COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS AS AN ALTERNATIVE FUEL IN VEHICLES

This paper examines the possible use of compressed natural gas (CNG) in vehicles with petrol engines in India. CNG can be used in both petrol and diesel engines. In India, it is only competitive for use on petrol engines, because it costs much more than diesel fuel. In a bi-fuel arrangement, a CNG kit is installed in the vehicle alongside the petrol system. In the 'dedicated' type of CNG vehicle, a petrol engine is optimised for use of CNG, or a purpose-designed engine is used. CNG has the advantages that it emits less carbon dioxide than petrol, causes less air pollution than petrol, and imposes less wear on the engine. Its disadvantages are that it emits methane, which contributes much more than carbon dioxide to global warming, that it has 15-20% lower power output, that its storage in heavy cylinders increases vehicle weight, and that it requires much more frequent visits to filling stations. It is estimated that more than 1M vehicles use CNG engines; most of them are in Europe, but over 20,000 of them are in Pakistan. Although use of CNG vehicles has been proposed to reduce Delhi's alarming air pollution, the response of road users is not yet very encouraging. Five suggestions are made for improving their popularity, which have emerged during discussions with CNG filling stations and some road users.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1790571
• Corporate Authors:

  Indian Roads Congress

  Jamnagar House, Shahjahan Road
  New Delhi,   India  110 011
• Authors:
  • Gupta, R
• Publication Date: 1997-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 5-9
• Serial:
  • Indian Highways
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: Indian Roads Congress
  • ISSN: 0376-7256

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Alternatives analysis; Carbon dioxide; Demand; Diesel engines; Fuels; Gases; Improvements; Motors; Pollutants; Vehicles
• Geographic Terms: India
• ITRD Terms: 2452: Air pollution; 9000: Alternative; 7393: Carbon dioxide; 285: Demand (econ); 1314: Diesel engine; 2442: Emission; 3850: Fuel; 6734: Gas; 9108: Improvement; 8045: India; 1334: Motor; 1255: Vehicle
• Subject Areas: Energy; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00743026
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Nov 26 1997 12:00AM