INFORMATION
Liquefied Petroleum Gas ( LPG )
As An Automotive Fuel
Autogas is the term generally used for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG),
when it is used for the propulsion of road vehicles. It is obtained as
a by-product of the distillation of oil from crude oil and from “wet”
North Sea gas. It is produced in large quantities. A surplus, (to increase
over the next 20 years), of approximately 4 million tonnes per annum is
currently available from the North Sea.
When the gas is pressurised to approximately 7 bar it becomes a liquid and it is in this form that it is pumped into your tank. Compared to petrol, Autogas has a higher octane content (see RON method – Super grade petrol 98 – Lead free 95 – LPG over 100 octane).
Advantages over other fuels:
- Autogas as a fuel, is pure gas and is not subject to a cocktail of
chemical additives like petrol.
- The environmental benefits are clear; not only is carbon dioxide
output reduced so particulates are virtually eliminated.
- Because it is already in gaseous form when it enters the combustion
chamber, Autogas burns more efficiently than liquid fuels.
- The life of the engine is extended as a result of the absence of
acids and carbon deposits.
- Autogas, unlike petrol, will not dilute the engine oil, thus increasing
engine protection between services.
- Unlike diesel, you do not have to adjust your driving style. Cold
starting is no problem.
- Engine performance is almost exactly the same as with petrol.
- Autogas eliminates the possibility of theft once in the vehicle,
this problem costs companies millions every year and is set to rise.
- Its weight by volume is half that of water.
Click Here for more information regarding
the installation of the
Etagas system to a vehicle.
Safety First
In terms of combustion LPG is similar to petrol. However, because LPG
is stored under pressure, the vehicle tank is much stronger. Indeed, an
LPG tank can survive far greater impact than a petrol or diesel tank.
To further increase the safety factor we only use the strongest tanks
available. Dutch built four hole LPG tanks. These pass AMERICAN tests
and the GERMAN TUV Test, one of the toughest in the industry, and exceed
the UK 5045 Part Two requirements.
CAUTION
There are some LPG companies offering cheap conversions. The tanks used
on some of these conversions do not conform to current Road Vehicle (Construction
and Use) Regulations, with regard to their safety features, and therefore
are illegal for use on motor vehicles in the UK.
Safety features of the TARTARINI LPG system include:
An electronic solenoid valve which shuts off the fuel supply when:
- The ignition is turned off
- The engine stalls
- An inertia switch is activated
- A tilt switch is activated
Excess flow solenoid valves which shut off the flow of gas when a fuel
pipe is severed.
A vacuum, or electrically operated switch which shuts off the gas if the
engine is not running. In the event of the “worst case scenario”,
should a vehicle catch fire the tank is designed to relieve the pressure
and withstand very high temperatures. Crash test and fire tests have proved
that LPG tanks are safer than their petrol equivalent.
In Vienna, the city’s 44 strong bus fleet has been running on LPG
for over 30 years with no serious incidents ever experienced. Taxis in
Italy, Japan and South America also run on LPG. In the rest of the world
over 5 million vehicles are using LPG on a daily basis and this figure
is growing all the time.
