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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bi-fuel_vehicle
Bi-fuel vehicle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bi-fuel vehicles are vehicles with multifuel engines capable of running on two fuels. On internal combustion engines one fuel is gasoline or diesel, and the other is an alternate fuel such as natural gas (CNG), LPG, or hydrogen.[1] The two fuels are stored in separate tanks and the engine runs on one fuel at a time, unlike flexible-fuel vehicles ("dualfuel"), that store the two different fuels mixed together in the same tank, and the resulting blend is burned in the combustion chamber. Bi-fuel vehicles have the capability to switch back and forth from gasoline or diesel to the other fuel, manually or automatically.[2][3][4][5] The most common technology and alternate fuel available in the market for bi-fuel gasoline cars is Autogas (LPG), followed by natural gas (CNG),[6] and it is used mainly in Europe. The Netherlands or the Baltic states have a large number of cars running with LPG. Italy currently has the largest number of CNG vehicles, followed by Sweden. They are also used in South America, where these vehicles are mainly used as taxicabs in main cities of Brazil and Argentina. Normally, standard gasoline vehicles are retrofitted in specialized shops, which involve installing the gas cylinder in the trunk and the LPG or CNG injection system and electronics.
Contents
1 Vehicles 1.1 Factory bi-fuel passenger cars 1.2 Factory bi-fuel pickups 2 Diesel conversions 2.1 Low and middle speed conversion 2.2 High speed conversion 3 Common conversion features 4 Gas types used 5 What is a reachable diesel/gas ratio? 6 See also 7 References 8 External links
The Brazilian Fiat Siena Tetrafuel 1.4 is the first bi-fuel car that runs with natural gas (CNG) alternating automatically with any of the typical fuel blends used in flexible-fuel vehicles, pure gasoline, or gasohol E25, or just ethanol (E100). Shown below are the CNG storage tanks in the trunk.
Vehicles
Aftermarket 'bi-fuel' and even 'tri-fuel' conversions and are also available.
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Fiat Punto[7] Fiat Siena Tetrafuel, with a gasoline flex-fuel engine and natural gas (CNG).[8][9][10] Holden Commodore dual-fuel (LPG/petrol) Chevrolet Cavalier Ford Contour Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid Chevrolet SPARK BiFuel VW Polo BiFuel (LPG/petrol) VW Golf BiFuel (LPG/petrol)
Diesel conversions
Because diesel engines are compression ignition engines, and lack spark plugs, to operate a diesel engine with an alternate combustible fuel source such as Natural gas as the main fuel diesel oil is used for the ignition of the gas/air mixture inside the cylinder (a portion of diesel oil is injected at the end of the compression stroke, thereby maintaining the original diesel operation principle). Dual fuel operation means the engine uses two fuels (gas and diesel oil) at the same time, as opposed to Bi Fuel which would mean the engine could have the option of using either fuel separately. There usually two type of conversions - low speed (below 1000 RPM) and high speed (between 1200 and 1800 RPM).
This conversion is adjusted for low speed engines up to 1000 RPM. System for conversion of industrial diesel engine to Bi-fuel operation by substitution of 70-90% natural gas for diesel or HFO. Gas is injected directly before intake valve by high speed electromagnetic injector, one or two injector per each cylinder.
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How it works Gas is mixed with air by a common mixer installed before turbocharger(s). Gas flow is controlled by a throttle valve, which is electronically operated by the special control system according to the required engine output and speed. In order to avoid knocking of the engine, knocking detector/controller is installed, thus enabling engine operation at the most efficient gas/diesel ratio. Suitable for all High Speed engines, 1200-1800 RPM. System for conversion of industrial diesel engine to Bi-fuel operation by substitution of 50-80% natural gas for diesel. Gas and air are blended behind air filter before turbocharger by central mixer.
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Generally, it is not possible to guarantee an exact Diesel/gas ratio without a test being done after the conversion.
See also
Alternative fuel vehicle Flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV or dual-fuel vehicle) Multifuel
References
1. ^ Diane Nassy. "Flexible Fuel Vehicles" (http://www.motorpoint.com.au/ffv-alternative.asp) . Motopoint. http://www.motorpoint.com.au/ffv-alternative.asp. Retrieved 2008-08-24. 2. ^ "Glossary" (http://www.biofuelmarketplace.com/(S(mfsz0yfocwuc4lbg2lkdidel))/Anonym /Glossary.aspx?Letter=1) . Biofuel Marketplace. http://www.biofuelmarketplace.com /(S(mfsz0yfocwuc4lbg2lkdidel))/Anonym/Glossary.aspx?Letter=1. Retrieved 2008-09-01. See definition of Bi-fuel Vehicle 3. ^ Dominik Rutz and Rainer Jansen (February 2007). "BioFuel Technology Handbook" (http://www.competebioafrica.net/publications/publ/BioFuel_Technology_Handbook_1vs_WIP.pdf) (PDF). WIP Renewable Energies. http://www.compete-bioafrica.net/publications/publ/BioFuel_Technology_Handbook_1vs_WIP.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-01. See definition in Glossary and Abbreviations 4. ^ "Definition of Terms" (http://www.sugre.info/tools.phtml?id=686) . Sustainable Green Fleets. http://www.sugre.info/tools.phtml?id=686. Retrieved 2008-09-01. 5. ^ "Glossary" (http://www.biofuelmarketplace.com/(S(mfsz0yfocwuc4lbg2lkdidel))/Anonym /Glossary.aspx?Letter=5) . Biofuel Marketplace. http://www.biofuelmarketplace.com /(S(mfsz0yfocwuc4lbg2lkdidel))/Anonym/Glossary.aspx?Letter=5. Retrieved 2008-09-01. See definition of FFV 6. ^ Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center. "Natural Gas Vehicles" (http://www.eere.energy.gov /afdc/vehicles/natural_gas.html) . US Department of Energy. http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/vehicles /natural_gas.html. Retrieved 2008-09-01. 7. ^ "Fiat website" (http://www.fiat.com/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/FIAT_ITALIA/carconfig /carconfig.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0974270220.1208873292@@@@& BV_EngineID=cccdadedlljimjhcefecejgdfkhdfjh.0&modelKey=1885) . http://www.fiat.com/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll /FIAT_ITALIA/carconfig/carconfig.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0974270220.1208873292@@@@& BV_EngineID=cccdadedlljimjhcefecejgdfkhdfjh.0&modelKey=1885. Retrieved 2008-04-22. 8. ^ Christine Lepisto (2006-08-27). "Fiat Siena Tetra Power: Your Choice of Four Fuels" (http://www.treehugger.com /files/2006/08/fiat_sienna_tetr.php) . Treehugger. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/fiat_sienna_tetr.php. Retrieved 2008-08-24. 9. ^ "Nouvelle Fiat Siena 2008: sans complexe" (http://news.caradisiac.com/Nouvelle-Fiat-Siena-2008-sanscomplexe-359) (in French). Caradisiac. 2007-11-01. http://news.caradisiac.com/Nouvelle-Fiat-Siena-2008-sanscomplexe-359. Retrieved 2008-08-31. 10. ^ Agncia AutoInforme (2006-06-19). "Siena Tetrafuel vai custar R$ 41,9 mil" (http://www.webmotors.com.br /wmpublicador/Noticias_Conteudo.vxlpub?hnid=36391) (in Portuguese). WebMotor. http://www.webmotors.com.br /wmpublicador/Noticias_Conteudo.vxlpub?hnid=36391. Retrieved 2008-08-14. The article argues that even though Fiat called it tetra fuel, it actually runs on three fuels: natural gas, ethanol, and gasoline.
External links
"Dual Fuel Organization" (http://www.dualfuel.org) . http://www.dualfuel.org. "ComAp Conversion Kits Overview" (http://www.comapsystems.com/index.php?idpg=1& IDprod=103&IDbranch=30) . http://www.comapsystems.com/index.php?idpg=1&IDprod=103& IDbranch=30. Retrieved 2007-12-12. "Bi-fuel Power" (http://www.energetech.com/bi-fuel-info.pdf) (PDF). http://www.energetech.com
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/bi-fuel-info.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-12. "Conversions of Engines to Dual Fuel" (http://www.cesys.cz) . http://www.cesys.cz. Retrieved 2007-12-12. "Dual Fuel Conversion Kits" (http://www.dualfuelconversions.com) . http://www.dualfuelconversions.com. Retrieved 2009-09-21. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bi-fuel_vehicle" Categories: Sustainable technologies | Sustainable transport | Automotive technologies | Vehicles by fuel This page was last modified on 29 August 2011 at 20:41. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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