



> snip
>    When I lived in Canada I did a number of CNG and LPG conversions and
> learned to deal with the needs of the 130+ octane fuels. (CNG will run in a
> regular motor but because of the massive tank needed for such a small
> amount, LNG will be the way to go once technology cures the last of the
> problems)
>    I had someone tell me today when I mentioned having a LPG powered rig
> "Man I wouldn't want to be near your car! 1 bullet and you'd take out a city
> block!" I informed him that unless it was a rapid fire weapon with tracers
> and steel jacketed slugs, it was more likely to ignite a gas tank than an
> LPG tank because it had a narrower band of fuel/air mix where it will burn
> than gasoline. That and the tanks are generally rounded, and thicker steel
> than gas.

 snip