Toyota, Shell and JR Tokai Bus Launch World’s First Trial of GTL-Fueled Diesel Hybrid Bus
10 August 2005
![]() |
Hino Blue Ribbon City Hybrid |
A group of partners in Japan have launched the first trial of a diesel-hybrid bus fueled with synthetic Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) diesel. The bus, which will operate for two months, will carry visitors to the 2005 World Exposition at Aichi, as well as commuters in Seto City and Kasugai City.
Shell International Gas will supply GTL Fuel from its 14,700-barrel-per-day plant in Bintulu, Malaysia, for the bus operated by JR Tokai Bus Company. Showa Shell Sekiyu KK and Toyota Tsusho Corporation are providing technical support in the world’s first supply of the clean fuel to the Hino hybrid bus.
The latest version of the Hino Blue Ribbon City Hybrid bus (which is also used as the base for the hydrogen fuel cell bus in operation at the Aichi Expo) reduces the size and weight of the hybrid unit and transfers the battery and inverter from the usual location under the floor to the roof.
The hybrid uses Hino’s parallel hybrid system, and has achieved compatibility with the New Long-Term Emission Regulations (2005). The engine is a newly-developed in-line 6-cylinder low-emission diesel engine with an electronically controlled high-pressure common rail injection system.
The hybrid system improves fuel consumption by an estimated 10%–20% and reduces CO2 emissions by 9%–17% over comparable diesel vehicles.
Hino Blue Ribbon City Hybrid | ||
---|---|---|
Engine | Engine | In-line 6-cylinder |
Displacement | 7,684 cc | |
Fuel system | High-pressure common rail | |
Supercharge method | Variable nozzle turbo with intercooler | |
Power | 177 kW / 240 hp | |
Torque | 834 Nm /615 lb-ft | |
Motor-generator | Rated output | 41 kW |
Battery | Type | Sealed nickel-hydrogen |
Capacity | 13 Ah | |
Voltage | 274V |
Shell GTL products consist mainly of clean GTL diesel fuel (gasoil) and naphtha. There is flexibility in the Shell process to vary the proportions of these products, depending on the intensity of the Fischer-Tropsch GTL cracking process and other operating conditions.
The GTL process. Shell has proprietary technology for each of the process blocks. |
GTL fuel is colorless, odorless and cleaner than conventional petroleum-based diesel fuel. It is virtually free of sulphur and aromatics, and offers a high cetane number.
Shell is involved in a number of GTL trials around the world (including another one with Toyota), including several in the US, Japan, Germany, China and the UK.
Shell GTL Fuel Properties | |||
---|---|---|---|
Property | ASTM Method | Shell GTL | Current CARB Diesel |
Density, g/ml | D4052 | 0.7850 | 0.8308 |
Cloud Point, ºC | D2500 | -3 | -18 |
Sulfur, ppm | D5453 | 0.3 | 222.9 |
Cetane Number | D613 | 76 | 53.7 |
Total Aromatics, mass% | D5186 | 1.4 | 18.2 |
HFRR Lubricity, mm | D6079 | 0.395 | 0.360 |
LHV, BTU/lb | D240 | 18,856 | 18,431 |
http://finance.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=m&board=7077804&tid=nav&sid=7077804&mid=24961
Posted by: Bruno Di Nardo | 18 August 2005 at 01:59 PM