Natural gas innovator iGas Energy has showcased its latest technological developments for heavy duty compressed natural gas applications
By Matt Wood | June 28, 2013
Natural gas innovator iGas Energy has showcased its latest technological developments for heavy duty compressed natural gas (CNG) applications.
The company demonstrated the performance and range of its latest Western Star 4800 prime mover, which uses a converted 15-litre Westport HD550 liquefied natural gas (LNG) engine yet runs on CNG.
The demonstration took place over two days as the demonstrator was displayed at the University of Wollongong and the Wodonga Tafe DECA campus in regional Victoria. The truck was driven from the company’s Queensland base at Yatala and when refuelled in Canberra 1,200km later it only cost $330 to fill.
iGas has been keen to promote new developments with its own high pressure CNG system, which until now relied on a water-based hydraulic fluid to force the gas into the engine under pressure.
However, the new system uses a 5,000 psi compressor unit to feed the Cummins-derived Westport powerplant. This has enabled iGas to extend the useable range of its CNG-powered prime mover by employing 26-inch carbon fibre storage tanks on the truck chassis.
Also on display was a trailer-mounted gas tank package that can be mounted underneath a trailer chassis to extend the vehicles range even further.
The engine is rated at 410kW (550hp) and develops 2,508Nm (1,850ft/lb) of torque.
A test drive of the new truck and trailer showed the same performance and driveability as you would expect to find on a ISX Cummins equipped prime mover at an equivalent gross weight.
By using trailer-mounted belly tanks, iGas predicts potential working range of over 1,500km depending on application.
The touted advantages of CNG are its low cost as well as its low emissions output. Figures provided by the company predict a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when using a high pressure gas fired engine.
The use of natural gas in heavy transport in the United States has skyrocketed over recent years as the US moves towards a 2022 energy self-sufficiency target. As a result, the roll out of LNG and CNG refuelling infrastructure across the country is gaining momentum.
iGas has now expanded into the American market and taken on local partners as interest builds from potential customers such as the giant Wal-Mart carrier Swift.
iGas also manufactures high pressure CNG refuelling points to reduce filling times to between 15 and 20 minutes. The refuelling points can be connected directly to the same natural gas pipeline used for industrial and domestic supply.
iGas engineer David Fekete points out that transport companies can effectively cut out the whole refining and distribution cost of conventional fuels and take control of their own fuel needs by using this type of infrastructure.
A more detailed look at the iGas Westport engine will appear in an upcoming issue of ATN.
