WASHINGTON (May 2, 2024) — The Engine Technology Forum invites you to learn about innovations in propane engine technology and how it is evolving for a decarbonized future by viewing the new digital event recording How Propane is Evolving for the Future.
“Meeting the climate challenge requires many solutions. These new innovations in direct injection technology for propane engines, and the use of renewable propane, have the potential to be a game changer for expanding the use of propane technology to more applications. They also demonstrate how continued innovation of internal combustion engines will help decarbonize the economy faster, and cheaper, than other options,” says to Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Engine Technology Forum and the event host.
Speakers at Wednesday’s event included Gavin Hale of the Propane Education and Research Counsel (PERC), Eric Suits of Katech Engineering, and Srinu Gunturu of Stanadyne.
Despite its widespread availability as a fuel, propane engine technology has relied primarily on basic port fuel injection strategy, while both gasoline and diesel competing engine and fuel types rapidly adopted direct injection strategies over the last decade. Today about 75% of all vehicles use direct injection technology. Use of direct fuel injection enables lower emissions and higher efficiency when adding boost or increased compression ratios.
Katech Engineering, working with Stanadyne and supported by the Propane Education and Research Council, successfully demonstrated a 250-hour durability test on a GM L8T bench engine using a new direct injection system. The unit was able to match or exceed the power and torque of the baseline gasoline engine, while also overcoming concerns about vapor lock through a new inhibiting system and demonstrating high durability of components.
Beyond the expanded utility for advanced internal combustion engines fueled by direct injection propane technology, the propane industry is pursuing development of renewable propane produced from waste feedstocks as a drop-in replacement fuel.
Propane as a fuel offers several benefits including a high-octane rating, and widespread fueling and availability by over 3,500 distributors. It generally has lower emissions compared to gasoline or diesel, and those emissions can be cost-effectively controlled by utilizing a three-way emissions catalyst similar to gasoline. Propane powers a wide range of forklifts, school buses, fleet vehicles and electric power generator sets. Renewable propane is a drop-in replacement from petroleum-derived propane produced from various feedstocks such as camelina.
The event kicked off the Forum’s 2024 digital event series with a focus on innovations in engine technology for enhancing the use of propane as a vehicle fuel. A full recording is available on YouTube.
The panelists offered the virtual audience detailed presentations about propane, and their related research, before responding to individual questions.
ETF encourages you to watch the recording to learn where propane fits in propulsion and energy generation markets as well as its potential to contribute to decarbonization efforts.
ETF’s digital event series continues in June with a session about hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion engines. Other sessions this year will cover advancements in technology to achieve lower emissions and greater efficiency, as well as the future for internal combustion engines in a reduced carbon world. Announcements of additional topics will be made in the webinar section of ETF’s website.
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