Advantages of CNG as Automotive fuel?
- Low operational cost
- Environment friendly
- Adulteration free
- Increased life of lubricating oils
- high auto-ignition temperature of 540 C
Cost of conversion kit for CNG vehicles
It varies from Rs. 30000 to 40000 for 3/4 wheelers and Rs. 300000 approx. for buses.
Can a vehicle fitted with CNG conversion kit run on petrol after its CNG gets over?
Yes, even after conversion to CNG, the vehicle continues to be fitted with the petrol carburetor and fuel tank. The vehicle can therefore run on dual fuel, either on CNG or petrol, whenever desired, simply by flicking a switch on the dashboard.
What is the capacity of a cylinder and mileage from one fill? How does one get to know the quantity of CNG left in the cylinder?
Cylinder with a 50 liter water-carrying capacity is capable of carrying approximately 9 kg of CNG. This is equivalent to 12.5 liters of petrol and will allow a run of about 150-160 km to a medium-sized 1300 CC car. An electronic fuel gauge fitted on the dashboard as part of the conversion kit indicates the quantity of CNG left in the cylinder.
Can diesel vehicles be converted to CNG?
Yes, a diesel vehicle can be converted to run on CNG, but the conversion cost is higher than the conversion of petrol vehicles, since you may have to carry out major modifications to the engine.
Is CNG safe?
Yes, it is safe. The properties of CNG make it a safe fuel. It is lighter than air, so in case of a leak it just rises up and disperses into the atmosphere. Besides, a high auto-ignition temperature of 540 degrees centigrade as against petrol’s 360 C makes it a safe fuel. Also, in case of a leak, if CNG concentration in the air is less than 5% or more than 15%, the gas will not burn even in the presence of a spark.
How much will be the saving after conversion to CNG?
The fuel bill on the basis of average running of vehicle is reduced by 50 percent approximately.
Does CNG have any harmful effect on the engine?
Owing to CNG distinct features, it does not contaminate or dilute crankcase oil, giving a new lease of life to the engine. The absence of any lead content in CNG helps avoid lead fouling of plugs, thereby enhancing plug life. One of the important benefits of CNG is that upon entering the engine in the form of a gas (and not as a spray or mist like other fuels), it doesn’t disturb the presence of lubricating oil in the engine, and reduces chances of wear and tear.
How does the performance of a CNG-converted vehicle compare with that of a petrol-run vehicle?
CNG provides easy starting, reliable idling and smooth acceleration. The acceleration of a CNG vehicle is a bit slower, which is due to a power loss of 5-15%. This can be minimized by proper tuning on CNG (e.g. advancing the spark timing) to take advantage of the high octane rating of the fuel.
Why are exhaust fumes so small in CNG-run vehicles?
CNG is an environment friendly fuel. The natural gas is mainly composed of methane and its exhaust emissions consist of water vapor and a negligible fraction of carbon monoxide. The absence of carbon and other particulates result in negligible amount of harmful elements in exhaust fumes.
How CNG driven vehicles are better than Diesel vehicles?
The fuel efficiency of CNG vehicles are 10-20% better than Diesel vehicles
What is the difference in the tank sizes of CNG and LPG as vehicle fuel is concerned?
CNG storage tank is 3 times of LPG storage tank for the same volume.
How CNG is measured?
CNG is sold in Kg and approximately 1.3 SCM (standard cubic meter) of natural gas equals 1 kg, as the density is approximately 0.76 and it slightly varies based upon the composition of the natural gas.
How long it will take to fill a CNG vehicle?
For 3/4 wheelers it will take 2 to 3 minutes and for buses with capacity of 50 kg will take 10 to 15 minutes based on capacity.
