Posted on 12/27/2011 4:56:54 AM PST by thackney
Two public fueling stations for natural gas-powered vehicles are set to open next year as part of initiatives that include new buses and converting at least 40 city-parish vehicles to run on the fuel.
The efforts come in a wider push by government and industry to develop natural gas as an alternative vehicle fuel that is touted as a cleaner burning and cheaper than gasoline.
The city-parish is planning to open one fueling station at the public works facility on East University Avenue by next fall. The Advocate reports a second station is under construction by Apache Corporation, a Houston-based oil and gas company that has been at the forefront of promoting natural gas as a vehicle fuel.
That fueling station is expected to open by February, said Frank Chapel, who oversees Apache’s natural gas initiative.
(Excerpt) Read more at fuelfix.com ...
Doesn’t make any sense not to fuel local autos / trucks with nat gas where the supply is being harvested.
Current and recent gasoline powered vehicles produce CO2 and H2O, how much cleaner do you need?
The main advantage is; NG doesn't need to be refined. The downside is, it has to be compressed to a very high pressure to get LNG.
“$750,000 in federal funds for the conversion of another 65 government vehicles to run on natural gas.”
Now, There’s some savings. Costing ONLY $10,000 to convert each vehicle. Oh, well, who cares about the cost when it “feels good”.
There is processing to reach pipeline quality sold to consumers, but it is less than a refinery. CO2, water, H2S, Nitrogen, Natural Gas Liquids, etc are removed prior to reaching markets.
The downside is, it has to be compressed to a very high pressure to get LNG.
Methane ("cleaned" natural gas) cannot be compressed into LNG. It must be refrigerated to reach liquid state. The critical temperature is -82.7°C (-116.9°F). Above that temperature no amount of compression will change it to liquid.
Also, these vehicles will run on CNG, not LNG. It will be compressed gas, not refrigerated liquid.
The left doesn’t care if it saves or wastes money.
If the energy source is affordably available to a majority of people, they’ll oppose it.
Their goal is that only the ruling class will have access to energy.
Wonderfully compressed to 3600 psi in fiber re-enforced tanks. Even at that, CNG is safer to use in a vehicle than (OMG - do you believe it) Gasoline!!!
I drove several dual fuel vehicles, operating on CNG at dimes per gallon, than falling back to the OEM unleaded gas system. Very few glitches and the mechanics were impressed with the state of the engine after many miles on CNG.
Is it possible for the cracking process to be “reversed” for the purpose of converting methane into longer carbon chain molecules that would be a liquid at regular moderate temperatures...like gasoline?
Has anyone done work on that?
Outside the US in a place like Qatar where there is far more natural gas than a internal market exists to use, it is economical for Shell to make that conversions.
Shell: world's biggest gas-to-liquids plant to start soon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2731066/posts
Shell’s shale gas may be refined into diesel, jet fuel
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2722590/posts
Less than 10 years ago, the government (perpetually addicted to chosing winners and losers) was funding all kinds of hydrogen projects.
I never thought it would work...because you don’t just drill a hole in the ground and pump out hydrogen...alot of energy is used to get pure hydrogen.
NG use has become fairly widespread in, of all places, Europe. People have it set up for dual fuel, so they can pick and chose which is most economical on any given day.
I am curious about propane...is it possible to set up a car to run on either NG or Propane? Propane is allegedly dangerous, since it is heavier than air...but aren’t the pressures much less? I understand that the supply of propane is tied to NG production, and the price is not ‘low’...but its good to have options, and you should be able to fill up from your household tank (no trip to the Slurpie Station), without a tremendous amount of equipment.
Less than 10 years ago, the government (perpetually addicted to chosing winners and losers) was funding all kinds of hydrogen projects.
I never thought it would work...because you don’t just drill a hole in the ground and pump out hydrogen...alot of energy is used to get pure hydrogen.
NG use has become fairly widespread in, of all places, Europe. People have it set up for dual fuel, so they can pick and chose which is most economical on any given day.
I am curious about propane...is it possible to set up a car to run on either NG or Propane? Propane is allegedly dangerous, since it is heavier than air...but aren’t the pressures much less? I understand that the supply of propane is tied to NG production, and the price is not ‘low’...but its good to have options, and you should be able to fill up from your household tank (no trip to the Slurpie Station), without a tremendous amount of equipment.
Yes and yes. Propane is capable of being stored at lower pressures for similar energy volume due to existing at a liquid state at typical atmosphere temperatures and pressures below 250 psi.
is it possible to set up a car to run on either NG or Propane?
Yes. I have not seen this exact set up but I familiar with dual fuel of natural gas with gasoline and with diesel. Propane is used in engines essentially the same as a typical gasoline engine, but to be effective and efficient, it should be designed for the lower BTU fuel rather than a conversion (although conversions do work).
There is less BTU difference per volume with propane compared to gasoline or diesel, so it should be easier to set up.
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