Bosch Launches Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Dual-Fuel Conversion Kit in Brazil

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Bosch Launches Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Dual-Fuel Conversion Kit in Brazil

06 June 2008

NGV Global. Bosch has introduced an aftermarket natural gas dual-fuel conversion kit for heavy-duty diesel vehicles in Brazil. The DG Flex system is based on technology originally developed by DieselGas in New Zealand.

Bosch is promising diesel substitution rates of up to 90% with the kit. A dedicated development team of up to 30 engineers has worked on perfecting the system over the past two years. As well as producing expected economic benefits, the system also delivers air quality benefits, reducing particulates by 75%.

Engine families compatible with the system currently include VW MWM and Mercedes-Benz OM series engines with more expected to be added in the near future.

Conditions in Brazil are ideal both for the development and release of the kit, says Robson Carlos Marzochi, the local marketing manager for Bosch. “Natural gas for vehicles is well understood already, and the economics are favorable for fleet operators to convert,” he told NGV2008 in Rio.

Depending on duty cycles, Marzochi estimates that the Bosch kit, fully fitted with four CNG cylinders for around R$30,000 (approximately $18,000 US), has a payback period of around 18 months for a typical bus or truck fleet operator.

(A hat-tip to John!)

Posted on 06 June 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (8)

Comments

We need this in UK.......gas has never been as cheap relative to oil....UK will need toi import 1 milllion bbls of oil a day in 5 years at $50 billion per annum.....could be $20 billion cheaper if it is replaced by natural gas!

Posted by: john Baldwin | 06 June 2008 at 08:13 AM

The UK (as well as Australia, USA, Mexico) has dual fuel heavy duty trucks through a company called Clean Air Power. They've been doing conversions on new and existing vehicles since mid 2003 if memory serves. They were also the first company to release a heavy duty system which met Euro IV emissions regs.

Posted by: ZachF | 06 June 2008 at 10:51 AM

Clarification: They've been doing conversions in the UK since 2003. They started in the US several years earlier.

Posted by: ZachF | 06 June 2008 at 10:54 AM

Yes but. Diesel has more energy that Gasoline. A reason why it gets better mpg . Nature Gas has about 25% of the energy in Gasoline. Too get the same power/work you need a much bigger motor.

Posted by: D. BROWN | 06 June 2008 at 11:07 PM

Per pound or kilo, natural gas has more energy than diesel. There are many emergency diesel generator systems that can be operated mostly on natural gas to save the diesel in the tanks. These machines do not need to be derated when operating on natural gas with a small amount of diesel as ignition pilot fuel. The natural gas can be fed at low pressure into the input air, and will not cause pre-ignition because of its very high octane rating and zero cetane rating.

Because diesel is easier to make from crude oil, the higher price of diesel with respect to gasoline is artificial. If the gasoline is sufficienly less costly limited amounts of it can be mixed directly with diesel to reduce costs or larger amounts could be introduced via a caburetor into the input air.

Because of the peculiarities of any engine there are limits to fuel substitutions, but compressed natural gas can give nearly equal or better performance in many diesel engines with a small amount of diesel injected for ignition.

The addition of ten or more CNG tanks to trailers would give much longer range with very little performance loss.

Fleet operators and trucking companies can make their own natural gas; not just compress it...hg...

Posted by: Henry Gibson | 08 June 2008 at 09:20 PM

Hi,

Has so far seen Clean Air Power and Bosch Brazil stating their success in Duel fuel mode NGV for heavy duty. Wondering are they only the 2 manufacturer around for the time being.

Would like to have the contact of Bosch where we can get more info on their "DG Flex" system for heavy duty too. Many thanks in advance.

Posted by: Tony | 20 June 2008 at 08:09 AM