Ozinga Energy and Ingevity to field adsorbed natural gas bi-fuel pickup
05 May 2020
Ingevity and Ozinga Energy are partnering to begin a field demonstration of adsorbed natural gas (ANG) bi-fuel pickup trucks.
Developed by Adsorbed Natural Gas Products, Inc. (ANGP) and Ingevity, the ANG system is made possible by the performance of Ingevity’s Nuchar activated carbon that significantly lowers the natural gas storage pressure, reduces the system’s complexity and captures the environmental benefits and cost savings of natural gas when used as a transportation fuel.
Adsorbed natural gas (ANG) technology is the use of a highly porous adsorbent material to densely store natural gas molecules at low pressures (900 psi and below). Under controlled depressurization, these molecules release and exit the storage system in response to the demand of the vehicle’s engine.
ANGP is working with Ingevity as its adsorbent manufacturer because of Ingevity’s global leadership in activated carbons for more than 100 years. Ingevity is the industry leader in adsorbent-based, on-board evaporative emissions control for gasoline fueled vehicles.
Ozinga Energy has purchased an ANG-equipped Ford F-150 and installed a dedicated, low-pressure fueling appliance at its headquarters in Mokena, Illinois. Already a strong supporter of alternative fuels, a large majority of Ozinga’s fleet of concrete trucks operate on compressed natural gas (CNG).
The Ford F-150 is fitted with the 5.0L V8 with CNG prep kit, set up for bi-fuel (gasoline/natural gas) operation. ANGP/Worthington Industries NGV2 compliant, aluminum ANG cylinders provide the gas storage. Designed for 900 psig operating pressure, the cylinders are spun closed around Ingevity activated carbon monoliths.
Ozinga Energy provides public-access CNG fueling for heavy-duty trucks at six stations throughout Illinois and California, and plans to evaluate the ANG technology to further expand their alternative fuel strategy to their fleet of light-duty trucks.
Ozinga Energy joins a growing number of US natural gas utilities and private commercial fleets to pilot ANG-equipped vehicles. SoCalGas (of Sempra Energy) in California and Atlanta Gas Light in Georgia announced demonstration fleets in 2019.
ANG enables a natural gas fueling solution for light-duty vehicles such as pickup trucks, SUVs and service vans, a segment that has traditionally been underserved by alternative fuel options. ANG is 50% less costly to operate than a gasoline-only vehicle; increases natural gas usage for a gas utility by more than 60%; and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 25% compared to similar gasoline- and diesel-equipped vehicles.
Data from existing ANG field demonstrations and Ingevity’s own employee driver program continues to showcase the simplicity of fueling with low-pressure ANG appliances and highlights the value the technology can bring to the light-duty segment.
Adsorbed can increase range with less tank space.
Posted by: SJC_1 | 05 May 2020 at 10:15 AM
@SJC_1 Maybe.
Some years ago, the DOE commissioned a study to determine just how much fuel ANG could hold. They created activated carbon monoliths which held about 180:1 (180 cubic feet of CNG for each 1 cubic foot of actual volume) while only needing 60 bar (900 psi). 60 bar would normally hold 60:1. So it held 180 bar worth of fuel while only needing 60 bar of pressure.
That certainly reduces the amount of energy needed to compress the fuel into the tanks (no one seems to talk about how much energy you have to add for the C in CNG) and makes the tanks cheaper. But if you can only get 2,700 psi worth of fuel (180:1 * 15 psi / bar), while existing pressure tanks can go to 3,600 or 5,000 ... you are carrying LESS fuel per cubic foot of tank space. And the carbon monolith in the tank is NOT lightweight.
No word on what kind of ratio their carbon monolith stores. You'd need at least 240:1 to match 3,600 psi, at least 333:1 to match 5,000 psi.
Finally, ANG is exothermal on filling, endothermal on release. Having relatively small cross-section tanks and maybe some kind of fan to propel air between the tanks when fueling would work well. If the monolith gets too warm, it doesn't catch fire but the adsorption process does slow down and, because the pores are expanded, they don't "stick to" the fuel as well, meaning reduced storage capacity.
Don't get me wrong. I like ANG. I'd love to see it succeed. But I've not heard of anyone getting an ANG carbon monolith beyond 200:1. Which means that the only way it makes sense is if the lower pressures can keep the tank construction cheap enough to offset the cost of the carbon monolith and the cost of needing more tank volume per 100 miles range.
Posted by: DaChesserCat | 05 May 2020 at 01:06 PM
You keep criticizing, that will make is all better. /s
Posted by: SJC_1 | 05 May 2020 at 03:50 PM
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 06 May 2020 at 12:23 PM