has anyone ever seen a diesel converted to propane?

[ODdave]

Kind of funny this thread is here today, I was just talking to my boss about a sparkplug I removed from a 6ct cummins. It actualy said cummins on the porcelin, pretty neat.

 

[jjramrod]

Wave of the future huh that makes sense. Let's strap a tank of flammable gas on every truck. That way when there shot or hit they really do blow up like on the movies. It will be great when someone over tightens a fitting. it cracks and then snaps off while driving. or the tank gets a rust hole. Ill stick with liquid fuels thanks but no thanks.

 

[BIG_RED]

Do you guys think that if you had an idling diesel, say a 6bt or a 6.2, mechanical injector pump and it was idling.. and then you fed propane into the air intake, would it rev up? Would you be able to drive like that? (using a tiny amount of diesel and lots of propane). I think this might be similar to what Patracy was talking about, except he was saying without any diesel involved. I'm thinking propane might be too high octane to burn in a compression ignition engine, no? But with a little diesel through an injector pump.. now you've got a source of ignition - the diesel compression ignition. No I would not drive my truck down the highway with a 20 LB propane cylinder in the passenger seat using a ball valve as a hand throttle with a propane line through the firewall.. But in an emergency - do you guys think something like that could be done? I've been around diesels. I have no experience with "propane kits".

 

[jj]

A railroad experimented with propane fueled locomotives some years back, there was a thread here on SteelSoldiers some time ago talking about it. I seem to remember it was the original engines modified to inject the propane as a gas with a bit of diesel fuel at the correct time to light the whole thing off. It used a tank car(16 or 20,000gal) sandwiched between two 3,000 hp locomotives. i want to say Burlington Northern, maybe.

 

[rickf]

It doesn't get injected through the normal fuel system a diesel would have. It's fumigated just like a gasser.

I am guessing it is sent in by computer in the required amount and not by a throttle plate setup? That would give the engine vacuum. Diesel with vacuum.........interesting.

Rick

 

[patracy]

Do you guys think that if you had an idling diesel, say a 6bt or a 6.2, mechanical injector pump and it was idling.. and then you fed propane into the air intake, would it rev up? Would you be able to drive like that? (using a tiny amount of diesel and lots of propane). I think this might be similar to what Patracy was talking about, except he was saying without any diesel involved. I'm thinking propane might be too high octane to burn in a compression ignition engine, no? But with a little diesel through an injector pump.. now you've got a source of ignition - the diesel compression ignition. No I would not drive my truck down the highway with a 20 LB propane cylinder in the passenger seat using a ball valve as a hand throttle with a propane line through the firewall.. But in an emergency - do you guys think something like that could be done? I've been around diesels. I have no experience with "propane kits".

Yes it will, I had propane in my dodge at one time. I took it off though. Too many "what ifs" in the event of an accident. It worked splendidly though. The overhead computer said I netted 39mpg in a 3/4 ton ext cab 4x4 lifted truck that weighs 7400lbs. Not calculating in the propane used, it averaged 36mpg on diesel fuel. The effects would be less beneficial on a NA diesel such as the 6.2.

I am guessing it is sent in by computer in the required amount and not by a throttle plate setup? That would give the engine vacuum. Diesel with vacuum.........interesting.

Rick

On a converted diesel that runs off propane or CNG, they typically add a throttle plate to it.

 

[PsycoBob]

I recall seeing recently a Cummins or CAT genset series that could use up to 90% natural gas and 10% diesel. I'll try to find the link. I think it was for megawatt range prime-power units that expect to run for weeks, to reduce emissions & lower fuel costs.

/edit
Here's one link. http://www.cogeneration.org/meetings/MCA2008May6/MCA_2008May6_Furnish.pdf
A Fairbanks-Morse system. http://www.fairbanksmorse.com/about/enviro-design/?gclid=CIiZ7M-tjK4CFQkQNAodgQx04A
Generac, too. http://www.generac.com/Industrial/Bi-fuel_Product_Line/

Huh. Looks like this is a lot more common than I'd thought. Even Wikipedia has a note on bi-fuel diesels. Seems like diesel needed per stroke stays the same, regardless of load- it's used to ignite the gas charge. Natural gas is varied to meet load demand.

 

[Stan Leschert]

Check it out. These guys have converted several large fleets up here as test fleets, and I have yet to hear anything bad.

Cummins Westport • Natural Gas Engines

 

[BIG_RED]

Very interesting. Anyone know if propane goes bad in storage? I would think it should last almost forever. This thread could be very useful info in an emergency situation where road fuels are hard to get (hurricane, apocalypse , etc.). Or even for extending the run time of diesel gensets with natural gas from a household barbeque quick-connect.. Hmm.. now you've got me thinking..

 

[Keyzzz1]

Saw an interesting show last night stating, the ratio, we (the USA) of imported amounts of liquid fuel (crude, diesel etc. for processing) are far greater than gas fuels (LNG, LPG etc.) Meaning we’re less dependent on gas fuels.

This is no real surprise (we hear it everyday on the boob-boxes and radio) BUT the USA does have an increasing exportation of gas fuels out from our country (thus we’re more abundance in local gas vs. liquid fuel here)

With that in mind I agree with those here that think for “emergency backup" use,

That the “gas fuels” are very strong contenders for an alternative fuel sourcing when we can’t get diesel.”

We live in the Keys and in 05 we too (from Key West to Ft. Lauderdale) were wiped out by a hurricane (Wilma) just after the Katrina one that plowed into New Orleans. All systems shut down w/places up on the mainland (Ft. Lauderdale/Miami) going weeks w/o electricity, fuels, and even water. As we’re “down the line” for services and so small in use compared to the big mainland cities we’re “on our own” when disaster hits until the mainland is stabilized.
That’s why I got me Deuce (emergency use) plus it’s just a blast to drive. I’m starting to explore alternative fuels due to our frequently being in “harms way” and forced to survive for weeks at a time w/out food/fuel/water being able to get in after a huge storm.

I'm new to this (a grunt not a motor-head in the service) but will post whatever "news" or "mods” I find for you all to "feedback" to or help me research this subject more

Love the site and hope to be able to contribute to it. Thanks for all the good posts.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/business/energy-environment/24fuel.html

DOE - Fossil Energy: Key Publications Related to DOE's Natural Gas Regulatory Program

Looking at: Bio/Hydrogen/Gas conversions or injection systems