Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity: Dodge Ram Wagon Van - Hydrogen/CNG Operations Summary - January 2003

Technical Report · Wed Jan 15 23:00:00 EST 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/809099· OSTI ID:809099

Karner, D ^[1]; Francfort, J E

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1. Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

Over the past two years, Arizona Public Service, a subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity, tested four gaseous fuel vehicles as part of its alternative fueled vehicle fleet. One vehicle, a Dodge Ram Wagon Van, operated initially using compressed natural gas (CNG) and later a blend of CNG and hydrogen. Of the other three vehicles, one was fueled with pure hydrogen and two were fueled with a blend of CNG and hydrogen. The three blended-fuel vehicles were originally equipped with either factory CNG engines or factory gasoline engines that were converted to run CNG fuel. The vehicles were variously modified to operate on blended fuel and were tested using 15 to 50% blends of hydrogen (by volume). The pure-hydrogen-fueled vehicle was converted from gasoline fuel to operate on 100% hydrogen. All vehicles were fueled from the Arizona Public Service's Fuel Pilot Plant, which was developed to dispense gaseous fuels, including CNG, blends of CNG and hydrogen, and pure hydrogen with up to 99.9999% purity. The primary objective of the test was to evaluate the safety and reliability of operating vehicles on hydrogen and blended hydrogen fuel, and the interface between the vehicles and the hydrogen fueling infrastructure. A secondary objective was to quantify vehicle emissions, cost, and performance. Over a total of 40,000 fleet test miles, no safety issues were found. Also, significant reductions in emissions were achieved by adding hydrogen to the fuel. This report presents results of 22,816 miles of testing for the Dodge Ram Wagon Van, operating on CNG fuel, and a blended fuel of 15% hydrogen-85% CNG.

• Research Organization: Electric Transportation Applications, Phoenix, AZ (US); Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-99ID13727
• OSTI ID: 809099
• Report Number(s): INEEL/EXT-03-00006
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
08 HYDROGEN
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG)
ENGINES
GASOLINE
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN FUELS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
NATURAL GAS
PERFORMANCE
PILOT PLANTS
RELIABILITY
SAFETY
TESTING
VANS
VEHICLE FLEET
VEHICLES