Gaseous Fuels for

Transport Sector

Dr. R K MalhotraExecutive Director

Research & Development Centre,Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.,

Sector-13, Faridabad

1. Natural Gas

2. Auto LPG

3. DME

4. Hydrogen & Fuel Cell

CONTENTS

Demand of Natural Gas Share of Segments

Source: Auto Fuel Policy Report

40%

29%

4%

9%4%

3% 11% PowerFertiliserLPG+Other Liquid HCPetrochem+RefineriesCity Gas / CNGSteelOthers

Power and fertiliser sectors to continue to be the biggest consumers of Natural Gas

Supply of Natural Gas

Source: Auto Fuel Policy Report

S. No.

Source Average Daily Supply

(MMSCMD)

1 ONGC / OIL 55.1

2 PMT JV / Pvt. (Cairn India ltd.)

22.5

3 RLNG incl. spot – Import at PLL-Dahej & Shell-

Hazira

25.4

4 KG Basin 40.0

Total 143.0

TRIPURA

ASSAM

KG

CAUVERY

RAJASTHAN

SOUTH BASSEIN

CAMBAYTRIPURA

ASSAM

KG

CAUVERY

RAJASTHAN

SOUTH BASSEIN

CAMBAY

Natural Gas Pipeline Infrastructure

Source: Auto Fuel Policy Report

More than 7570Km of pipelineshas been laid inthe country fortransportationand distributionof natural gasacross thecountry.

APPLICATION OF NATURAL GAS

The use of natural gas in city gas application is for following four sectors:

– PNG for Domestic household.– PNG for Commercial use in hotels, hospitals,

restaurant and offices– PNG for Industrial use in the Small Scale Industry

including Power generation.– CNG for Transport sector for use in Three wheelers,

buses, trucks and cars.

NATURAL GAS AS AUTO FUEL

• Millions of vehicles are now running on CNG.

• Simple HC structure with less C atoms, make CNG a clean burning fuel.

• Higher Octane allows use of higher Compression Ratio in spark ignition engines.

• Lighter density with respect to air and high self ignition temperature make it safe.

CNG STATUS IN INDIA

• No. of CNG stations in India are 510.• 17 companies to supply natural gas for CNG / PNG

usage in 42 cities. • Total estimated NG consumption in City Gas

Projects in India is 8.2 MMSCMD (3.2 MMSCMD gas is being used for CNG purpose and 5 MMSCMD gas for PNG purpose).

• India has 8 Lakhs Natural gas vehicles ranks 5th in the world in terms of no. of NGVs

CNG STATUS IN DELHI

Total 171 CNG stations.

Fuelling over 2,28,000 vehicles

over 11,500 buses, 80,000 three wheelers and over 1,22,000 private cars.

Supplying online cooking gas to over 110,000 households.

Providing energy solutions to major 5-star hotels, hospitals, embassies and restaurants.

Delhi is the first City in the world to have converted its entire city bus fleet on single mode fuel of CNG.

Source: Auto Fuel Policy Report

Vehicle Category

Fuel Emissions

CO (g/km)

NMHC(g/km)

NOX(g/km)

PM(g/km)

3 & 4-Wheeler

Petrol 0.04-1.8 0.01-0.23 0.01-0.79 0.001-0.006

Diesel 0.09-0.8 0.03-0.27 0.29-0.77 0.028-0.08

CNG 0.03-1.75 0.08-1.55 0.04-1.07 0.002-0.004

Performance of CNG Vehicle

CNG vs. ULSD

• PM levels are comparable between CNG (with three-way catalyst) and Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) buses with Continuously Regenerating Trap (CRT).

• CO and THC levels are lower in ULSD than CNG buses.

• NOx levels were higher in ULSD than CNG buses.

Source: TERI Report

ULSD with proper emission control devices and regular inspection

& maintenance is comparable in performance with CNG buses

CNG vs. ULSD

Source: TERI Report

CNG – Path Forward • Educate the customers by organising regular free service

camps on CNG safety – upkeep & maintenance of CNG Kits and explaining the importance of Periodic Testing of Cylinders.

• Interfacing with NGV OEMs/ authorised kit distributors to have world class technology in NGVs.

• Use of GIS / SCADA for better operational controls of equipments at CNG stations and also for gas pipelines.

• Setting up CNG stations along Highway.• Running railway Diesel Electric Multiple Units with CNG (70%

CNG & 30% Diesel).• R&D activities to introduce new fuel like HYTHANE (20%H2

+ 80% CNG) with an objective to enhance engine performance & reduced harmful emissions.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

• Much lower emissions – CO2, Nox, PM – Very good environmental alternative

• Vehicles can be operated on dual fuel (LPG/Petrol) or dedicated LPG

• Offers equivalent vehicular power and performance• Lower Engine noise• The Indian LPG market is the 4th largest market globally,

after the US, China and Japan.• IOCL is the second largest marketer of LPG globally, after

SHV Gas, Netherlands.

Status of LPG Introduction

• LPG notified as transport fuel by MoRT&H – 2000

• BIS issued specification of Auto LPG – 2001

• Total no. of Auto LPG stations - 573

• IOCL - 232 Stations

• BPCL - 74 Stations

• HPCL - 150 Stations

• Others - 227 Stations

AUTO LPG

LPG vehicle future technologies :

– LPG DI– LPG Hybrid– Hypane (H2+LPG) – LPG Fuel Cell

LPG Vehicle Development

LPG – Path Forward

• Adequate numbers of Auto LPG Dispensing Stations have to be set up by oil companies to instill confidence among vehicle owners regarding its easy availability.

• Vehicle manufacturers like Maruti, TATA Motors, Hyundai, Bajaj etc have also recognized the economic and environmental benefits of Autogas and have started manufacturing Autogas-driven vehicles as OEMs.

• The World LP Gas Assocation's Board elected Mr. Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation as the Association's President on the eve of the 2008 World LP Gas Forum in Seoul, Korea.

DIMETHYL ETHER (DME)

• Di Methyl Ether (CH3-O-CH3)-Simple oxygenate compound

• Easy & clean burning (completely sootless) synthetic fuel

• Physical properties similar to LP gas• Can be transported as a pressurized liquid • Can be economically produced from a number of

feedstock: coal, natural gas, biomass, petcoke

Property DME Diesel Methane Methanol Ethanol LPG

Formula CH3OCH3 CH4 CH3OH CH3CH2OHC3H8

Boiling point, deg C

-25 180-370 -162 65 78 -42

Liquid density, g/cm3

0.66 0.84 0.42 0.79 0.81 0.49

Cetane Number 55-60 40-55 - 5 8 5

Explosion limits, % 3.4-1.8 0.6-6.5 5-15 5.5-26 3.5-15 2.1-9.4

Auto Ignition temperature, deg C

235 250 650 450 420

Heat of evaporation, KJ/kg

460 at -20 deg. C and 410 at +20

deg. C

250 - 1110 904

Physico-Chemical Properties of DME

Use of DME

• Versatile fuel substitute for LPG & Diesel or can be used as blended fuel

• Energy source for fuel cells• Power generation• Propellant in spray cans for cosmetic industry• Ignition improver of methanol• As petrochemical feedstock for selective

production of olefins

AVL - CRDI for DME• M/s AVL is working on DME.• AVL has following test facilities for DME :

– Fuel Injection Laboratory– Explosion proof test room for DME fuel system test– Two engine test beds certified for DME use– 2500 kg DME storage tank and supply sytem

Common Rail concept for DME Fuel Injection by M/s AVL

DME as Diesel Substitute

• DME blended diesel fuel has been successfully used in diesel engine

• Lubrication & corrosion problems linked with extra low viscosity of DME have been solved by using special additives.

• Volvo Truck corporation & Volvo Bus Corporation developed world’s DME fuelled heavy vehicle in 1996-98

• Nissan & Volvo have developed compression ignition engine trucks fuelled by DME

• Volvo has second generation DME technology truck with DME in service from 2005.

• European Union, Japan & China have buses which can technically run on DME and these have already been tested

DME – Path Forward

• India DME Chapter announced:– Members from oil sector– Various sub-groups formed

• Activities planned :• Feedstock assessment, technology review,

techno-economic feasibility study• Marketing & commercial• R&D related including engine development• Legal framework & policy related

Hydrogen Roadmap Proposed by National Hydrogen Energy Board (NHEB)

• 1 Million Vehicles running on Hydrogen based IC Engines and fuel cells by 2020.

• 1 million vehicles will require about 7000 tonnes of H2/ day

• 1000 MW electricity generation using fuel cells by 2020.

• Hydrogen has unique property of extremely leanburning

• It extends lean misfire limit of natural gas• Lean burn results into reduction in NOx emissions.

• Use of CNG has resulted in increase of NOxemissions as per Pollution Control Board studies.

• Increased NOx emissions can be mitigated bysupplementing CNG with hydrogen

HCNG – Advantages for India

Contd….

• Using H2 as an additive to CNG provides:

– Lower risk due to very low energy content from H2 -safety properties similar to CNG

– CNG infrastructure in place – can be used for HCNG– No major Engine modifications required

• It is advantageous for India to use the existing CNGinfrastructure for investigating the feasibility of usingHCNG as an automotive fuel for gaining experiencefor handling the new fuel

HCNG – Advantages for India

• A HCNG dispensing station set up at IOC R&D and trials started on HCNG blends on few vehicles.

• Similar station set up in Delhi by IOC R&D with part funding from Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE)

• Demonstration projects on use of HCNG blends on a fleet of vehicles undertaken by IOC R&D in collaboration with Society of Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Demonstration Projects on HCNG by IOC R&D

IOC set up India’s first HCNG Dispensing Station at IOC R&D Centre, Faridabad in Oct, 2005

Hydrogen production - Electrolyser

HCNG Dispensing - 250 bar

HCNG Dispensing Station at IOC R&D

India’s First Commercial HCNG Dispensing Station at Delhi

• Bajaj and M&M 3-wheelers converted for HCNG operation at IOC R&D

• Tests conducted with different HCNG blends and 18% HCNG blend selected for further optimization

• Field trials in progress to study the long term effect of HCNG fuel

HCNG in 3-Wheelers

• Initial performance & emission studies completed with HCNG blends upto 25% hydrogen

• Vehicle optimization for suitable blend in progress

HCNG in LCVs & Buses

HCNG Regulations in India

• Govt. of India has taken decision to treat up to 20 %HCNG blend at par with CNG. Accordingly changesare being made in:– Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR)– Gas Cylinder Rules– Motor vehicle Act

• Government has also constituted a committee toframe regulations for HCNG blends above 20 % andHydrogen. Work is progress to frame regulations.

• ISO standards for HCNG and Hydrogen kitcomponent testing are being framed in ISO TC 22SC 25. Similar process will be followed by Bureau ofIndian Standards (BIS).

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) developed hydrogen-powered Hy-Alfa 3-wheeler. The Hy-Alfa runs on compressed hydrogen gas and is incredibly engineered to run with absolutely zero emissions.

MAHINDRA HYDROGEN ICE 3-Wheeler

Source : Mahindra

Hydrogen powered Hy-Alfa 3-Wheeler

FUEL CELLS FOR H2 USE IN FUTURE

Zero Emissions High Efficiency Environmentally benign Quiet Refueling quick and easyWide range of operating temperatures Minimal maintenance Reliability Quick startup Load following Ultimate solution for hydrogen commercialization

• Leading auto manufacturers are competing to bring fuel cell vehicles on road.

• Cost of fuel cell vehicles is very high at present.

• Despite announced plans, full scale commercialization appears 10 – 20 years away depending on how soon the cost can be lowered.

• Oil companies are also tying up with auto companies in fuel cell development to ensure conventional fuels could be used in fuel cell.

Fuel Cell Development- Status

Transport Application

4 wheeler Battery EV Fuel Cell as range Extender

Fuel Cell Development in India

Source: CFCT

FUEL CELL – PATH AHEAD

To improve the performance and efficiency (of the fuel cell alongwith the life expectancy while reducing the set-up cost.

Use of non-ferrous catalysts, improved membranes and tolerance to impurities & temperature.

Integration of sub-systems such as fuel processing system, power conditioning, auxiliary power management and thermal energy system.

Demonstration of fuel cell vehicle in hybrid technology.

Road to Hydrogen Fuelled Automobiles

Reduced vehicle

Emission

Increased vehicle fuel

economy

Today Near Term Long TermMid Term

HCNG, H2 ICE Technologies

Hybrid Electric Vehicle (e.g. REVA)

Hydrogen Fuel Cell