North American arm spruiks dimethyl ether's green and efficiency advantages over other fuels
June 7, 2013
Volvo’s alternative fuels push has seen it launch manufacture of dimethyl ether-powered (DME)
prime movers in the US.
And the North American arm of the multinational truck maker will partner with retailer Safeway and biomass producer Oberon Fuels to field test the heavy duty vehicle in California.
“We believe the fuel shows great potential for the North American market, and when produced from biomass, it can provide a 95 percent reduction in CO2 compared to diesel,” Volvo Trucks North American Sales and Marketing President Göran Nyberg states.
Two DME-powered Volvo VNL models equipped with a Volvo D13 engine will test the system in the San Joaquin Valley.
The move into manufacturing DME-fuelled heavy vehicles is part of the firm’s Blue Power alternative fuels strategy, with the company saying DME has the “performance qualities and energy efficiency of diesel, and burns clean without producing any soot”.
“Its high cetane number delivers performance and efficiency comparable to diesel, and it packages densely enough on a truck to support long range transports, or to allow room for vocational equipment on the frame.
“It is an excellent compression ignition fuel which, like diesel, requires no separate ignition mechanism.
“Unlike LNG, it does not require cryogenic temperatures; it is handled and stored like propane, with tank pressures of only 75 psi (vs. 3,600 psi for CNG). It can safely be stored on-site.
“Because DME produces no soot, no diesel particulate filter (DPF) is necessary.
“In addition to the weight savings from the removal of the DPF, DME tanks are considerably lighter than comparable CNG or LNG tanks and considerably less complex.”
