Diesel Versus Alternative Fuels in Trucking
Automotive: Hybrid Energy Efficient • Published: February 10, 2014
With its long, proven track record as the preferred power plant for large vehicles, the diesel engine will likely hold that position well into the future. The type of fuel that might be powering this motor, on the other hand, is something that's still being debated.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Diesel-Versus-Alter...id=8311083
Diesel Fuel and Electricity Mix
Diesel engines are used in the vast majority of heavy-duty vehicles primarily because they can generate high torque at low speeds that allows heavy loads to get moving. They also get fantastic mileage and last seemingly forever. The only other type of motor that can approximate the diesel's low-speed pulling capability is the electric motor. The big drawback with this alternative is its limited battery capacity.
On the other hand, just as gasoline engines have been coupled with electric motors in hybrid form, this technology can also be applied to diesels. In fact, several manufacturers have very recently started producing diesel-electric hybrids for the commercial market. For the mechanic specializing in diesels, this is a technology they should familiarize themselves with in the near-future. Interestingly, the combination of diesel and electric propulsion has been around for decades in the form of diesel locomotives.
Substitute Fuels
Just as diesel-electric hybrids offer the challenge of a diesel engine in altered form, the use of diesel fuel substitutes will result in alterations to the basic design of the engine in one way or another. One area that will undergo the biggest change with any type of alternative fuel is the fuel tank. An example of this is with the use of biodiesel. This fuel is thicker than petroleum-based diesel and starts to solidify at higher temperatures. While it can operate in the engine itself with virtually no modifications, it will require heating in the tank to keep its flow rate at the same level as regular diesel. Any future auto mechanic course will have to cover the variety of fuel tanks needed for all these alternatives.
Another alternative that's cheaper than biodiesel, in fact, cheaper than any alternatives, is natural gas or methane. In order to use this fuel, it has to be combined with a small amount of diesel fuel. A lot of companies in the trucking industry are developing diesel engines that are modified to use it in fuel blends of up to 95% natural gas. Diesel fuel still has to be included to allow proper compression ignition to occur. Employing this fuel will require a significant change in the fuel tanks on-board the vehicles. Since it's a gas, a high-pressure tank with an air-tight fueling port has to be used.
An easier-handling derivative of methane called dimethyl ether or DME is being considered for diesel engines. This fuel has several advantages over natural gas. Since it doesn't need to be combined with diesel, it won't produce the particulates or sulfur associated with diesel. Instead of high-pressure tanks like those used for methane, it will liquefy at 75 psi. This is similar to propane and will require the same type of storage container. Obviously, this alteration, along with other minor changes to diesel engines to accommodate this fuel, will mean a few extra lessons for any future diesel auto mechanic course.
Visit the Canadian Automotive and Trucking Institute for more information on finding an auto mechanic course.
Patrick Quinn is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing, and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other web marketing services and tools.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Patrick_Quinn
Automotive: Hybrid Energy Efficient • Published: February 10, 2014
With its long, proven track record as the preferred power plant for large vehicles, the diesel engine will likely hold that position well into the future. The type of fuel that might be powering this motor, on the other hand, is something that's still being debated.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Diesel-Versus-Alter...id=8311083
Diesel Fuel and Electricity Mix
Diesel engines are used in the vast majority of heavy-duty vehicles primarily because they can generate high torque at low speeds that allows heavy loads to get moving. They also get fantastic mileage and last seemingly forever. The only other type of motor that can approximate the diesel's low-speed pulling capability is the electric motor. The big drawback with this alternative is its limited battery capacity.
On the other hand, just as gasoline engines have been coupled with electric motors in hybrid form, this technology can also be applied to diesels. In fact, several manufacturers have very recently started producing diesel-electric hybrids for the commercial market. For the mechanic specializing in diesels, this is a technology they should familiarize themselves with in the near-future. Interestingly, the combination of diesel and electric propulsion has been around for decades in the form of diesel locomotives.
Substitute Fuels
Just as diesel-electric hybrids offer the challenge of a diesel engine in altered form, the use of diesel fuel substitutes will result in alterations to the basic design of the engine in one way or another. One area that will undergo the biggest change with any type of alternative fuel is the fuel tank. An example of this is with the use of biodiesel. This fuel is thicker than petroleum-based diesel and starts to solidify at higher temperatures. While it can operate in the engine itself with virtually no modifications, it will require heating in the tank to keep its flow rate at the same level as regular diesel. Any future auto mechanic course will have to cover the variety of fuel tanks needed for all these alternatives.
Another alternative that's cheaper than biodiesel, in fact, cheaper than any alternatives, is natural gas or methane. In order to use this fuel, it has to be combined with a small amount of diesel fuel. A lot of companies in the trucking industry are developing diesel engines that are modified to use it in fuel blends of up to 95% natural gas. Diesel fuel still has to be included to allow proper compression ignition to occur. Employing this fuel will require a significant change in the fuel tanks on-board the vehicles. Since it's a gas, a high-pressure tank with an air-tight fueling port has to be used.
An easier-handling derivative of methane called dimethyl ether or DME is being considered for diesel engines. This fuel has several advantages over natural gas. Since it doesn't need to be combined with diesel, it won't produce the particulates or sulfur associated with diesel. Instead of high-pressure tanks like those used for methane, it will liquefy at 75 psi. This is similar to propane and will require the same type of storage container. Obviously, this alteration, along with other minor changes to diesel engines to accommodate this fuel, will mean a few extra lessons for any future diesel auto mechanic course.
Visit the Canadian Automotive and Trucking Institute for more information on finding an auto mechanic course.
Patrick Quinn is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing, and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other web marketing services and tools.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Patrick_Quinn
