Among the concurrent conferences that took place at L-NGV 2015 San Diego, Retrofit & Repower featured participations of major industry leaders, such as Ian Wright (CEO and Founder, Wrightspeed), Jim Kerekes (Engineering Director, Clean Air Power), Werner Funk (CEO, Omnitek Engineering Corp.), and Lyle Jensen (President and CEO, American Power Group).
On behalf of Wrightspeed, Wright presented “Future-Proofing Commercial Truck Fleets,” where he focused on range-extended electric vehicles featuring a turbine fuel tank (CNG); battery pack; and motor, inverter and gearbox. He also highlighted the fulcrum turbine generation offering 80kw (cleaner than an electric vehicle) and the 730kW regenerative braking for class 8 refuse trucks (66,000 lb Gross Vehicle Weight), as the company’s major solutions. Wrightspeed’s powertrains are sold as repower or upfit kits.
“The Development and Delivery of Advanced Dual-Fuel Technology to Enable Commercial Operation of Low-Emission US2010 Class 8 Heavy-Duty Trucks on Natural Gas” was addressed by Kerekes from Clean Air Power. As developers and Tier 1 suppliers of compression-ignited natural gas engine systems that enable heavy duty trucks to operate on diesel and natural gas, “we achieve the strict standards of regulatory agencies, partners and our customers,” he said regarding his company. He also spoke and cleared up doubts about Clean Air Power’s renowned dual fuel technology, including main features and benefits.
Moreover, Werner Funk focused on “Diesel-to-Natural Gas Engine Conversions” as a cost-effective alternative to new natural gas vehicles. Omnitek CEO explained how the high cost of diesel fuel and environmental policies have forced trucking fleets to look for an affordable option to transition their fleets to natural gas. He stressed the diesel-to-natural gas conversion as a better and more economical solution to accelerate the transition to NGVs. “Omnitek has developed a technology that can be used to convert most diesel engines into 100% dedicated natural gas engines, at a fraction of the cost of a new natural gas engine,” he noted.
Finally, Lyle Jensen from American Power Group presented “APG’s Dual Fuel Natural Gas Conversions and APG’s Dual Fuel Gliders Evolving into a Mainstream Alternative Fuel Savings Solution for Many Heavy-Duty Fleet Owners.” He highlighted the growing high-horsepower dual fuel natural gas markets, including class 8 trucks, DF gliders, extreme duty trucks, oil & gas, mine haul, marine and rail, as well as the APG vehicular dual fuel progress achieving EPA approvals, dual fuel experience, customer feedback and sustainability.
Another outstanding conference was Technologies, with presentations by Richard Hack (Senior Research Engineer, Advanced Power and Energy Program, University of California Irvine) with “Development of a Rotary Engine Micro-DG/CHP System,” Mathieu Walter (Managing Director, CRMT SAS, Centre de Recherche en Machines Thermiques) with “High Performance Euro6 Natural Gas Engine and SCR without Additive and without Precious Metal,” and Gary Burke (Senior Director, Business Development, ADP Holdings) with “ADP Hydrogen Power Introduces the ‘Hydrogen-Hybrid’.”
Hack introduced the low cost micro DG/CHP and the development of a natural gas rotary engine based and co-gen system targeting laundry facilities. In addition to laundry applications, he remarked the stepping stone for much larger deployment at a variety of sites/applications, as well as the system goals regarding cost of operation, efficiency and emissions.
Mathieu Walter presented CRMT’s project, involving partners such as EFI Automotive, Volvo Powertrain, LMS, Centrale Nantes and Lyon Urban Truck & Bus, launched in 2010 aiming to develop a Euro6 natural gas engine for all vehicle applications and with same specific power as a diesel engine for goods transportation. “A demonstrator has been built on a MG9 Volvo engine based and tested in CRMT facilities,” he commented. “First objective of the project is achieved: technology bricks (simulation tools, ignition, supercharging and control) are available to build a NG lean burn engine with same specific output as diesel engine,” he added.
On behalf of ADP Holdings, Gary Burke spoke about “delivering clean, pure, low cost hydrogen” for hybrid vehicles. He stated that adding H2 into the combustion cycle improves fuel efficiency measured as a higher MPG (lower carbon-footprint from reduced fossil fuel consumption), and reduces GHG Emissions resulting from more complete combustion of the base fuel (lower unburned hydrocarbons, lower carbon monoxide, lower particulate, lower nitrous oxides). Moreover, on-demand H2 technology does not require the weight, expense and risks of compressed gas storage systems, expensive specialized retrofits to fleet maintenance facilities, expensive and time consuming fueling infrastructure, and offers reduced maintenance for liquid fueled engines and no range anxiety. “If for some reason you run out of the electrolyte/water solution, the system just reverts to OEM status,” he explained.
